The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-08-04
Not On the Menu.

Travers SAT alone at a little table il
> corner OF The cafe The continual
ANN and murmnr d low pitched voices.
ali the internuabia sounds OF tho
restaurant surrounded l.inl, but he SD,
oute sill, with his chin resting ii
his hands. starins al the empty chair
or7osite to him. Tie sight OF pretty
women, well 9rg0Itu men, All t..4
bright, Lively scene l.nlnd i II old
NOT entice him from his revere even
for a moment AT lasl Tlaycrs aer-
gously drained the cup 70 the last drop.
md then, YEARLY passing his hand
across his forehead he assumed his
former attitude nreanilJ he fixed
his eyes on the vacant chair. and then
began talking in a sort CT breathless
whisper, as if to some one seated
therein:
Mamie Mamie, its so good to
see you again. Let's see, its been
three years. almost, since that last
time when-but we won't think OF that
now. we'll just be happy. fell me. is
your life happy, is he good to you?
If he isn't-Oh. if | had only cared less
what people might say. if could have
forgotten my miserable pride, we'd
have run off some place and been mar
ried in spite of your uncle and his
money, wouldn't we? Yes. know.
saw it in your eyes, al that last even
ing-that you'd have gone anywhere
with ME, and then, when | asked YOU
if it was really true. do You remem-
Der what you answered? Yes. of |
course yon do Bu. You We're brave,
and Ii was poor cUWard-hut il |
wasn't all my fault No, there vas 7
your mother, always talking about |
what fine opportunities You had. now
that you had been made heir 10 such
fortune. And then Saunders came
along, with his yacht and his autoni0-
bies-and anybody could see he was
axfully in love with You. and-wcn.
either had to stop loving YOU myself
OF 60, and SO | came away. But |
haven't made quite a failure Of nv
lie. No, Mamie. little girl, not quite.
lou see, at first, didn't care much
WAat happened. but them got to
llinhlns now you would expect things
y LIE, ana so | took a grip on myself
anu pitched in, struck my Gait some
now, and had luck, too-maybe vo,l'ye
leard OF men-I wonder if you ever
'Ainh ol-6ut you must be Very happy.
~lth everything done to make you 50.
'ao every one loving You" Trayers
ceased, and with shiyer buried his
lace IN his hands. What am | doing
what am | doing?" he moaned soft
" l mast stop this, must or | shall
go mad"
Alter a time Travers knew not how
'ns' ne pulled himself together and
oohed up. He glanced at what had
'eeh Inc empty chair. rubbed his eyes
NV looked again. A girl in a light
'pela cloak smiled across at him.
les bobbie. I'm real" Then. anx- ,
'usiy' as ne continued rigidly staring !
l hef' "Bobbie, don't you know me?" ,
ira'ers had become very pale. He !
- 'ensely grasping the arms of his ,
VAR mutely drinking in the picture
efore him.
"sn' Man." he breathed. Its YOU.
!, you, my own little Mamie. II '
- :, hardly believe my eyes. l." a
.... Aait rose out of his chair and,
both her hands in his, raised /
' : u almost to his lips, then realiz-
: : 'uat many curious glances were be-
: 'ast In their direction, he released
y and sank back. :
tingly. 7
- she 'murmured. leaning for
~, o ner eyes never leaving his face.
~ " were saying?" r,
:. W you Know was just thinking Of If
|. wondering where you were. what II
= we're doing. Whether-you vera NJ