The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-01-15
HIS BLESSED DAMOZEL
BY lzoLA FORESTER.

Paris" and here on tor of the dusty
calf-bound folios lay the fragile, fra
grant volume.
1t was fragrant. He lifted 1t 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
little purple silhouette of moving |
camels splashed up against the golden j
sky,
He stood a moment, crushing it !,
irresolutely in his hand, rolling the !
velvety leather feeling the exquisite
texture of the paper, running his eyes
over the old familiar lines,
1.-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?
'Er-Tucker, you might put this in
with the rest" Creston remarked quite
casually, when he had finished his
selections
Old Tucker glanced sidelong from
the book he was enjoying.
That one, Mr.. Creston?" he asked,
sitting up suddenly.
This little book of Rosetti selec-
tons
Not for SALE" returned Tucker,
"The book does not belong to me-"
Creston looked at the inner blank
leaf 1t bore name. Wanda
Philips" 1t sang in his brain as he
went out.
Every time he came back to the
shop he found the little book in its
place on top of Nuremberg etchings
and old Munich studies. And each
time he held it, he would look at the
name and turn the pages over with
curious thrill of expectancy.
How long will you wait for her to
come back?" he asked one day.
t Tucker glanced up sharply as if
someone had broken lock on very
: private drawer in his life.
: She may come any day" he told
r him gruffiy. 1T stays there until she
, does"
n 81 would be willing to return it tc
her if you know where she lives?
/ Tucker considered the request
: stroking his white beard thoughtfully
/ Suddenly the old fellow tilted his
Z head to one side and chuckled
l. She left in a tin, Mr.. Creston
9 She had been dropping in here of ant
IT on for a year, picking up one kool
. after another One day found tina
& volume of Rosetti and it seemed to be
IT long to her The day she left it, sh
y came to sell me back two or tire
books, and l would not take them.
You've wasted time waiting for he
lie to come back. Tell me where sh
l. lives, and will take the book bach
% Let me take the book with me now.
IL Take it," said Tucker, slowly.
a. Creston went down Lexington ave
IL nue. straight towards his own HON
square. But it is a curious SQUARE
One short block makes all the dine
r. ence in it's caste environment. Gre
OF ton occupied a very comfortable bacl
d. elor suite on its south side. The oil
ia studio building was east OF Thir
le avenue.
IT. He was bending over the mario
or line of name plates at the pres
,e. buttons when he caught the seen
IS and turned. She was slipping her Ike
IS into the lock of the door, splend'
as girl with a mass of wind blown re
= dish hair, and an eager. ivory whit
face. 1t was his Blessed Damozel wit
New York snow fakes on her lit
fur toQue. and even in the mario
u marble vestibule he knew that fail
fragrance that had chung about tt
=. little book. He drew it from his CO.
pocket and held it out to her.
M "Oh, where did you get it?'' Ju
" the least emphasis on the pronoun.
"Mr. Tucker was certain you b;
been i'll, or you would have come +
a.. it,
~ He sent you with it?" He lik
10 the little ring of challenge in the tol
III of this '1 thought had lost it SON
where else"
- '.I tried to buy it from the old ma
- but he would not sell of course,
~ stumbled on recklessly. You see
va is q very rare little book. want
az to copy one or two bits from it II
might l would return it soon
She held it out to him quickly.
81 IF you are friend of Mr.. Tucker
- don't mind"
IN 81 am friend said Creston, graz
IN ly, "and more, am your neighbor.
a. live just over in Gramercy park
''You might mail it. she suggest'
-. Il don't want to mail it."
ne. Tucker hardly seemed to mott
IT, either of them the next day. He {
= buried behind newly discover
treasure while they talked.
The book is up in my den, Tuck
and SO is she. We were married y
Of terday."
do
l. ~ ia