The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-07-04
FEEs1I ttsv Ft9FEiE dVuIL I
MATRIMOMY IN HOOPS.


ter, but proceed at once to the she-kinah of
the story.
Frederick L., the husband of the fail
writer, like some other people, had grand
father--a good old English gentleman, who
few into passion with his daughter for
marrying an American officer, and cut her
of with a shilling. He lived to consider
able size and age without finding the COM
fort he expected in his roast beef and ale
all the time signing for the rosy-cheeked ed
girl whom he had driven from his door, and
swearing, with sundry stamps of his SUBJ
stantial foot, never to forgive her offence.
But the time came when he could no longer
stamp and swear, and then he relented
and made a change in his will, bequeathing
FIVE hundred pounds and his blessings to his
daughter, and an estate IN Surrey to her
only son, Fred, on condition that he should
have a male heir and reside in England
The blessing came too late, for his child
had long been sleeping under the daisies Of
the village church-yard at F.; but estates
are always available, and Fred who was
now passed mIdsh pman in the navy, over
head and ears in debt and in love, TOO,
drank lorlous bumper to the memory OF
his departed relative, and wished him bon
poyage upward or downward, as the case
might be; then springing into coach, made
his way to La kuche to communicate hi:
good fortune 10 ourselves and the fair lady
of his love-then guest at our house.
Madeleine was gay little beauty, who
had snapped the heart-strings of a whole
legion of lovers before she wound those ot
Fred around her white fingers. She used t6
angh about it right merriIy. and tell me how
many she had driven int" the church, how
many had sought refuge in California, and
how many had sighed ou: their despair ii
poetry. She thought, upon the whole, thai
she had done the world excellent service ant
pulled the brown rlnglets over her laughing
eyes. rs she declared that it was fine fun
and she meant to keep it up just as long IL
she could.
But all was over when Fred came along
saw from the first how it would end. Sh,
blushed mt the mention Of his name. anC
ran when she heard his footstrp-the lit
tie gipsv she knew well enough tina
he'd follow her And he did follow with
an ardOr that left no doubt Of his earnest
ness; and she led him through thickets ane
brambles, and every dsagrecablc place sh'
could think of, till, one day, took her t.
task about it, saying II was plain to me tha
she wished him to follow her through life
She scorncd the idea. Pooh what did sht
care for him? She was only flirting, anc
he knew it-but it raS funny to see hin
scratch himself to death to pull wild roses
for her; wasn't il? And he had perfec
mustache; hadn't he? Then she sighed an,
said she never meant to marry--never; She,
have all the pleasures within her reach, ant
after that turn into Florence Nightingale
husbands were such horrible stupid thing'
so? shook my finger at her, and was no
at all surprised when Fred told me next da,
in an ecstasy of delight, that he had kissed
and he couldn't say how many. of the weet
est consents i'll the world from her ros,
lips.
All, Miss Madeline How her tune chaned
She began TO think wives the happiest crea
lures in the universe, when they had hus
bands like Fred-which, to be sure, was no
once in thousand times. She began t(
identify herself with them Immediately. On'
was so TRANQUILITY happy. she said--so set
tied; and then ene's morning rabes were st
becoming and those charming little loves ot
French caps for the breakfast table Tn,
conversation too - none of your gruH
Madeline, the toast - no offence to deal
papa) but, "My dear, the toast if yot
please" Oh she would be just as happy
as queen when she would become Mrs.
-; and she couldn't say the rest
But ''papa" was inexorable--not to b.
propitated at all, as Madeleine said. with
tears? parents were such a trouble to theil
children, nowadays. He said Fred was
poor-too poor to marry; they mast wai
till he should wear lieutenant's epaulette
as if they cared for that But there wa,
no help for ii. and they had to submit; tho
Madeleine told me with a smile of triumph
how Fred had sworn to run away with he,
if the epaulet didn't come soon, lust as il
Id do such thing - she said. ''Jast as il
YOU romidn't thought |.
Things We're in this state when the old
grandfather died, and the coach in ny sec
ond paragraph brought Fred to La Ruchc
hrimful of hope and happiness. There was
now no obstacle 10 their union: on the con-
trary. a strong reason for fastening it,
But how to communicate 10 Madeleine tn,
condition annexed to the Old gentIeman'
bequest WAS matter TO be graveIy cansid'
cred. Fred suggested my wife. spako tc
her privately about il, and she called me 4
Gergon, for thinking of such Il shameful
thing. No need. she remarked. Of wound.
ing the dear girls deleaey at all; WHY dida'
Fred 20 to her father He would eonsen
TO their union. Of course; under such cir
eumssances: and that was all they wanted
She said We were couple of geese.
agreed with her, and added, that, after all
Fred WAS counting his chickens before ------
Here she put hsr hand over my mouth, ant
pushed me out of the room.
..True enough" ssid Fred. '!Wha, 1
fool was not 10 think of that myself ~
He took dozen sdIeux of Madeleine. OBJ
tanned her fathers consent ia less thaI
,wsntysfo hours: and three DAYS after
they were the happiest welded pair ln Amer
lea. Fred took his bride 10 N. s.hom,
ssation," to which he had the good fortun'
to be attached. so that no necessity existe,
for the separation" which Madeleine fear
cd more than any other thing in the wid'
world. "As happy as two pigeons on sh'
sunny side of a barn. she wrote to Us short
ly after their maTriaga-
Time rolled on-one. two and three wears
MsdeIsine's father died, and left her thre'
thousand dellars--all he possessed; tn
coveted spaulesse graeed fred's handsan'
shoulder; he was proud of his wife, an'
she Of him; hut--thers appeared no pros
pect Of their possessing the estate in Sur
rev. During eur occasional visits, We be
gan 10 notice ths; in spite of their tends
aevosicus 10 each ether. both wore troH
hied expression. till at length Madelesn
came to grow pale and thin; and. At times
there was quiyer in her very smile. whei
speaking Of her husband. Fred told me
privately. that he thought ssthat cursed VII
would kill his sxee, wife," lie didn't car
. rush, he said. TO own the whole Of Sur
rey; but. As he spoke, he kicked the pebble
from his pathway with an smpatience tha
told different, story. Mr. heart ashsd 70