The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-09-21
led such bit of lace; and if any

ued such a bit OF lace; and it any
thing were needed to demon
strate to him the wisdom
of the course he had decided on, and
the utter absurdity of having dared for
single moment to look with love on
one Of these darlings of fortune, it was
the fact that her handkerchiefs alone
were items of five hundred dollars!
What a shame! what wickedness!
what a preposterous folly! How could
young man marry! He burned with
indignation then.
But to replace it: one-third of the
sum he was saving to redeem his little
property from mortgage-all the money
he really had in the world beyond that
for his daily expenses! 1t was the ruin
of his hopes, his ambitions, his pride,
that scorned SO to be any body s debtor; !;
it threw him back in the race, how
long! But it must be done. He had q
National Solvency Bank. He drew his
check for the necessary sum, and
folded it away in his pocketbook, and
then went about his business till night
fall, when he came back to his dreary
rooms, and made himself ready for a
call at Mrs. Barnetta's.
The night had never seemed so beauti-
full, the stars so large and keen and far
above the earth, so remote and cold
they typifed all the dear and happy
things of life forever removed from
him. His heart was chilled and his
face was white when he stood at last in
Mrs. Barnetta's drawing-room, and she
floated forward to meet him. He had
not asked for Miss Mercier.
cit is a delicate errand, Mrs. Bar
netta," said he, with dreary attempt
at smiling. "But the truth is that my
maid, in her officious kindness, has
done such damage to a bit of Miss
Mercier's property that must replace
it. And l have come to beg you, out OF
your friendship for me, to transact the
| affair, if such an article can be replaced
here. l believe these little trifies are
rather costly, and if you will procure
one''--and he laid the check he had
drawn that morning and the little limp
rag in Mrs. Barnetta's hand" as like
the original as possible, To
"My dear Mr.. Malvin, what in the
world are you talking OFF" cried Mrs.
Barnetta. Have you money to throw
about in this way. Five hundred dol
lars-what is it for?''
"To replace Miss Mercier's handker-
chief, if you will be so good as to make
the purchase -
"Like this?' said Mrs. Barnetta,
holding up the little limp rag by one
corner.
"Like that said Lucian.
"Oh, that is too good!" cried Mrs
Barnetta, with peal of laughter. SIT
is too good, it is too absurd! What
creatures men are! Did you imagine
that this bit of finery was worth all that
this little scrid of grass-cloth and
German lacep No wonder the young
men don't marry, then! My dear Mr.
Malvin, this miserable handkerchie
cost exactly two dollars and half, and
was nearly worn out at that. Did yot
imagine, too, that my poor little Ros.
could wear five hundred-dollar hand
kerchiefs, without cent to her nameP'
eWithout cent to her namep'
cried Lucian, springing to his feet.
! EXACTLY. Aha! Is that the trou
bile? Now, why didn't you come ant
talk it all over with me in the way yoJ
used to do, and save yourself all thi
vexation, and save my little Rosa, too
What an absurd boy you are! Anothe
would have waited to hear tina
she was an heiress; you wait t
hear that she is penniless. Well, sh
is, if that satisfies you, except for wha
shall leave my little god-daughte
, when die-which will not be at pres
ent, D. VI And there she is in the mex
room now. But, bless me-"
Lucian had not waited for the rest Q
the invocation. He was already in tn
next room, and Rosa was already i
his arms Harper's BGz0r.