The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1906-12-29

When two women are sitting over
glowing fire in the broad daylight,
and one is married and the other Is
not, they invariably talk Of two things
dress and servants. But when the
light has waned, and the glow OF the
fire fills the corners Of the room with
dancing shadows, even dress and
servants are left, and the conversation
invariably turns-to the other great
stock subject: man.
"Of course, / didn't do it to be
thanked; but / think you might have
murmured one little word of gratitude
to me for asking Mr.. Carr down. l
mean, ordinary politeness requires
some attention even from you"
Eva looked up at Mrs. Clutton from
a deep dell of hot coal which had been
formed between the bars. THANK
you," she said; and then. added, FOR
nothing"
Mrs. Clutton was one of those long,
slight, tired women who always dress
to perfection, are never ruf1ed, never
different, who are able to hurry while
appearing to dawdle, to be exceeding
" annoyed without the least appar-
ent effort, to laugh heartily without
making a sound, and to talk with
great animation, without in any way
disturbing the undr,ating. veivety
drawl with which they are born.
You might talk to me from now TIL
the middle of next week" she said,
and then you couldn't convince me
that you are not glad that he is here"
A laugh sprang across Evas face,
to be instantly hunted away by q sigh.
my dear Enid, haven't the faintest
desire to prove that l am not hope
lessly in love with him. Unfortunate
" 1t is known to everybody in this
world except the man himself. And
the absurdity of the whole thing
the thing that makes me feel like hall
a tomato on a gridiron-is that he's
fust as much in love with me as
am with him, and that's a very great
deal indeed"
Il don't see where the absurdity
comes in. If you are both in love az
much as all that, why don't you mar
ry him?"
Half-tragically, half-comically, wholly
| in the manner-so far as we can guess
of q petulant angel, Eva sprang tf
her feet, and flinging her collection o.
cushions far and wide, commenced
dashing about the room, greatly to 1T
danger.
Marry him! marry him! Don't
want to marry him? Isn't 1t my ont
ambition in life to become the wife o
this silly, foolish, timid, wretch? IT.
all fine for you to sit there and sa.
those easy, insane things; but l can
run away with the man, can 1?
can't buy a toy pistol. meet the poo
dear in dark passage and shrek
/ Marry me, or you die!' can 1? can
chase him into a conservatory, flop Of
my knees, and cry. Teddy, l love yo'
with a love that is almost indiscreet
be. oh, be my husband, can /. can
can II" Eva caught one Of the cush
ions a beautiful kick, and sent 1t ny
ing against a whatnot.
mot very WELL" said Mrs. Cluttor
But shall l tell you what you ca
and will do?"
"What?" cried Eva, eagerly.
smash my precious china IL 70
kick cushions about like that. =.
The point is, have you given him an
encouragement"
Eva laughed the laugh of theate
scorn. encouragement? Why. m
dear Enid, 1 have done everything
nicely-brought-up girl ought to d
and a good deal that she oughtn't.
During that time, matter OF pc
haps q minute and quarter-Mr
Clutton had been thinking hard, a
though it would have been impossib
to guess 1t from the placid state
her features.
Eva" she said finally, have yo
, ever noticed that picture painted Q
, the panel over the bookcase, OF 81
sitting on an armchair with her ey'
!, cast down. and with her hands folds
meekly on her lap?'
mo" said Eva, "and If had, VIII
. ON earth has she to do with my he
: rid problem
:. Mrs. Clutton undulated on: TT
g figure of the girl works on a hing
8 and sometimes when my husband h'
> got into a boyish scrape and wants
to hear what his father said about
. to his mother, he used to get b
sister to pull the picture back. al
sit In the girls place to report
MIN what went on. A dishonorable al
{ very fascinating proceeding. A chs
was placed behind the picture In I
d next room, the floor of which is on
9 level with it, and in this kind OF Zig
8 It was impossible to tell the differen
n between the real and the unreal 81
a Now, don't you think"
Think! Think" cried Eva. &
ering the permanently quiet M
= Clutton with kisses, II should thi
1