The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-06-02
UNTIL SEVENTY
TIMES SEVEN. "
BY ANITA s1LvAN1.

Copyright lsVo, Dy Daliy ctolg Fuo- No-l
Lisa stood on the hillside look
ing down the mountain road and
shading her eyes with her hand
the better to watch the figures OF
two men who were slowly climb.
ing the steep ascent to the little
Swiss farm far up the mountain
side. And as Lisa watched her
heart was in a utter of excite
ment; first because Ludoyieo was
one of those two men and she was
engaged to Ludovico and his com
ing meant all that could break
the dull monotony Of her secluhed
life; next because with Lidovico
came his friend. Rudolph a Bavar-
ian and a singer of whom she had
heard so much but had never yet
seen. To Ludovioo Rudolph was a
paragon among men and the good,
simple-hearted Ludovico sang the
praises Of his friend to Lisa till
she was half in loyewith RudOlph
without ever having seen him.
Ludovieo with all his erudition,
-erudition which had gained for
him at last an appointment in the
College at Geneya,-was yet so
ignorant of maiden's heart that
he did not hesitate to bring this
wonderful friend, whose whole at
mosphere seemed to breathe OF
romantic charm, to stay with the
vain susceptible mountain beauty
who had given all there was of her
shallow affections to the earnest
student simply because a mar.
riage with him meant freedom for
her. Not that LudOyico so read
her assent to his ardent suit, far
from it; ne idealised her in all
things and around her image he
created a halo of fair thoughts.
It was surely an i'll omen that
Lisa's first look rested on Rou-
dolph and as she noted the we'll
formed figure, the graceful poise
of the head, the classical regular
ity of the features, the crisp curl
ing chestnut hair, the laughing
blue eyes so full of life and pleas.
ure she recalled the description OF
Ludovico when he had said that
Rudolph might have sat for a mod
elto the Greeksculptors. Andfrom
his face her eyes travelled almost
reluctantly to the honest, kindly
face of LudOvico with his dark
eyes and olive skin and features
that were almost homely save for
the bright kindly smile which
lightened the intense earnestness
of his expression.
And then the eyes of Lisa and
Rudolph met for one brief mo-
ment and the girl blushed and
lowered hers with the thrill of a
strange newborn fear, and the
man sighed and said to himself,
"Ludovico was right, she is beau
tiful enoughto be the heroine of
poets dream. Why, alasl is she
already the promised bride of Lu-
doyico?"
And Ludoyico o;-Ludovico was
so happy in the great news Of his
appointment and all that it meant
to him, that he was blind,-blind
as a mole in sunshine.
So Rudolph the Singer, and Lu-
dovico the learned who with all
his learning knew so little Of the
mysteries Of love- and Lisa the
vain coquette, restless and seek.
ing ever for excitement that she
never got, all played with fire and |
told themselves, each in the secret |
communion of their own hearts,
that there was no danger, for
were not Rudolph and Ludovico |
as brothers and was not Lisa the
betrOtbed Of LudOvico.
And then there came a long |
bright afternoon Of sunshine
which was to live in the memories
Of Lisa and Rudolph for ever,
when those two sat under the
nower-clad porch alone, with the
soft pure petals Of the blossoms
futtering to their feet with every
passing breeze, and the veil fell
from the eyes Of both and each
knew that the other loved And
that night Lisa sat up till day
hrolxo NO ofchfnrr fha ct1o,t c4o-r