A PAQUIN JACKET.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LII, Issue 187, 11 September 1909, Page 5

A PAQUIN JACKET.

(By Anne Warner.)

"It has just come. It is up in my loom I had just lifted it out when your card came " She was looking up in hi-> face and smiling. "It is s<> pretty, quite the prettiest little jacket you ever saw."'

"I had a beastly time getting here," he interrupted moodily. He nas a moody man with a square jaw. He was so moody and his jaw ho square that her sunshiny smile and dimples suited him exactly. "I had to get up at four and be driven six miles," he went on, "and " "But I whs talking about my jacket," she interrupted pleasantly. "It's just pongee silk, but it's cvt — " "You've no idea how sharp it was, that drive across the moor.-.," he internipted "I never tcx-k Mich a chive before. The wind was like a knife I here isn't but one per on in the world that I would have endured such "_^ "Oh. I'll tell yon." she said hastily, but still smiling brightly. "I'll got my new jacket, and we'll go>ior a itaJk. It sso cool that I can wear it. I shouldn't like to carry it, because that would wti'ikle it, but, " r "No| we won't go for a walk," said he man savagely. "We'll sit right here and I'll say what I came to say I may as well know the worst. I've got to get it out of my mind somehoH. And here is the place."

\o\\ 10-.k rather fagged," the blonde mnn said M.licitousJy. It was later iv the day now, and he was a very blonde man— so blonde that her black lasho and olive skin suited him exactly "Have you been going too fust?" "N T o,"' she said, smiling. "Captain Brlknap was here all tho morning, and I mmted to walk, »nd he wouldn't walk, so I'm just a bit short of fresh air, that's, all."

"Do you want to walk?" asked the blonde man. "Oh, please don't say that you do. It's not a nice day; the sun's hot and the wind's cold, and it's so long since we've had a visit. And besides, t hero's something 1 " She looked at him in a quick, deprecatory way. "Oh, but Ido want to walk," ho said, and then her courage got the better of her fright and dimples blubbed forth. "You see, I have a jacket — a new one — a new ono from Paquin's, and I want to wear it dreadfully. It's so pretty and tho day is just right for it. I don't want to carry it at all, because I wouldn't get creases ill it for "

"Sacrifice tho jacket to me," said tho blonde man. "I never asked a favour of you before — did I? Please." "But I want " she began. "I want something, too," he interrupetod, "and I want it terribly. Let me "

"But I want to walk," she cried in great agitation, "and I want to go right away now. I want to get my jacket "

But they did not go to walk, and «ho did not get her jacket. The blonde man stayed her steps and said his" Bay. A little before tea another man came in. He was not blonde and he was not agitated. His jaw was not especially square either — but it was plenty .square enough. He was a big man — bo big thai her littleness suited him exactly.

"What is the matter?" ho asked in attentive astonishment, seeing plainly that something was gone wrong. She was rather pale, but she could smile still.

"I've been wanting to walk in the park all day," she said, "but no one would take me."

"I'll take you," said the not-blonde man. "Get your hat at once." "I think that I will get a jacket, too," Bhe said. "It looks cool outside."

She. went upstairs and came back with her hat and tho Paquin jacket, neatly buttoned. They went into the park and paced along sedately. There was no special conversation of any kind. "I should think you'd lie too warm," the man whoso jaw was not especially sqtim-c, but plenty square enough, said presently. "I think that I am too warm, but I— " she began. "Give mo your jacket." He spoke authoritatively.

She stopped and took it off. He took it. She started no protest at the wav in which he handled it, but it was already vised under his arm and the misi hief was done.

"Watch the children," he said, walking cm with a tread that trod the shades of Paqnin into the dust. They looked ut the little ones playing on the {.'rasa. While they were looking a sleeve fell out of the jacket's folds, and he replaced it with a force that was final. But sho did not even notice.

They strolled on. Sometimes they talked and sometimes they didn't. I'iesoiitlv he clasped his hands behind bii.i nnd held the jacket gripped between them in a sort of ball.

"I think the flowers are so lovely," she said.

He took a fresh twist on tho jacket. "It's prettier than Hyde Park," he said. They went over the bridge. "It's beautiful to-day," she remarked. •

"It's perfect," ho rejoined. They stopped by the pickets to watch the ducks.

"I can't rest my elbows on the pickMs," tsho said.

"No," be said, "you can't, can you?" Then a bright thought seized him. He rolled the jacket up tightly and made a cushion of it to cover the pickets. She rested her elbows on it without comment. "There are two ducks," she said. "Ijet's see where they go. Perhaps it is an omen."

"They'll stay together because they are mates." ho said. "Then it isn't an omen,"* she said.

Rle lit a cigarette with the calmness that dissolves omens into thin air. After a while they went on.

"The joy of being with you," she said, "is that it's just pleasant to be with you. We don't have to be frantically entertaining one another every minute."

She turned at that, and the jacket cushion, thoughtlessly released, went over into the water. "Oh, by Jove!" he cried. "Oh, it doesn't matter," she said. "It was an old one, anyhow," and she laughed. "Was it really?" he said. "And when you came down I thought it looked rather fresh." "That is just because you aro a man," she declared, looking up at him. with a sort of lyiim that is better ana braver than truth in her eyes. "Men never know anything." "1 suppose not," he laughed. She laughed too. There was sunlight in their dual laughter — sunlight, warmth and joy. The man with tho square jaw was on his way to Leeds. The man with the blonde hair was at Uatielngh. The two ducks — still together — wero inspecting tho jacket. "It's an old thing," said the gentleman cluck.

"No, it's quite new," said the lady duck. "Well is it worth anything?" he asked, for he was a pinctical duck. "Yes, it will bo warm and serviceable to help make a nest," said the lady duck. "Help mo homo with it, dear."

CHF.OKKI) AT THE OUTSET. Hoth father and mother strutted \aliantlv to teach little Effio to repeat ' (he letter "A." The child omphaticivlly refiiM-tl to pioiuiiiiiee the first letter of the ali>habet, and after many vim efforts the tatlier retiretl from the li^lit discouraged. The mother took ( he little uirl on her lap and pleaded with her affectionately. "Dearie, why won't you learn to say 'A'?" she asked. "Uec;inse, mama," eNplained El'he, '•ih'.s as soon as 1 say 'A' you an' papa mil want mo to say ' 13." "