The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-09-03

sired 10 arrange matters so tn1t ne
could pay her millinery bills and tx
the furnace and have her do away with
the Sewell part of her name forever.
Those who could stay only a week or
two went away limiting at pistols and
blighted hearts. But Compton stayed
like the mountains themselves, for he
could afford it. And Gaines stayed be-
cause he was a fighter and wasn't
afraid Of millionaires' sons, and-well.
he adored the country.
'What do you think, Miss MaryT
he said once. II knew duffer in New
York who claimed to like 1t in the sum-
mer time; said you could keep cooler
there than you could in the woods.
Wasn't he an awfully silly? I don't |
think l could breathe on Broadway |
after the 1st of June
Mamma was thinking of going back
week after next" said Miss Mary,
with lovely frown.
"But when you think OF It," said
Gaines, there are lots of jolly places
in town in the summer. The roof
gardens, you know, and the-er-the
roof gardens"
Deepest blue was the lake that day,
the day when they had the mock tour
nament. and the men rode clumsy farm
horses around in a glade in the woods
md caught curtain rings on the end Of
a lance. Such fun!
| Cool and dry as the finest wine came
the breath Of the shadowed forest. The
valley below was vision seen through
an opal haze. A white mist from hid
den falls blurred the green of a hands
breath of treetops halfway down the
gorge. Youth made merry hand In
hand with young summer. Nothing on
Broadway like that.
The villagers gathered to see the city
folks pursue their mad drollery. The
woods rang with the laughter of pixies
and naiads and sprites. Gaines caught
most of the rings. His was the privi-
lege to crown the queen Of the tour
nainent. He was the conquering knight
AS far as the rings went. On his arm
he wore white scarf Compton wore
light blue She had declared her pref
erence for blue. but she wore white
that day.
Gaines looked about for the queen to
crown her He heard her merry laugh.
as If from the clouds. She had slipped
away and climbed Chimney rock. a lit
tie granite bluff. and stood there. a
white fairy among the laurels. fifty
feet above their heads.
Instantly he and Compton accepted
the implied challenge The bluff was
easily mounted at the rear. but the
, front offered small hold to hand OF
foot. Each man quickly selected his
route and began to climb. \ crevice
a bush. Il slight projection. vine
tree branch--all Of these were aids
9, that counted III the race. 1t was al
!, foolery-there was no stake-but there
was youth in it. cross reader. and light
> hearts and something else that Miss
! Clay writes so charmingly about.
: Gaines gave great tug at the roo'
of a laurel and pulled himself to Miss
:. Marys feet. On his arm he carried tho
: wreath of roses, and while the villager:
, and summer boarders screamed and
applauded below he placed 1t on the
: queens brow.
, "You are gallant knight" said Miss
;. Mary.
IF could be your true knight al
a ways" began Gaines. but Miss Mary
= laughed him dumb. for Compton scram
: bled over the edge Ct the rock one min
ute behind time.
+ What twilight that was when the!
, drove back to the hotel! The opal o
n the valley turned slowly to purple: tn
: dark woods framed the lake as a mir
"a ror; the tonic air stirred the very sou
q in one; the first pale stars came ou
q over the mountain tops. where yet
d faint glow Of
.
n Il beg your pardon. Mr.. Gaines" sal
10 Adkins.
=. The man who believed New York t
I be the finest summer resort In tn
"a world opened his eyes and kicked owe
n the mucilage bottle on his desk.
in IL believe was asleep" he said.
II ITS the heat" said Adkins. 1T
a. something awful in the city these
"a "Nonsense" said the other. The cit
,r beats the country ten to one in sur