The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-03-12
TRUCKING JACK
BY MILDRED WHITE.

my Neitare tretted me, until | feit IKE
an imprisoned bird. Poor SOUL she
was ever fearful lest the sun be too
hot or the breeze too cold. or the walk
too firing down the beach.
SO l ran through the early dewy
morning down to the waters edge,
and | wore my bathing suit beneath
long coat. And when ] had fioated
for awhile In the sunlit waters, / came
again to the beach and wrapped In the
plaid cloak. sat drying my hair.
The slight adventure of Guiding Ur-
sula had given to me a tinge of ad-
venturous spirit. so that | was not sur
prised at that early hour to hear
mans voice at my elbow. For the
man was but part of my adventure,
you see, til | turned to look into his
face. Then, well, | have heard of such
things before, and have Scoffed at
them, but here was no more care-free
adventure for me, but woman's love,
come at first sight He was Just my
man; the one | had dreamed of I'M
consciously, and had known in my
heart that ! should one day meet. SO
1t had been easy to be Indifferent TO
the others who came seeking, in my
waiting for him. Now he was here.
He had come from n brisk walk, il
seemed. down the shining road, and
had stopped for a breath of ocean air.
A to- -l,,t I,
so straight and tall; but his stopping
was really-to find me. Ursula would
have Knocked at my romanCing, but |
knew. | fell into conversation with
half reluctantly to the sands at my
side, and learned that he was study
Ing, through difficulties, to be a civil
engineer, and was now taking short
vacation that friend had suggest
ed this seaside resort, and | happened
to know the friend he named. But
] did not tell him so. Neither did /
tell my own name. or aught of my af-
fairs, but arose quickly at sound of
the seven o'clock whistle and ran on
up the sands just waving my hand in
farewell. | Surmised that my man
Of the dark, kindly eyes was stopping
at the more modestly appointed, Bon
View" near the wood, with the COM
paniOn whom he had named. And,
accidentally, | came upon the two to-
gether that afternoon as | almost
rounded the bench-tree in the park.
They were seated beneath the tree,
and when / heard what they said
withdrew without being observed
"You must stay" Ned Fame, the
friend was saying. Miss Dewitt Smith
is here. You must meet her, Jack"
And then 1t was that l heard myself
refuted, he would have none of me,
this dear, big-Jack. My name was
known to him, through the papers. He
well, in his own half-sneering words,
he would not. aspire"
SO l set out to trick him. Happiness
is such rare and beautiful thing, that
one must not let 1t escape when 1t
brushes by, leaving ones life forever
desolate.
/ bought two little Bingham dresses
at the village store, just two, no more.
a pink and blue. The rustic straw
hat they sold me was most becoming.
/ loved its stiff blue bow and its pink,
pink rose. And l was seated in the
only seat on the train that could ac-
commodate just one more. The dis
dainful Jack person, l learned, was
going back to the city that morning.
And, more than this, / knew the name
of the small town where his own peo-
pie lived Mr.. Jack Bevors visited
often there
had left a brief note on Ursula's
pillow. l would take good care Of my
self, l promised her, and be back be-
fore the end Of the season. And
though that was the extent of my in
formation, ! felt free and conscience
clear as my big man entered the car
and came straight to my side. He re-
membered that early morning meeting,
you see, and accepted the fact Of my
provincial appearance happily. And
as we rode chatting together, he pro-
fessed himself pleased at the discov-
cry that my residence was to be In his
own home town.
It was not difficult for me to obtain
board In that town, when / offered to
help with household tasks, and In my
new position I was having very
good time.
I sat on the tiny porch at evening,
and saw much, very much, of Jack.
I called him Mr.. Bevor, politely. The
of his family troubled me
not at all. nor the uncharitable specu-
lation concerning myself in the VII
lage. l wore my pink gingham and
my blue Bingham, and kept them
fresh, and Mr.. Jack told me how love
" I would look in silks and lawn
and we were married. Yes, we we're,
with the country minister's daughter,
only. for witness. | cried, at leaving
the kind people who had hefripnded
me- NV white muslin frock was their
gift. And then to Jack, whose love
had made him all unquestioning, | con-
fessed to my full name with its
hyphen.
81 am Annette Devitt-Smith," told
him, though l have led you to call
me by nv home name of just Nan.
For If you would love only humble
Nan Smith, and despise a poor girl
for her millions-why, what else Is