Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-12-11
CATCHING AN HEIRESS.

But as mademoiselle didn't exactly
know how she, had the audacity, no
immediate response followed her
dark-faced uncle's stern inquiry.
fSuch a piece of impertinence is
positively s. '
s'Why, Uncle Erness,' interrupted
the girl, quickly, ~ thought it only
a duty to speak to you of my en-
gagen ent, and If possible obtain your
consent. How can you call it i'm
pertinence!'
How can 1 call it any thing else ?'
he replied sharply, "to be told that
my niece aud heiress has made her
self over to a miserable fortune-hun-
teri? know you're a determined
gill, Emillie, and may manage to
bring about this marriage, in spite of
the efforts l shall make to prevent it /;
hut remember, l warn you before
hand, in case it occurs, never, under
any circumstances, shall you finger a
penny of my money. Doyou hear?"
The poor child didn't know that,
by the time the gentleman closed ac-
counts with the gaming-table, there
wouldn't he many pennies of bis mo-
ley left to ''fnger."
Il hear distinctly, uncle" she re-
sponded, with defiant accent; land
let me tell you, in turn, that the con-
sequence, appalling as you consider
it, is no obstacle at all to me. l will
marry George Howard notwIthstand-
ing, since you have nothing but his
poverty to bring up against him.
The other laughed scornfully.
you'll have to learn first what the
fellow has to say about that" he
said "Why, girl, if you were not
SO young and inexperienced, I'd say
you were fool not to see that it is
The money he's after. What else
brings him, with his handsome face
and empty purse, to a fashionable
watering place? He hopes, of course,
to replenish the latter through the
agency OF The former, by captivating
some gidly-pated but well-dowereo
damsei like yourself"
you'll excuse me, uncle, if yor
please" said Emiihe, abruptly rising
and leaving The apartment, too agi
! ta'rd Tor further discussion.
E.nillle Bourbon was very i'm
prcssible disposition, and, desplt,
her determined rejection Of her un
clc's arguments, his words had som,
effect.
Appearances were indeed aoains
her lover. and at this critical momen
even the fates, too, seemed to erte
into the conspiracy, for, as the per
| picked girl came out on the uppe
balcony of the hotel to think the mat
ter over, a. snatch of conversation
immediately below brought her at one
to Il most adverse conclusion.
"Halloo, old boy!" exclaimed
familiar voice. Congratulate lue
IVe-'
Caught the heiress," concludes
the party addressed. "Well, Nv
been waiting to hear it. It's a grea
sacrifice for you, no doubt, but G
course her moneys worth it,"
"You impertinent fellow" SAT-
| Howard, laughing, II half cXpecte
yoL Il see through it all in a minute
and now, since YOU are so penetrat
ing, | will tell you, though in stric
confidence, mind. The money is
A burst Of music from the law
drowned the remainder of the sen
tence, which, however, Emile di
not wait to hear. Size vas alread
rushing frantically To her room er
lis conclusion. There she stoo
painting and Irresolute. Catchin
sight of her reflection in the lon
mirror over her dreosing-tahle, sh
went forward and regarded for q iHo
ment, the dark, creole face, SO fu
OF Indignation and pain.
1t was not very beautiful fac
certainly thHt returned her anxior
scrutiny. Rather dark and thin t
ne called attractive, though the large
jetty eyes, flashing now with wount
cd pri ie, were surely enchantin!
and the rosy hued evening dres
with creamy lace and coral orn
ments, contributed to give the sler
der, dusky brunette brilliant al
pearance.
But the red lips curled scornfulI
at the picture, as she compared it I
tue dainty ladies below, with the
Iily-and-rose compleXions, and elc
giant robes of delicate hue.
"Uncle Ernest was right 81
broke out passionately. off | WASH
vain idiot I'd have known it cou
not be that that black face had VIC
, his love in the midst of so many fla
and lovely ones, even without hea
ing what | did tonight. Well, THAI
fortune, I'm not so badly caught We
and cost what it may, / shall bres
the net even this very night.
That evening, accordingly, NJ
= George Howard received q shor
curt note, Informing him that, {
second consideration, Miss EmilI
perceived she had done very FOOLS
thing in so hastily accepting his pr
posal she now begged leave 10 r
consider her answer, and deelin
with thanks, the honor he had tn
day offered the heiress.
The next morning, without wo
of explanation to any one, he W
gone; and Emillie, all day alone
her room, bowed down with ment
anguish, realized that, though he hi
n not seemed the golden prize, the hea
Y of the heiress was his forever.
u For long time she suffered keenl
but slowly the wild tempestsubside
and she settled at length into a col
cynical woman, putting love al
marriage away from her sight.
Two years after, dissipation at ls
7 brought ruin ard death to Ernt
/. Bourbon.
Emillie would now have been qui
alone in the world. but her mothet
sister, in distant westen,state, hs
pening to see notice of the dea
in an eastern paper, wrote, offeIi
the lonely girl home with hers
and two daughters. Emillis glad
IL. l.,