San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-26

SVpcS. I1ci anu AVhh iNANhSttos Sot
married ten years ago and went to
live in California. He's been dead
three-four years maybe and she's
come back to live in the Copes' ole
house. Everybody knew she was
comm some time this spring. If you
want to know why the men never
took any interest up to this morning
in Lucy Cope Ricketts, goin' to come
back and live here again, it's because
all they ever remembered her she
was kind of a peakid girl; sort of
thin and never seemed to have much
complexion to speak Of"
SLOWS it happen Lu Aliens so
thick with Mrs. Ricketts?" E. j.
Fuller inquired. "How's it come that
he"
"He's her lawyer Mrs. Williams
informed him, "and he was executor
of the Cope will, and all. Besides
that, he used to be awful attentive
to her, and nobody was hardly GER
tain which she was goin' to take, Lu
Allen or Tom Ricketts,, right uD to
year or two before she got mar
ried. Looks like Lu was goin' to get
second chance, and money throwed
in"
"Well, LUIS a talker, but he'll have
to talk some now!" p. Borodino
Thompson announced thoughtfully.
Il used to know her, too, but I never
expected she was going to turn out
like this :"
Meanwhile, in the sun-cLeckered
shadow of honeysuckle vine beside an
old doorway, Mr.. Lucius Brutus Allen
was taking leave of his lovely friend.
will you come this evening, Lucius,
and help me decide on some remodeling
for the house," she asked.
mo, thanks" said Mr.. Allen. ~
never could decide which / thought
your voice was like, Lucy: a harp or
a violin. Doesn't make any difference
what you say, whenever you speak a
person can't help thinking of wild
roses shaking the dew off of 'em in
the breezes that blow along about
SUNRISE"
Mrs. Ricketts, looked at him steadily.
When will You come and help me with
the plans?" she asked.
Il don't know" Mr.. Allen returned
absentiy and he added with immediate
enthusiasm: VI never in my life saw
any girl whose hair made such a love-
ly shape to her head as yours. Lucy I,
It's the one thing in the world without
any fault at all-the only thing just
perfect-except your nose and maybe
the Parthenon when it was new"
That brought laugh from her. and
Lucius grew rosy. by George" he
said. ITO hear you laugh again !"
You always did make me laugh,
Lucius." ..,t
Especially if I had anything the
matter with me-" he said. IF l had
headache or; toothache I'd always
come around to get you to laugh. Some
times if the pain was pretty bad. it
wouldn't go away till you laughed two
or three times" -.-..
She laughed the more: then she
sighed. Over ten years, almost eleven
and you saying things like this to
every girl and woman you met, all the
timer"
We'll" Mr.. Allen said thoughtfully,
nobody takes much notice what a
chunky kind of. han with reddish
head and getting little bald says.
It's quite privilege"
She laughed again. and sighed again.
do you remember how we used TO sit
out here in the. evenings under the
trees, Lucius? One of the things Eve
often thought about since then was.
how when you were here, papa and
mamma would bring their chairs and
join us, and you'd talk about the moon.
and astronomy, and the Hundred
Years of war, and"
"Yes :" Lucius interrupted ruefully.
"And then some other young fellow
would turn up-some slim. dark-haired
Orlando-and I'd be talking astron-
omy with the old folks, but you and
Orlando were strolling under the stars
and didn't care what they were made
Of"
NO" she said. 81 mean what I've
thought about was that papa and
mamma never Joined us unless You
were here. 1t took me long while
TO understand that. Lucius; but finally
L did. Do the girls and boys still sit
out in the yards in the evenings, Lu-
cius?r
"Not so much" he answered. ''There
ten years have changed the world,
Lucy. Money and gasoline. Bore
about the only man in
town that's still got any use for a
BY tomorrow afternoon
at the latest you'll find his old white
horse. and phaeton tied to the ring in
the hand of that little old cast-iron
in front of your gate yon-
der"
Mrs. ricketts, glanced at the decora-
tion he mentioned; then she smiled.
That's one of the things / want you
TO advise me about" she said. Il
don't know how much of the place to
alter and how. much to leave as it is.
And why will / find Mr.. Thompson's
horse tied to our poor old cast-iroD
Hes seen you, hasn't he:'
ayes. but he looked startled when L
spoke to him. Besides, when was
girl, he was one of the beaux OF the