The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-01-06
HIS BLESSED DAHOzEL


p i2CLA FORESTER
G=sEal discovered the filsle book
sn ire lower left hzn6 shelf II the
back e ne shop He had beer huHt-
2 ing a secondhand co1y 0f -vieax
Paris and Aere a. TOP of the dussy
ealtboa1d f0laas lsy the fragile. fra
grant rol1me.
I lE vas fragrant He lined Il car
\ tloasiY 20 his face TIE s0ft hand
tooied. faTn leather vas odoroas vith
some indeHRable scent thar stole along
the nerves ard stirred old dreams
Z Cresion half closed his eyss and
thought 81 ~sds desert reaches ard 4
little purpia silhouette Of moving
eamsls splaahsd up against the golden
sag.
He stood a moment crushing it
irTssollfsly II his han1 rolling the
velvetg leather. feeling the exquisite
texture 0f the paper. running his eyes
ovsr ths old familiar lines.
The Blessed Dauo1el leaned out,
FFcm the gold har Of heaven.
How under the Iisht Of Haahzftang 3
fEy had Rosest's ethereal lady 81 tie
deep blue found her vaY O. those
hags dusty architectural tones il
Tucksrs bookshop1
hr-TlckeE. y0u might put This in
with the rest Crsst0n remarked quite
casually when be had finished his
selections
CID Tucker glanced zideiong from
the book be was enjoying
That one. Mr CFesto1 be asked
sitting up suddsns7
This little book * Rosetd selec-
tens
Not FOR sale" returned Tucker
The book does not belong 10 ne
Creaton locked AZ the inner blank
leaf It bore name. Wanda
Philipps L sang Ia his brain as lie
veHt out
Every time he came back tn the
shop be found the littla book III it's
place On top Of Nuremberg etchings
and old Munich studies And eg.eh
time be held it be would lo1k Al the
name and turn the pages over zdsh
curious thrill of expectancy.
hos long Rfll ynu wait fo- her 70
come bzckg~ he asked oue day
Tucker glanced ID sharply as Il
someone had broken a lock on q very
private drawer Ia his life.
she may come any day he told
hin Erufay. IL stays there until she
does
u would be willing to return il 10
her Il you know whsre she llves7
Tucker considered the request.
stroklng bis white beard thou ghtfully.
Suddenly the old fellow tilted his
head 70 one side and chuckled
She left in a til. NJ. Creston.
She had been dropping IL here of aud
on for year. picking up one book
after another One day I found that
volame 81 Rosetti and it seemed TO be
long 70 her The day she left Il. she
came 10 sell ne back two OF three
books. and would not take them
You've wasted time waiting for her
70 come back Tell ne where she
llYss. and I will take the book back
Let ne take the book With me now.
Take Il said Tucker. slowly.
Creston went down Lexington ave
me straight towards his own home
square But il is a curious square.
One short block makes al the differ
ence in its caste environment Cres-
ton occupied a very comfoFtabie. .bach-
elor s9ise on its soalh side The 0ld
studio building vas east Of Third
avenue
He was bending over the narrow
line Of name plates At the press
buitonf when he caught the scent.
and turned She Va slipping her key
into the lock Of tie door. q splender
girl vita q mass 81 wind blo3n red
dish hair. and an eager. ivory white
face. Il was his Blessed Damozel with
New York snow fakes on her little
fur toque. and even in the narrow
marble yestibule he knew that faint
fragrance that had ciung about tie
little book He drew It from hts coat
pocket and held Il oua to her
Oh. where did you get liz Just
the least emphasis on the pronoun.
Mr Tucker Vas certain you had
been III. or you would have come for I
it,
He sent you with ity He liked
the little ring OF challenge in the tone /
Of this 4 thought had lost It some /
where else
i tried to buy It nom the old man
but he would not sell Of course" be I
stumbled On recklessly. You see ii I
Is very rare little book I wanted 7
to copy one or two bits from i III
might I would return il soon
She held It out to him quickly.
II you are a friend Of Ar fuckers
I don't mind
an fTie1d, SAID Crssiuu. graFs
y, and more. am your neighbor. 4
live Just over IA Gramercy park
You might mail it. she suggested
7 don't want to mail Il
Tucker hardly seemed to notice
either Of them the nexs dav. He sat