The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-08-11
A LOVE STORY IN TWO
:. =. LANGUAGES ..


test girls l ever saw peeped arount
him. Making her my politest bow
and without paying any attention
whatever to the officer, | asked her l.
she would be kind enough to give me-
some dinner.
why, certainly she replied. Blu
our dinner is over and l fear every
thing is cold. Come in and | vii
see.' | thanked her and said | coulC
not think Of giving her any trouble
but if she would have a servant bring
me out something it would answer
just as well.
"She protested, but finally let me
have my way, went in and in a few
minutes came back with q servant
carrying a large silver waiter cover
ed with good things of all kinds and
bottle of wine.
90 could supply you with fresh
wine, but not with fresh dinner with
out keeping you waiting she said
with the sweetest of smiles. You
can come back TO rthe things when |
ring she told the servant, after she
had given me the waiter. The officer
was standing by watching her with
love in his eyes,
Il seated myself on the lower step
and she helped me arrange my dishes.
why do you waste that wine upon
him. he said to her in French. Il
venture to say pond water would suit
his taste better Hush she said in
the same language, he may under
stand you What he exclaimed,
why, he is a "Tar Heel" and a pri-
vate besides. | doubt if he knows
there is such country as France,
much less speaks the French Ian
guage,' and he gave a low, mellow
laugh. But right there was where
he made his mistake. | was fresh
from college. French had been a IA
vorite study with me, and l had taken
second honor in my class, much to
the delight of old Tige,' our French
professor, or, more respectfully
speaking, Prof. Smith, who, by the
way, was the father of Hoke Smith,
Secretary Of the Interior in Mr..
Cleveland's cabinet. But much of
my proficiency was due to the fact
that my college roommate, Alex De-
Jean, of Opelousas Parish, Louisiana,
an elegant young Creole, whose ma
tive tongue was French, had coached
me in the study until l could speak
it quite well and could understand it
perfectly when spoken.
made no sign, however, for he out
ranked me in every way, especially
in good looks and good clothes, but
The most calling of all was in the
good graces of the fair girl, for her
beautiful brown eyes would droop and
he tell-tale blood crimson her checks
when she met his ardent looks. At
er seeing me start on my dinner,
hey once more dropped behind the
| gave my undivided
attention to the good things before
ne, and it was not until my appetite /
vas somewhat appeased that | no.
iced the low murmur of voices be-
lind the honeysuckles, or paid any at I
ention to what was being said.
st is mean thing to eavesdrop-
very mean thing, I think-but if
lad known that l would be court-mar-
ialed and shot for it. l don't think .
hat l could have helped it this time.
"ln vain did l reproach myself as a
ontemptible little rascal, sitting
here listening to two young and ar
ent lovers, although they had taken
he precaution to speak in French.
nd in vain did l try to soothe my
onscience by thinking they did not
now l understood a word they were
aging. In vain-all in vain-was
very good resolution to get up and
lip away. There l sat as if glued
the stone step, my ears greedily
'lnklng in every word, and my! my!
DIV the fellow was forcing the fight.
HE literally poured in the poetical
rape and canister from Scott, Moore
Id Burns; but Byron was his favor d,
e-his heavy gun, so to speak-and
would hurl in solid shot-twentv- {
ur pounders-from Byron, one after
lother, until I could almost hear the
tie victims heart beat. Then there
ould be cessation of hostilities for
lew seconds, and | could hear her |
Oh and whisper, oh, don't please
mt; you must not. l will will I
It angry, now e
Then the firing would begin again,
t and heavy-more solid metal from
ron, and the bigger they were the
lder and more earnest his voice
'uld grow, until she would admonish !
m to lower his tone or someone =
'uld hear him. and that the soldier =,
IS still sitting on the steps eating i
dinner and could hear every word
said; to all of which he would in S