The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-09-05
A Cheerful Liar.
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seashore On the beach the morning
after his arrival he noticed a lady
whose appearance he admired greatly.
She was about twenty five years old
and tastefully dressed and had Il strong
face and an independent mien. Castor
sat on the beach where he could look
at her as well as the bathers and be-
tween her and them divided his atten-
ton. When the lady tired of them she
put up huge parasol, took up book
and began to read At noon she arose
and went to her hotel
This was repeated daily. The lady
was never seen by Mr. Castor with
any one else He saw her go in and
come out of her hotel, but never III
company She did not appear on the
piazza or on the beach during the aft
ernoon nor in the drawing room in the
evening. Castor was obliged to be con
tent to see her for q couple of hours in
the morning. Not finding any one to
give him an introduction. he set about
contriving to scrape an acquaintance.
One morning he went to the city. and
when he returned in the afternoon he
had with him handsome stickpin. Il
large pearl in a birds claw. The next
morning he approached the lady. lifted
his hat most deferentially and said:
81 beg your pardon. | found this pin
in the sand yesterday at the place
where you had been sitting. May
ask if it is yours?"
The lady looked at the pin. put her
hand to her throat, appeared surprised
and said:
Il had my pin with me yesterday
haven't | didn't know that had lost
It. Thank you very much
Mr.. Castor made Il remark about the
pleasure it gave him to restore her
jewel, but since it did not appear from
her manner that she desired the Incl
dent to form basis for an acuuaint
ance he bowed again and passed on
But he was astonished. He had found
no pin, and he was not aware that she
had lost one. and yet she had taken the
one he had given her and did not even
give him permission to chat with her
What did 1t mean? She was certainly
q lady. But would every lady have
the strength of character to refuse n
t,wel to be obtained so easily?
Mr.. Castor was much put out He
had no objection to buying wOinan's
favor. but when bought he expected
the goods to be delivered. He pur
posely passed the lady later In the
morning while he was walking from
the foam line. up the incline of the
beach. She did not notice him. He
looked at her the next morning on the
! beach, but she gave him no recognition
whatever Castor when cool had good
enough Judgment, but when irfitated
1t vanished. He made up his mind
that the lady was waiting for more
of the same kind.
The next day he went to the city
again. and on the following morning
| the lady received through the mail a
little box containing a solitaire dia-
mond ring With 1t was a bit of pa
| per on which was written, "Also found
| on the beach"
The next morning Castor went to
| the shore solicitous as to the result
| Of his daring experiment. The lady
| was not there, but later he saw her
| coming, followed by man whom
Castor judged to be porter. AS soon
| as she reached the beach she pointed
| to Castor and the man approached.
| Handing Castor the box he had sent
| the lady, he said
"I am told to say that you have
made mistake
| Castor, coloring, took the box and
showed it in his pocket. The lady
turned her back broadly upon him.
| What did it all mean? Was she play
ing him for big stake? Probably not
for she left the beach at once and the
next morning did not appear. She had
| gone from the place. Castor Went
back to the city much discounted.
| The next winter, one evening, while
| Castor was III one VI tnc oiShoS'i "
chairs at theater, on looking up al
one of the boxes he saw the mysteri
GUS lady Of the seashore. He did not
catch her eye and, man of the worl'
as he was, had not the assurance te
look up again. During an intermissiol
he felt tap on his shoulder, and Q
gentleman he did not know asked him
IL he might see him for moment
without Castor's heart sank. He ex
pected to have to answer for an insult
to lady. The man did not stop, as
expected, at the foyer, but passet
through IT, mounted fight. of stairs
passed down the gallery and entered
box. Castor, following, stood before
the lady of the beach.
II have sent for you,' she said, IL
return what supposed belonged to me
but was mistaken. l owned stickp!i
like the one you handed me, thous'
smaller. l never knew till after ha'
left the beach of my mistake. l have
also the curiosity to know what III
duced you to send me the rng!'
| ;,. no N