The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-04-30
"A Bit Of Blue Clay.
81 ss SO . . q sssss
By j. Howard Eaunlan.

"Wanted, wife. She must be
neat and stylish, and possessed of
that rare good quality in woman,
common sense, in dress as well as
in domestic matters. There, old boy,
Won have in a nutshell what | long
for more than all else on earth. l
am tired Of this bachelor life, and
when the woman whom l think full
Hlls all requirements crosses my path,
shall use all honorable means to win
her."
"And how long do you expect to
wait before finding the embodiment
az such fancies, TOM" Harry Hall
36Asked. 'The girls of this day think
kof nothing but their pleasure and the
latest fashions. They have no notion
Of being bothered with household
! matters, and therefore pay no atten-
ton to them. If they are able to
decide what piece of silk will make
the prettiest waist, how the new ball
gown may be cut, and can criticise
neighbours new tailor-made gown,
they have reached the height of their
ambition as well as the limit of their
mental faculties. That is my reason
for remaining bachelor"
Don't you think you are little
severe on the gentler sex, Hal? Sure
" there are exceptions. 1 will ad-
NIT that the girls you have just de-
scribed are to be found in plenty, but,
thank Heaven! they are not in the
majority. l hope to meet my ideal
In flesh and blood before many
moons; and when I do-well, when
do meet her, just keep your eye on
Mellow making the best of his advan-
tages."
How do you expect to recognize
your ideal?"
First, l shall read her counten-
*ance; it must be frank and open.
Then I will survey her dress. I want
. shapely form, but I do not want a
woman who uses block and tackle
to draw her laces tight; nor do want
Mother Hubbard fiend. But it is by
her feet / shall know her. she must
be the wearer of neat shoe, and the
shoe must fit the foot. Now come on
or we shall be too late to hear that
toast of Beazley's."
So saying, Tom Stanton put out the
lights in his finely furnished bachelor
apartment, and the two men started
OF at fast walk for the Osceola Club
rooms.
/ A few evenings later Harry Hall
called on his friend and found his
apartments unoccupied. So, lighting
cigar, he picked up a magazine, re-
solved to await his return. Sudden
~ the door was thrown open, and
Tom rushed in. He did not notice
Harry, comfortably ensconced among
his cushions, but fastening to the
centre of the room, turned the lights
higher. Then he stepped to a table,
and upon its polished marble top
carefully deposited something. This
something looked to the unseen
friend to be a bit of plaster or clay.
Pulling a chair close to the stand,
Stanton commenced to study it in
tently.
Harry thought it about time to
make his presence known. and
asked
What is it, Tom? Discovered
some earth with yield of gold, or
other precious metal?"
Stanton looked up with a guilty
start.
Hum! You here, Hal? Why didn't
you speak before? No, 1 have not
discovered gold, but something vast
~ more important to me-
MAY see it,"
If you are not too lazy to walk
over here"
For full minute Harry stood gaz-
Ing at the irregular bit of something
tnat Tom had deposited upon the
marble.
Well" he said, finally breaking
the silence, what is it,"
What does it look like?"
"A bit of blue clay. fattened out by
the foot of man or a woman"
You are right; it is bit of clay.
found it in front of the new block"
And what do you see in it to in
terest you?'
"Only the print Of shoe worn by