Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-03-21
The Wagers.

the diligence from MarseIlleS to r.
The railway that now connects those
cities was not contemplated.
There were five passengers in all.
OF these one was n short, fat man,
with smooth cheeks and red face
Though plainly dressed, his clothes
were very good; he had great
number of rings on his fingers, and
across his waistcoat he wore thick
gold chain, which he was careful t."
let see was attached to handsome
watch, or the back of which was a
crest Of jewels.
There was no doubt he was a
rich man, and that l, at all events,
might have no doubt Of it, he in
formed me that his income exceed
ed fifty thousand francs year, and
that he bid fair to double it before
five years were gone, SO prosperous
was his business.
was partly amused and partly
disgusted by his loquacity. Why
he should have made confident of
me in particular I don't know, un-
less it happened that | sat next to
him. Among other bits of intorma-
tion he gave to me to know that
this was the first holiday he had in
dulgcd himself with for three years.
"Where do you get out?" l in
quired.
cat F-,'' said be.
"But why do you 60 so far from
Marseilles for holiday?" asked.
"Monsieur," he answered, 81 am
going to get married"
"The deucer' l exclaimed, laugh
ing, "and you call that taking hol-
iday?"
"Why," said he, "that would de-
pend. If l were going to marry an
ugly woman, now, should call this
tour by another name. But, my
friend, the lady l am engaged to is
an angel; sir, she might have sat
for one Of Mahomet's houris. Her
eyes"
Here he went off into large ac-
count of his mistress's perfections,
decorating his fluent description
with all manner Of shrugs, grimac-
es and gesticulations.
"You are very fortunate man,
sir,n said /, "and l wish You JOY -
"Ycs, you may wish the lady JOY,
too, and congratulate her as well;
for give me leave to say that it is
not every woman who has the luck
to meet with such husband who
uni,es to the splcndors OF wealth the
accomplishments of genius and the
graces of courage" smothcred a
lau.h.
$50 you have genius and courage
as well as money!"
| He nodded vehemently.
| "Without boasting," said he, 81
think l may pride myself on being
possessed Of all the qualifications
that recommend a man to the Ia.
dies"
$50 long as they arc sufficient to
recommend you to the lady of your
choice, you should be satisfied"
"They should be sufficient" lie
replied, "and in my own mind am
persuaded that they are sufficient;
but, though the young lady is beau
titul as houri, regret to say she
is rather perversc in her taste, so
that for long time l could hardly
make any headway in her affections.
Indeed, she was weak-minded
enough to avow preference to a
cousin OF hers, a young lieutenant
a beggar, sir, and mighty impu-
dent dog to boot. What she could
see in him never could tell. I'll
allow that his nose is straight, his
eyes good and his teeth white and
regular, but what is the use of these
things in a man without money!"
"To be sure" said drowsily, for
the day was warm, and the tenden-
cy to sleep was aggravated by my
droning companion.
"l'll be perfectly frank with you,"
he continued, "and confess that
don't think she would have accepted
me, had it not been for her father,
who is a very poor man, and who is
eager t. have me for a son-in. law,
thinking / shall pay of his debts
wish he may get it! I've allowed
him to think as he likes, for his
thinking costs me nothing, and be-
ing anxious to wed the glrl, who, l
declare to you, is beautiful"
And here he went off again into
another long description, which he
literally garnished, as before, with
shrugs and grimaces.
"Then you don't care about her
love?" said l, drcamily.
"Not a tig," he answered-s'not a
fig. l only want her. At my time
Of life, sir, we know the hypocrisy
of love-how easily it is counterfeit
ed. have ring at home with a
paste stone in it. declare to YOU,
it flashes like a diamond, and is
thought as costly as the best of the
real stones | wcar> So with love.
The counterfeit passes for the real,
ninety-ninc times in hundred, and
though m own | would rather have
the real, if can't get it l should he
just as well satisfied with the sham" :"
He then branched off into some
very cynical remarks on the nature
OF love, which, however, am asham-
ed to say, l do not remember, / fell
sound asleep very shortly after he
had commenced them.
| / was awakened by the diligence
stopping at the Golden Lion inn, in
the principal street of F..
The fat, red-iaced babbler, who it
seems had been awake through the
whole journey, and had been boring
a mild-looking gentleman who sat