The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1922-03-23

NH pressed gently into his hand; a
SOFT voice said in his ear, "Wipe it off
with this, Ramsey. Nobody's motto.
ing"
80 this incredibly charitable creature
was still able to be his friend. even
after seeing him mayonnaised. Hum
by marvelng, he did as she told him,
nut avoided all further risks. He ate
nothing more.
lie sighed his first sigh of inexpress-
ibleness, had chill or so along the
spine, and at intervals his brow was
believed. -
Within his averted eyes there dwelt
not the Milla Rust who sat beside him,
but an iridescent, fragile creature who
had become angelic.
lie spent the rest of the day daw-
ding helplessly about her; wherever
she went he was near, as near as DOS
sible, but of no deliberate volition of
MS own. Something seemed to tie him
to her, and Milla was nothing 10th.
lie seldom looked at her directly, or
Tor longer than an instant, and more
rarely still did he speak to her except
as a reply. What few remarks he
ventured upon his own initiative near
~ all concerned the landscape, which
he commended repeatedly in a weak
voice, as "kind of pretty" though once
ne said he guessed there might be bugs
In the bark Of log on which they sat !;
and he became so immoderately per-
sonal as to declare that if the bugs
had to get on anybody he'd rather
they got on him than on Milla. She
said that was "just perfectly lovely"
Of him, asked where he got his sweet
nature, and in other ways encouraged
him TO continue the revelation, but
Ramsey was unable to get forward
with 1t, though he opened and closed
his mouth great many times in the
effort to do so.
At five o'clock everybody was sum.
moned again to the rendezvous for a
ceremony preliminary to departure;
the class found itself in large circle,
standing, and sang 1.-THE Star Spangled
Banner. Ordinarily, on such an OPEN
air and out-of-school occasion, Ramsey
would have joined the chorus uprOar-
iously with the utmost blatancy Of
which his vocal apparatus was capa-
BILE; and most Of the other boys ex.
pressed their humor by drowning out
the serious efforts Of the girls; but
he sang feebly, not much more than
humming through his teeth. Standing
beside Milla, he was incapable Of his
former inelegancies and his voice was
in a semi-paralyzed condition, like the
rest Of him.
Opposite him, across the circle, Dora
Yocum stood little In advance Of
those near her, for Of course she led
the singing. Her clear and earnest
voice was distinguishable from all
others, and though she did not glance
toward Ramsey he had queer feeling
that she was assuming more superior
ity than ever, and that she was Jelly
scornful Of him and Milla. The old
resentment rose-he'd SHOW" that girl
yet, some day!
When the song was over, cheers
we're given for the class, 1.-THE good ole
class Of Nineteen Fourteen" the
school, the teachers, and for the pic.
mic, thus officially concluded; and then
the picnickers, carrying their baskets
and faded wild flowers and other SOU
venirs and burdens, moved toward the
big express wagons" which were ia
take them back into the town. Ram.
sey got his guitar case, and turned II
Milla.
"Well-g'by."
"Why. no." said Milla. Anyway
not yet. You can 60 back in the same
wagon with me. It's going to stop al
the school and let US all out there
and then you could walk home with
me II you felt like IT."
"Well--well, I'd be perfectly will.
ing" Ramsey said. "Only 1 heard We
I'LL had to 90 back in whatever wagon
We came out In, and didn't come Ia
the same one with you, So
Milla laughed and leaned toward hin
a little. Il already tended to that,
she said confdentially. Il asked
Johnnie Fiske, that came out In my
wagon, to go back in yours, SO that
makes room for you"
"Well-- then ! guess could do IT.
He moved toward the wagon with her
Il expect 1t don't make much diner
ence one way or the other"
"And you can carry my basket I
YOU want to- she said, adding solicit
ously, unless It's too heavy when you
already got your guitar case to carry
Ramsey"
This thoughtfulness Of hers almost
oyercame him: she seemed divine.
'T--lll be glad to carry the basket
too he faltered. TIT don't weigh
anything much"
"Wel, let's hurry, SOS we can gel
places together
-. . =
Then, as she Unanswered hin
through the little crowd about the
wagon, with soft push this way and
d gentle pull that, and hurried him %
the improyised steps and found 9 place
where there was room Tor them both
10 Sit, Ramsey had another breathlesl
sensation heretofore unknown 70 him
He found himself taken under Z dove
like protectorship; . wonderful, mex
pressible Being seemed to have becomt
his proprietor.
aIsn't this Just perfectly lcyslyY
che said cozily, close to his ear.
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