The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-09-10
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WEDDING GUEST
By o. HENRY.
By o. HENRY.


By o. HENRY.
Copyright 1906. by the S. S. Mcclure Col
~ NE evening when Andy Dono-
van went to dinner at his
Second avenue boarding house
Mrs. Scott introduced him to
a new boarder, young lady, Miss
Conway. Miss Conway was small and
unobtrusive. She Wore plain. snuffy
brown dress and bestowed her inter-
plate. She lifted her diffident eyelds
and shot one perspicuous. judicial
glance at Mr. Donovan. politely muir
INJURED his name and returned to her
mutton. Mr.. Donovan bowed with the
grace and beaming smile that were
rapidly winning for him social, busi-
ness and political advancement and
erased the snuffy brown one from the
tablets of his consideration
Two weeks later Andy was sitting on
the front steps, enjoying his cigar.
There was a soft rustic behind and
above him, and Andy turned his head
and had his head turned.
Just coming out the door was Miss
Conway. She wore night black dress
of crepe de-crepe de-oh, this thin
black goods. Her hat was black. and
| from it dropped and fluttered an ebon
veil, filny as a spiders web. She stood
on the top step and drew on black silk
| gloves. Not a speck of white or a spot
| of color about her dress anywhere.
Her rich golden hair was drawn, with
scarcely ripple, into a shining. smooth
knot low on her neck. Her face was
plain rather than pretty, but it was
now Illuminated and made almost
beautiful by her large gray eyes that
gazed above the houses across the
street into the sky with an expression
Of the most appealing sadness and mel
ancholy.
Gather the idea. girls-all black. you
know. with the preference for crepe de
oh, crepe de chine-that'S it-all
black. and that sad. faraway look and
the hair shining under the black veil
(you have to be a blond. Of course),
and try to look as If. although your
young life had been blighted just as it
was about to give hop. skip ana 4
iunip over tho threshold OF life. Il walk
in the park might do you good and be
sure to happen out the door at the
right moment. and--oh. it'll fetch 'eHl
every time. But it's fierce. now. how
cynica! l am. :lia't it. to talk abont
| ~. -
Mr.. Donovan s,f.iiel,ly SSrrir cri:)ed
Miss Conway upon the tablets Of his
considerations He threw away the re-
naming inch and 4 quarter OF his cigal
that would have been good for eight
minutes vet and quickly shifted his
center of gravity to his low cut patent
feathers.
Its Il fine. clear evening Miss Con
way" he said and ii the weather bu
reau could have heard the confident
emphasis Of his tones it would have
hoistcd the ss;,ia,, white signal and
nailed it to the mast.
"To them that has the heart to Ell
Joy it, it is, Mr.. Donovan" said Miss
Conway. With Il sigh.
Mr. Honoyan III his heart cursed fail
weather. Heartless weather. 1t shoult
hail and blow and snow to be conso
nant with the mood of Miss Conway.
Il hope none of your reatiyes-I hops
you haven't sustained Il lossy' ven
; tured Mr. Donovan.
Death has claimed" said Miss Con
way. hesitating. mot a relative. but on
T who But will not intrude my grie
D upon you, Mr. Donovan"
'Intrude:' protested Mr.. Donovan
7 "Why. say. Miss Conway, I'd be de
. lighted-that is. I'd be sorry meal
I'm sure nobody could sympathize witt
you truer than would"
Miss Conway smiled little smile
And, Oh. it was sadder than her eX
preston in respose.'
+ Laugh, and the world laughs witt
y you; weep, and they give you tn
). laugh" she quoted.
: Il have learned that, Mr.. Donovan
e this city But you have been kind t
II me. appreciate it highly"
: He had passed her the pepper twic
, at the table.
ITS tough to be alone in New Yor
J. that's cinch," said Mr. Donovan
l. But. say. whenever this little old tow
Il does loosen up and get friendly it goe
s the limit Say you took little stro
! In the park. Miss Conway. Don't 20
II think it might chase away some {
e your mulligrubs? And if you'd allo'
1t me-
y "Thanks. Mr.. Donovan. I'd be please
l to accept of your escort if you thin
the company of one whose heart
filed with gloom could be anyway
l. agreeable to you"
y Through the open gates Of the ire
'e rallied, old, downtown park, where tt
p elect once took the air, they strolle
Is and found quiet bench.
r There is this difference between tt
IS grief of youth and that Of old ag
G. Youths burden is lightened by :
g much Of it as another shares. Old a:
Or may give and give. but the sorrow /
s. mains the same.
u "He was my iance," contided Mi
e Conway at the end of an hour. "N
III were going TO be married next sprin
don't want you to think that | Il
stringing you. Mr.. Donovan. but
was a real count He had an esta
le and castle in Italy Count Fernant
n Mazzini was his name. | never Sa
rs the beat of him for elegance. Pal
eu objected, of course. and once y
RI sloped, but papa overlook us and to-
ri