Albuquerque citizen., 1908-06-20
DAILY SHORT STORIES
THE GIRL WHO LAUGHED.
by II. G. Phillips.

The girl looked up and laughed
at him, Trent thought with rising an
! ger, since In all the length of WELL
/ kept village street there was only him
medium height and graceful. Since
he ardently longed to be tall and Glib
sonesque, he imganied that others also
criticised his lack of inches.
Until she laughed, Trent had
thought the girl extremely pretty and
interesting Now he decided that, in
all this haven of commuters, he least
desired to meet her, spite of the black,
wind blown curls and sparkling eyes.
Man proposes, and Fate deals the
cards to suit her own caprices. The
very next day Trent met his irrepres-
sible sister-n-law strolling with the
Objectionable girl.
Polly, let me introduce my small
brother. Mr.. Kenneth Trent, Miss
French
Thus did Trent unwillingly meet
Polly French-Pauline, in moments of
dignity.
Trent curtailed the wayside chat
and hurried away. Because he would
not look into the sparkling eyes he in
advertently observed her to be pos
sessed of a pair of provokngly small
feet. faultlessly shod. They were
quite his ideal feet. Trent swore
softly to himself as he hurried.
In spite of animosity Trent con-
tinued to find Miss French most at
a
her when he forgot. and was unneces-
sarily taciturn when he remembered,
alternating between fits of resentment
i'm her presence and melancholy in
duced by her absence.
This peculiar attitude more than
piqued pretty Polly's curiosity. Her
most alluring smiles failed to oust his
taciturnity. whereupon Miss Polly,
with feminine unreason, fell in love
with her enigma Only she didn't call
1t love, but analysis.
Thus il continued, through tender
spring and witching summer. Then
came autumn, laden with heartbreak
and causing Trent to take solitary
walks, musing bitterly on the might
have been had Polly French not,
laughed.
incidentally, Miss French also af-
fected Lonely .rambles, kicking the
sere leaves with the small feet Trent
reluctantly admitted he admired. and
wondering pathetically how so fasci- |
mating a man could be 500 annoy
ing.
one day the inevitable happened. |
They met in the Lovers Lane every i
rural district boasts. Polly's cheeks |.
famed scarlet. Trent could not check |
entirely the gladness in his eyes at
sight of her.
ITS pretty with the autumn reds
and browns, isn't it," Polly said the
words shyly, though ordinarily self |
possessed to degree. But most |
people don't wander here-alone'-
demurely allowing dimple to ap-
pear in the cream and rose of her left
cheek.
Il am not alone" Trent's voice
was fervent surely you'll let me
walk WITHOUT"
The words were fraught with ten
der meaning. Polly discovered in "a
twink,ing that analysis and love were
synonyms. Long lashes lifted to allow
sparkling eyes to acquiesce silently
Other men had proposed to Miss
French. In Lovers Lane today she
noticed a difference.
"Perhaps," she laughed, happily.
This made Trent remember.
you laughed at me the first day |
was here Why did YOU" All the
pont-up bitterness was in his voice.
Laughed at you." Her aston
isamtnt denied.
Yes" Trent determined to have it
out. 81 was passing your house. You
stood under the big maple in the yard
and laughed-at me. Why did you?
In Pollys eyes rcmembranccs slow
ly damned,
lit was the kitten-my Angora