The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-03-15

to talk over that the afternoon slipped
by without our knowing it. 7siaE.
After tea we fingered on my balcony
watching the sunset. 1t had been a
lovely. midsummer day, and the sun
went down in royal pomp and splendor.
The golden and purple and crimson
fingered lovingly on the waves long
after his departure. Gradually they
faded, too; then came the dim, exqui-
site twilight, vague harbinger of the
night; then the stars one by one swung
out their pale lanterns, and finally from
out the ocean a great white moon arose.
The night was simply perfect. We sat
listening to the dash of the surf on the
rocks below and to the mournful song
OF belated bird, watching the lights
of the village, and giving ourselves
over to the witchery of the hour. Js
The strain of a long-forgotten song
which Charlie and l had been very
fond OF came floating into my mind,
and 1 began softly to sing; H.. -, .-..-
-- ''Do you recall that night in June r..
Upon the Danube River
''For Gods sake STOP" cried Charlie !;
&C. can't bear that
"My dear, excitable friend, you were
once very fond of that song" "1'i =
81 know that; but now it brings up
too bitter memories, Edith, if l were
not fearfully afraid of boring you
would tell you story. Itseems as if
| must tell some one. / have carried
my burden so long and am so tired. -
l shall never forget the agony in his
voice. "My dear, old brother" said,
gently, "you have always had my
sympathy, and there is no reason why
you should doubt it now'' !,
81 know it. l believe you;, yes, /
will tell you. You of course have sur
missed that there's woman in the case.
During my first winter in Paris | met
Mile. Julie St. Beverly. She was de-
scendant of an ancient but poor family,
and this was her first season. l met
her at ball at the Tuileries, danced
with her, held her fan, got a flower
from her bouquet, and went home with
my head full of her exquisite beauty
and grace. Edith, you know I've ad-
mired lots of women, raved over them
only to forget them, but now I realized
that was hopelessly done for. tried
to reason myself out of it. l said to
myself, 'Now, see here, old boy, this
will never do; you didn't come over
here to fall in love- Thought of what
you had said about my bringing home
a French wife, and laughed at myself
for being silly susceptible boy. I had
no fancy for becoming Benedick-
didn't want to give up my freedom
made the best Of resolutions only to
break them. a -.
"The more I saw of her the more
completely fascinated was 1 with hel
beauty, her grace and charming French
ways, and the more l realized that had
at last received 'the stab in my left side
which you were always prophesying
would surely come some day.
"You know how little freedom French
girls have in comparison to American
girls, and Beverly pere ct mere were un.
commonly eagle-eyed and inconvenient
ly alert for breakers, and as they were
thorough aristocrats they were suspi
cious Of foreigners, and in consequence
did not seem very much drawn towarG
me. So I didn't get any opportunity
to speak to my darling alone, until one
night at ball, when took her te
dance. We went just as far from
Madame la mere as the limits of thu
room would permit. We didn't walt,
very long before discovered that was
very tired, and we decided it would b,
much pleasanter il the conservatory
Once there I told her how I loved her
and she told me in her sweet broker
English that she had Learned to Low.
Monsieur, and-well-oh, Edith Iva
in FOOLS paradise for one short hal
hour. --.-...sf., s..-.rss, s..... z-.-4.....
"The next morning went to see he
father and told him plainly that wante,
to marry his daughter. He listened
politely, and assured me he was des
olated to refuse Monsieur; that he en-
tertained sentiments for him the mos
distinguished, but that his daughte
had no dot, and that it was necessar,
she should marry some one most veal
thy and most noble; therefore he ha,
promised her hand to the most nobl
the Marquis de Fontenac-a man
Edith, old enough to be her father; an
such a man!-why, he, wasn't fit Il
touch her hand. I pleaded, argued
stormed and swore, but all to no pur
pose. I might just as well have trie
to move q mountain. Monsieur bowe
me out and said al revoir just as sweet
ly as If he had accepted me for son
i in-laW. l.aJ r-raf =. .-=sli., . =.
4 "They kept her very much seclude
after that suppose that might no
have any opportunity of seeing hel
Once or twice l saw her in earriag
with her mother and that old rascal {
| q MarnIlis I tried to hriha har m na Il