Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1906-08-08

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pointed, it was SO unlike what he. had
expected and pictured to himself Yet
he hardly knew after all what he had
expected. He had no claim on her,
was not even any relation, and seven
years is long time-a girl makes 9TH
err friends. She would not meet his
look as in the old days, but kept her
eyes bent on the ground. He couldn't
remember just what color they were,
and wondered how it was that such
an important point had never inter-
ested him before. He could see, in
deed, that the eyes were fringed with
long, dark lashes, and the outline of
the face, which was so carefully turned
from him, was perfect; her figure was
tall and straight, her head erect and
shapely crowned with masses of dark
curling hair, which fell below her
waist. She was decidedly the most
beautiful girl he had ever seen-and
the moment he realized this fact, per-
feet fury of jealousy took possession
of him. He understood everything
now-it was clear as daylight-Cecilia
had lover and did not want his
friendship any more!
At last the girl broke the silence.
my father will be SO pleased to see
you," she said, "but if you will excuse
me now will just finish cutting some
roses and be with you presently"
She began to cut roses feverishly,
not seeing or caring where she stepped,
till the thorny branches laid hold of
her long loose hair and held her fast,
almost as .though they knew what they
were about, and determined to make
her prisoner.
In her struggles she stepped at last
on loose mound of earth which
gave way suddenly beneath her, and
in moment myriads of tiny brown
insects, each carrying a precious egg
almost as large as itself, were swarm
ing about her feet and ankles.
She had stumbled into an ants nest!
The young man was just disappear
ing into the house, but at the first cry
he turned and with two or three
bounds, which would have done credit
to an active kangaroo, was by her side
and had taken in the situation. 1t is
to his everlasting credit that he did
not laugh, but treated the affair with
the seriousness it deserved. Forum
ately he carried his 'machete" with
him, that useful II rather dangerous
knife without which Mexican seldom
rides abroad-and with a few strokes
Of the sharp blade he freed the girl
from the prickly branches, when she
fed hastily into the middle Of the
path and commenced to stamp and
shake her skirts vigorously long after
every insect had taken himself of in a
greater fright than her own.
Then the branches which still chung
to her hair had to be disentangled, oh,
so gently! Such glorious hair, too, the
touch of it thrilled him. Then she
looked up and their eyes met, and sud-
denly the disappointment and misery
which had seemed so real a few min
utes ago all melted away and they
knew,
"Oh, Phil, am SO thankful you
CdIQ0y Was ali Suc ocsAu, Jul ouS 6dNO
a happy little laugh and tried to hide
from his gaze by shaking her name
about her blushing face, but he took
her hand and drew her to him.
do you know 1 have had such a
terrible fright" he said. II thought
oh, you can't think how wretched it
made me--that some one had stolen
you from me; but 1t isn't true, Cecilia,
tell me it isn't true"
"And thought she answered.
evading his question. that the girls
In New York."
'sThere are no girls in New York,"
the young man gravely interrupted
her. There is only one girl in the
whole world. and she Is right here
in my arms!"
A neat appearance counts for a great
deal Don't Ter a dirty collar lose vsl.l