The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-07-09
A Fair EXCHANGE.
IOriginal.l

[Original1
SEa was southern beauty Just
nineteen, he West Point cadet
two years her senior. She had been
graduated at young ladies' finishing
school; he was about to be graduated
Into the United States cavalry. She
had learned to write an essay She
didn't need to learn to write love
letter. She was born that way, just as
poet is born, not made. He had
learned analytical geometry, comic Sec
lions and all that. He didn't need to
learn to talk soft to girl; he breathed
the spirit of spoon in with the West
Point air. The atmosphere there has
been so long laden with it that it's i'm
pregnated-that is, in June, when the
roses bloom. They were dawdling in
Irritation walk
what an odd necklace" he remark
ed, glancing at a circlet Of finger rings
fastened together by gold links she
wore about her neck-'each ring diff
ferent!"
"The donors We're all different too.'
what do you mean by the donors 2"
each ring was given me BY
can accepted suitor?'
"Well'-
''Don't deny it. Rather tell me about
them"
''The rings or the suitors?"
"Both."
'Well, this turquoise cluster was
given me by f1axen haired, blue eyed
boy when was fifteen. He said he
was desperately in love with me, and
he Was-for a month This marquiSe
solitaire got from young planter in
Georgia. He tried to ride over a preci-
pice later on, but his horse baked
This gypsy set pearl was from a pro-
lessor. He was an old fellow, thirty
one at least. He taught Scandinavian
or Egyptian literature or something of
the sort He'd never been anywhere,
but he could talk SO beautifully about
the places he hadn't seen that he'd
make you wish to go there. A doctor
gave me this sapphire. He had been
all over the world, but you'd never
know it. He couldn't say boo to a
goose. l used to say to him, My friend
the professor could go through China
town and make you believe he'd been
at Pekin when the allied forces en-
tered; you would make marionette
squabble out Of the battle of Gettys-
, burg"
"I'll bet the doctor knew lot more
than the professor"
"NOt for women"
bleeding hearts,"
"The man who gave me this ruby
was splendid-young like us. He was
so fierce. Are you an anger?"
mo. What's that got to do with it?"
'Then you won't understand. My
ruby lover splashed about, darting this
way and that way, one day treating
me with sovereign contempt, the next
with anger, till l thought I'd never
land him."
And did your
There's the ring to show"
How about the fellow who gave
you the opal?"
| OL, ludl luc VIII uedu
easy thing in the breaking. I was
afraid he'd interfere with the diamond
between sapphires, and l had to cut
him short told him he'd broken my
heart, for l never could marry man
who'd given me an opal-nothing but
unhappiness could possibly result from
/ such a. union. But now tell me about
| your book of beauty. Your chum stole
it for me yesterday out Of your room
'"The rascal"
GIVE brought it with me to return it
to you. There's No. 1, this black
haired, black eyed girl. She'd be pretty
if she hadn't such a homely mouth
and a pug nose. How long were you
engaged to her?"
''Oh, these girls aren't girls I've been
engaged to- They're girls who have
refused me. l only thought l loved
them I never really knew what love
was till now"
"When did it strike you?"
Gust after guard mount yesterday
morning was marching off the old
guard, and 1 saw group of girls
among the lockers on. One face among
them made me tremble. l recognized
my belle dame sans merci''
You talk just like the professor.
! What does belle dame sans merci'
mean?'
He stopped and gazed at her with all
the fervor of his handsome eyes, but
with an expression of despair in them.
Beautiful one without mercy" he re-
piled.
She turned and looked down through
an opening in the trees on the Hud-
son, evidently to conceal a deep emo
| ton
ooh, if 1 could only trust your she
said in broken tones. "You, the only
one Of all My punishment is more
than can bear"
II swear
1T has come at last, but to mock
me! Let go my handv'
Her bidding was obeyed suddenly,
SO suddenly that she was surprised. At