Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-01-10
HIS BLESSED DAMOzEL
BY IzoLA FORESTER.

Creston discovered the little book
On the lower left hand shelf in the
back Of the shop He had been hunt
Ing q secondhand copy Of "Vieux
Paris" and here on top Of the dusty
ealf.bound folios lay the fragile, fra
grant volume.
It was fragrant. He lifted it eau
tiously to his face The soft hand
fooled, fawn leather was odorous with
some indefinable scent that stole along
the nerves and stirred old dreams.
Creston half closed his eyes and
thought Of wide desert reaches and a
little purple silhouette Of moving
AAmslS splashed up against the golden
6Ay.
He stood a moment, crushing 1t
Arfesolutely in his hand, rolling the
-Es1vety leather, feeling the exquisite
tsxture of the paper running his eyes
ever the old familiar lines,
The Blessed Damozel leaned out,
From the gold bar Of heaven"
How under the light of Manhattan's
Sky had Rosetti's ethereal lady Of the
deep blue found her way on those
huge dusty architectural tones in
fuckers bookshop?
"ErTucker, you might put this in
With the rest" Creston. remarked quite
casually, when he had finished his
selections. ---...
Old Tucker glanced sidelong from
he book he was enjoying.
That one, Mr.. Creston?" he asked,
sitting up suddenly.
"This little book Of Rosetti selec.
taonS."
mot for SALE" returned Tucker.
The book does not belong to me"
: Creston lboked at the inner blank
leaf. 1t bore a name, Wanda
Philips" 1t sang in his brain as he
vent out.
Every time he came back to the
chop he found the little book in Its
place on top Of Nuremberg etchings
and old Munich studies. And each
Vine he held It, he would look at the
.AAme and turn the pages over with
y curious thrill Of expectancy.
How long will you wait for her tc
SoOme back?" he asked one day.
Tucker glanced up sharply as Il
1Oomeone had broken lock on a very
private drawer in his life.
"She may come any day." he tolt
aim grufhy. 1T stays there until she
docs"
i would be willing to return it t
her II you know where she livesF
Tucker considered the request
SAroking his white beard thoughtfully
Suddenly the old fellow tilted hi
Aead to one side and chuckled.
"She left in a tiff, Mr.. Creston
De had been dropping in here of ant
"a for a year, picking up one hool
after another. One day l found tina
volume of Rosetti and it seemed to be
long to her. The day she left it, sh,
came to sell me back two or tire,
books, and ] would not take them.
You've wasted time waiting for he
to come back. Tell lie wnrie sh,
lives, and | will take the book back
Let me take the book with me now.
take it," said Tucker, slowly.
Creston went down Lexington ave
nue. straight towards his own HON,
square. But it is a curious square
One short block makes all the differ
= ence in its caste environment Ores
ton occupied very comfortable bach
alor suite on its south side. The oil,
studio building was east of Thir,
, avenue.
He was bending over the marrow
line of name plates at the pres!
buttons when he caught the scent
and turned. She was slipping her Ike,
into the lock of the door, splende
girl with mass of wind blown REQ
Gish hair, and an eager, ivory whit
lace. 1t was his Blessed Damozel wit
New York snow fakes on her littl
'tur toque, and even in the marrow
marble vestibule he knew that fain
fragrance that had chung about tn
little book. He drew it from his Goa
pocket and held it out to her.
"Oh, where did you get it?" Jus
che least emphasis on the pronoun.
Mr. Tucker was certain you ha
been Ill, or you would have come TO
e."
He sent you with it?" He like
Che little ring of challenge in the ton
Ot this. 81 thought | had lost it some
where else.
I tried to buy ii IRON the old mar
out he would not sell of course h
stumbled on recklessly. You see
y q very rare little book. wante
20 copy one or two bits from it if
might. would return it soon"
She held it out to him quickly.
"Ifyou are friend of Mr.. fuckers