Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-07-29
Al STROLL TN
THE PARK
The ouppoeltlon q That the Palr
FInallN Went.

ENut0uNN NN4tsl
"As for me" said he. Il should like
to take stroll In the park"
And looking at her with the raised
features Of inquiry. he seemed to say;
How about your"
But as for her, sitting on the top
step and looking up at the stars, she
nothing saidA
Eyes, yes" said he again. Il should
like to take stroll in the park
And directing to her again the fea'
lures Of inquiry he seemed to say
That's twice."
Then" said she, looking at him with
all the blandness Of incuriosity, her
lovely face ethereal In the starlight,
her chin upon her hand and her elbow
ON her knee-"then," said she, gently.
softly, with certain sweet air of i'm
personality, why don't you, Mr.. Go
bang?"
All" said he, with gesture Of sat.
isfaction, IN tell you" He drew
close to her as though about to deliver
condolences Of secrecy. looking smugly
up at the stars, looking smugly down
at her, trying his-note with the air Of
pampered tenor about to enjoy the
plaudits of thesmultltude, and tuneful,
ly then he turned to her, made q coy
little gesture that was almost ca
ress, and began:
Last night" said he-"Ah! how
long 1t seems since then-before you
came--it is difflcult to believe that
met you only two short hours ago-ah,
we'll! Last night" said he, seeking
the cool of the trees and wishing to es-
cape the banality of boarders, |
strolled down the avenue and into the
park. Yes, yes; into the park"
He made the sad gestures Of melan-
choly, Of young man deserving a
pity, Of one misunderstood and seek
ing but for communion Of soul
Into the park" said he, into the
park. Above were the stars; below
was the grass; while ali around"
He paused, his voice vibrating into
silence, iutteripg like thread of silk
held between the teeth and blown out
into semblance of rightly, a silence
of substance, tangible, appealing, in.
viting, commanding
while all around"
"Yes!" she whispered.
was Love-" he whispered back.
Quiet then he sat and lonely look.
ing over at the park with an aspect
of usefulness, barely discernible in
the shadows, dimly silhouetted against
the distance, his shoulders hunched
forward with the contraction of wear
mess and his hands clasped around
his knees with all the humility Of one
who dares not hope.
was Love-" he whispered. Eyes,
yes. looked for seat In vain. Love
, held them all, wandered along the
winding paths. But Love preceded me
and Love followed. Arm in arm they
strolled, or arm in arm they sat, happy.
blissful, content wandered on in
silence while all around me murmured
Love. l stopped and Love grumbled.
turned and Love softly Kissed be-
tween its frightened lips. Finding a
single seat at last, sat me down, but
Love arose and went away, grumbling
its expressions and piping its opinions
of all who came to see. Wherefore
came away and wherefore do ! sup
pose that must stay away-forever--
and day"
Quiet again he sat and lonely, but
now they both looked over at the park,
its dark branches waving against a
darker sky, waving an intricate pat
tern OF Love, waving warning against
the intrusion of interlopers, waving a
weave Of happiness and Of mystery.
beating time to the melody of this one
singing as he again took up the bur-
den Of his song,
"Ah--Miss-M Miss Miss-Miss-
Miss Proone," she gently told him.
"Ah, Miss Proone," he eagerly ex-
claimed, little do you knOw-you who
have just come from the country-ht-
tie do you know the loneliness Of a
great city. All around one are the evil
dences Ct a gayety and life. Dances"
He made the gesture OF finished
artist, indicating unto her the dregmy
figure Of waltz the glow Of lights,
the ever-climbing melody Of countless
svio,ins.
receptions"
He gestured anew.
"-theaters-"
All, then what eloquence!
'-concerts and everything! Hun
dreds of times have wished to go,
but--there was none with whom i
cared to 60. None None"
His voice almost wept before it
died away, and when he sat quiet
again, and lonely beyond words, they
both looked over toward the park with
ia mournfulness that verged on open
tears. Making then sudden motion
as though Diminishing subject already
discussed too long. he looked at her
with affected cheerfGlness, saying:
'.It's going to be warmer, | think"
But still her eyes dwelled on the
park, her lovely face ethereal in the
starlight her chin upon her hand, her
elbow on her knee; and seeing her 30