St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1911-02-18
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The Wall Flower
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By TEMPLE BAILEY


| love life better than I did when I
was younger. Tonight I've been out
in the wind, walking up the beach,
and felt strong enough to conquer the
world. Even in my most sanguine
boyhood days I never knew the same
sense of absolute belief in my ability
to make things come my way"
But you're a man." she said. "a
woman when she loses her first youth
and beauty must be content to be a
wall flower"
Come out" he said, impulsively,
land walk with me up the beach. It
is glorious out; the wind is blowing.
and you'll feel as If the world was
miles away, and that the people In IT.
were of little account in the sum OF
human happiness"
The moon shone between the rag
ged clouds, as, wrapped in red cloak
she went with him on their wild walk.
Its glorious" she confessed, "and
I don't care tonight II l am poor and
wallfower, but in the morning there
will be the awakening"
Il am poor, too," he said, "but for
me there will be no awakening, be-
cause all my life I've had riches, and
all my life I've been bored. The week
before l came down here l learned
that had lost everything. Everybody
thought that the blow would be crush
ing, but have been surprised to find
that I do not care
But you will care" she said, when
you have lived for little while and
have learned of how little account you
are to people"
What do 1 care for people?" was
his question.
"You will care just as did tonight"
she said. when you find that you
are of little account. it will hurt you"
He turned to her do you think I
could ever be of little ACCOUNT" he
asked. Il don't say this with conceit,
but 1 know that l have found myself,
and that henceforth / shall make the
world listen"
"Oh!" she breathed, "if one could
feel like that!''
"One must feel like that" he said,
ito live and conquer. Shall we test
it? Tomorrow night put on your pref
test gown and go into the dance ex'
pecting to be a belle, not wall flower
and see the result"
THAT wouldn't make bit OF Oil
ference" she protested.
ut will make a difference" he said.
TRY it,
The next night saw her in the midst
Of group of men. Her head was up
and her eyes were shining.
"You see it worked he said, as ne
came up to claim dance.
1T was the funniest thing" she con-
fessed. Before l came downstairs
smiled at myself in the glass ana
whispered over and over again that
was young and happy, and gradually !
came to feel that was happy, and
came down to the dance tonight with
out fear. It seemed as If | created
different atmosphere. Do you believe
in such things? OF course you DO
or you wouldn't have advised 1t last
night
81 knew you were Understanding
your own charms" he told her. You
ran away upstairs to the balcony BE-
fore people had half a chance to seq
you"
"After ALL" she said, quickly; what
is it worth, what do really care wna'
they think of me?"
He looked down at her with new
light in his eyes. What do we care
for anyone except ourselves? What
l think Of you, and what you think OF
me; that Is the important question:
isn't it,"
After while he took her up to the
| balcony where they could be alone.
"1f 1 had my money" he said, I'D
ask you to marry me-"
'Tf you had your money" she said.
! 81 wouldn't let you ask me. I'm not
fitted to be the wife of rich man"
Below them the dancers wh1rled to
the rhythm of the music. Outside the
| wind sang wild song, but they had
no ears for the music within or that
without. They were listening to the
song of their own hearts, which told
| - ~-v~n