The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-04-24

also Walking on lHe ulsA tAAA anu
there the youth first met the maid.
They became acquainted and talked |
and laughed together The youth did |
not know that he loved the maid.
Therefore his love did not exist It
was latent
The youth liked to row and fish and |
roam about the woods and read. The
maid loved all these things, and they
EN- 'oyed their pleasures in company
which was much more pleasant than
being alone.
It was not until the fourth day Of
this newly-formed friendship that this
narrative begins. The first few days
were days Of evolution. The embryo
man and woman were in the process
Of formation, and were all uncon-
sciously undergoing slight but contin-
ual changes. To be sure there were
outward signs Of change. The collar
Of the youth disappeared; his face and
arms grew brown and strong The
hat Of the maid disappeared and also
her sunshade.
On the fifth day the woman dropped
her handkerchief. The man returned
it to her with more than ordinary
pleasure, all unconscious of change
as yet And the next day when he
stepped into his canoe she gave him
his paddle This was a subtle sign
Of change. And for many days to come
they served each otter in little ways.
And later she bound his brEised finger
with her own handkerchief, and he
disentangled her hair when it was
wound about a twig. 1t was wonderful
that they experienced no change Con-
ventional lines were rapidly disappear
ing. But they were blind.
Later they sat for hours in drift
ing canoe motionless and silent. or
they lay quietly upon the river bank
or near the sea, and they took long
strolls together in the moonlight sum
mer evenings. When she was from
his sight his heart was distressed by
the sudden swapping Of a twig and she
became breathless If a fish splashed
suddenly in the quiet water. They UNI
consciously sought each other.
When they opened their lunch
basket in the quiet woods the things
that she cooked were always best,
and she wondered why. unshaven and
collarless he looked better than the
| groomed effects Of culture and civiliza-
tion whom she had left in town. I'm
consciously each was glad that there
were no others to share their com
panionship. He was glad when her
hair became unpinned SO that he
might fasten it back again and she
was glad when evening came because
he never forgot to unroll her sleeves
which he rolled lightly about her ell
bows in the morning. There were
dimples on her cheeks. but he has
never noticed that even to this day,
which fact proves that truth is stran-
ger than fiction.
One bright day. in the very heart d
summer, they had padded to a place
far up the river where the trees
formed dark low hanging archway
and wild grape vines hung almost tc
the surface of the WAFER. On that par
tscular day they were talkative. They
had discussed death, then life, ther
the soul, and then the train of though
drifted to friendship and last OF ali t.
love. Both admitted that they has
never been in love. that is. since the!
were children and thought they wer,
in love and went about greeting thei
u Writes with the pleasant name o
E"Smarty," Each felt relieved by thu
confession Of the other.
Everything came about SO uncon
sciously He would lean forward L
pick a leaf or twig from her hair D
a piece of river grass from her finger
/ and her hand would be resting in hi
or she would be resting on his snoul
der And sometimes she would leal
/, forward to pluck lily from the waite
and vice versa. He was as dear to he
as a brother and he had no sisters o
his own. Day by day the conventions
arrangement Of things disappeared
Once he found himself carrying he
across a stream. but he did not quit
! awaken And the dimples on her e
bow rested against his neck.
They always ate their lunch Il
gether now. They were sad whe
apart and happy when together. TIL
summer was waning. It was she VIII
: first awakened. and this is how 1t hal
pened. She found him with his hea
lying In her lap and she was wiplng
; stain from his forehead where a dust
vine had struck him and moistenin
the handkerchief with her lips. Upo
. awakening her first act was to gas
! for breath Then with her free han
: she gently stroked his hair from h
{ forehead. She loved him. He b
! longed to her. No one could take hil
! from her. But he should not knov
at least not yet
I All that day she seemed pre0ccupie
: and Indifferent, her voice was distan
= her eyes evasive. But she waA thin
!, ing fast. How could she awaken hill
''He is too friendly she said to he
: self. As her indifference increas,
Y his solicitation grew. But he thoug
Y Of her welfare only. not Of his ow
2 This pleased and annoyed her at II