The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-04-24
CHAPTER XIV.
A Falsshood Under The PALMS

A Faisshoed Under the Palms.
"(Ta14E LL. it seems he'd bought q
ticket for that loud coiored
country where l net him and
~ come down there to forget.
i could buy the ticket he said. a.
soon as l learned how to pronounce the
name Of this town. But l can't forget.
I've tried. It's hopeless And he sat
there looking like a man whose best
friend had died owing him money. l
won't 30 into his emotions. Mr..
Bland. up at the inn. is suffering them
at the present moment. I'm told. They
are u~nimp0rtant; I'll hurry on to the
lie. 1 simply say be was sorrowful,
and 1t seemed to me a crime. what with
the sun so bright aud the sea 80 blue
and the world so full Of a number Of
things. Yes. it certainly was a crime.
and I decided be had to be cheered up
at any cost. How? l thought awhile.
gazing up at the sky. and then 1t came
to me-the Iie-th great, glorious lie
and l told it."
The hermit looked in defiance round
Tue HSteuauS clICte.
YOU'RE chock full Of sorrow now
! said to McMann. but it won't last
long He shook his head. Nonsense
| told him. Look at me. Do you see
me doing a heart bowed down act un-
der the palms, And he couldn't. the
lie unfolding itself in such splendor to
me-. Your he asked. Me- | said.
Ten years ago | was where you are
today. A woman had spoken to me
as Mabel-or Marie-Or what was it,
spoke to you.
Il could see | had the boy interested.
me at the moment. Yes said l, ten
years ago | saw her first. Dancing as
a butterfly dances from flower to dow
er. dancing on the stage-a fairy sprite
II loved her, worshiped her. 1t could
v he. There in the dark Of the
wings she told me 80. And she shed
q tear-a sweet tear Of sorrow at part.
ing.
81 went to my ROOM. l told Nc
Mann. with a lot Of time tables and
steamship books bright red books: the
colos came Of IN my eager hands. l
picked out a country and sailed away.
Like you, l thought l could never be
happy. never even smile again. Look
at me.
He looked. I guess my face radi-
ated bliss. The idea was 50 lovely.
He was impressed-l could see 1t.
I'm supremacy happy l told him.
I am my W master. l wander
where l will. No woman tells me my
hour for going out or my hour for
coming in. wander. For company
have her picture-as l saw her last
with twinkling feet that never
touched earth. As the spirit moves l
90. You can nov the memory of a
woman in a fash. my boy. but it takes
two months to get the real article
started. and then. like as not. she's
forgot everything of Importance. Ever
thought Of that? You should. You're
going to be as happy a I am. Study
me. Reflect l waved my carpet
slippered feet toward the palms.
had certainly made an impression on
Alexander McMann.
"As we walked back yer the sands
and grass grown streets to the hotel
his heart got away from that cupid's
lunch counter. and he was almost
cheerful. l was gay to the last. but
~ l parted from him my own heart
sank. knew I had to 60 back to bel
and that she would probably give MI
a scolding about the carpet slippers.
parted from McAann with 4 last wore
Of cheer. Then went to the ship
to her. my wife. That was the lie
yOu understand. She travelled every
where with me. She never trustee
ne.
I'VE were due to sail that night
and Wa glad, for | worried son1