The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1910-12-17
His Lace Paper Lady
By JEANNE O. LOIZEAUX
Copyright, 1910. BY Associated Literary Press1

was. there was no sleep. And finally
peace came to him by strange path;
it was through the self-verdict that
he was an unutterable, sneaking cad
Of coward! He rejoiced in calling
himself names.
Now he knew that love is-love!
1t takes you up and you belong to 1t
and cherish 1t your life long! You
love-because you love. and If the
lady of your heart be a tender plant.
a fragile flower, you love her and
guard her the more because she needs
you and your strength! 1t was all
very clear and made him ineffably
happy for two days and night.
Then he awakened to new torture!
What use was anything if, while
he had been hesitating, the other
man had won her? This thought
made him sore and sick. and he
finished his days work like an evil.
feverish dream. He FASTENED home
to his boarding house, swallowed his
supper, and then with lovers care
fulness, made himself immaculate.
He would go and see her.
But 1t was not until he was starting
| that he remembered he did not know
exactly where she lived. He had been
keeping away from her, avoiding
mention of her, and here he was un-
able to find her! All he knew was
what he knew from her-he asked
her how she stood the heat downtown
one September day of unreasonable
heat and she had answered simply:
I'm not downtown don't work
stay at home"
OF course she was a pampered
child; her appearance told him that
He had heard. he could not have said
where, that she had no mother, and
lived with her father and several sis
ters-he never saw the sisters-old
maids who made business of petting
her, no doubt He wondered II they
would object to him, whether he could
convince them he would be tender
| with her? And all this before he had
once called upon the girl!
Finally he went to a drug store
directory and found her street and
number.
And in the dusk of a warm Octo-
Der evening he found the little street
and the little cottage where she lived.
He saw no light. but he went up the
winding path through the deep. tree
guarded yard and to the small. sim
pie dwelling.
Sitting alone on the small porch, he
was aware of her. and that she arose
and came toward him. timidly. until
she saw who 1t was.
"You!" she breathed in a tone soft
as a caress. while he took her hand,
| and stood holding 1t, though she
would have withdrawn it.
Yes, II" he replied in a tense
voice. Lois, / can't wait to say 1t
prettily and work up to it-but I've
been in torment since the first min
ute / met you. because I-love you
SO, Lois! Can't you see that I've
loved you SO much that could not
trust myself to come near you for
fear my heart would come ont Of
me and drop to your hand! That
first time ! danced with you came
near telling you I'd give my soul
| just to kiss you once-I bit my
tongue and managed to keep still!
Now, girl, girl. could you marry me
could you trust me to take care
of you? I won't let the wind blow
on you even. If you will give me my
chance"
He paused. breathless, because
wonder of wonders, she was lieten.
ing. and her gentle head was very
near his shoulder-so near that ne
put his hand behind 1t and brought
1t close. And then he stopped and
kissed her. and knew that her cheek
was wet with tears.
Dear" he said, what is it? Why
are you crying?" and then she
laughed and wiped her eyes. but her
hands chung to him.
I'm laughing because you should
think l need so much coddling - a
girl who does all the work for a
father and three little sisters! Father
is going to marry again. and they're
wild for new mother-but I'm mott"
Here she paused. but he remembered
the tears.
But why were you crying? Tell
me-" But she was shy about it.
Well" she finally said, 'since you
must know it, was glad. had
begun to think u-might-never-
ask mel"
| And then the happy lover laughed
and held the girl very close.