Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-07-16
BARON DUMBKOPF'S MARRI
AGE.

Sometimes circumstances will make q
soul pronounce its ownl death warrant
and such thing had happened to Hor.
tense Jenkinson. the night before she
had accepted the Baron's offer of marrl.
age, a horrible fascination seemed tc
have settled upon her, making her pow.
erless to disobey her uncle's wishes. He
represented to her that he was in the
Baron's 9power in some financial mat.
ter, and kept reminding her that her ia
ther babe her be obedient to him, and
that her own and Alec's happiness and
prosperity depended upon her doing his
bidding.
What wouldn't she do for Alec, hc1
uncle's only child, and the only being on
earth she loved? So it had been all SET
tied, and she awoke that morning-sold.
She dressed as usual and went down to
the breakfast room. Her uncle was In
high spirits, and called her Baroness
and "bride,'' and in this way was more
disagreeable than he knew. Her aunt
asked her when the wedding day was to
be.
"Oh, I don't KNOW" said Ho1tense
lit is not my affair. 1t is yours, and un-
cle's, and the Baron's so arrange it to
suit yourselves"
"My DEAR" said the Honorable John
Jenkinson, minister to lmuttwarren, "you
don't know how much you crafty me.
10 see Jenk1nson entering the ranks OF
nobility is eminently fitting"
GLOW much does he give for me, In
cle2 didn't quite learn the terms of
SALE"
"Hortense this is too grave subject
to jest about!'' exclaimed John Jenkin-
son.
"Oh, is it, Then l will be solemnly in
earnest. have no heart to bestow--the
Baron has no heart. l have fortune
the Baron has title. So you make a
bargain-and if l may be allowed to ask,
what portion Of my fortune do you pay
for the Baron's title2"
"H'm-I refuse to consider it III that
light. Hope there is httle-h'm-
love in the NATTER
"Then 1 tell you there isn't particle
of love. 1t is bargain but
bargain that the cruelest tate has driven
me into. You know the whole story,and
you make mockery of love, to speak
the holy word in this connection. l feel
as if I had sold myself to the DEVIL:
"Hortense, Alec is here,' said the Hon.
orable John.
"Yes know it! I've sold the child's
respect with the rest. He will grow up
and call me poor fool-and / am
said Hortense.
"Hortense, dent, don't!" CRED Alec.
II do and always will love you. You
are not fool, Hortense. Papa, you
haven't sold her, have your
There was silence broken by Hor-
tense, who asked in the bitterest tone:
"Why don't you answer the child, un-
cle2 You can't-then I'll answer him.
Yes, Alec, I'm sold to the Baron Dump
kopf. I'm going to marry him."
"He is bad man." said Alec. "Could
you not have found somebody better to
have bought Hortense, papa?'
# This was too much for the Hon. John,
and he called a servant, and babe him
take Alec out of the room. Then he
turned to Hortense and said, tWhat do
you mean by such talk2 It is very I'M
seemly."' r. -. e. .,
ss at was wrong, uncle, but your talk
Anglers me. Don't let us be hypocrites.
We understood each other. Neither the
baron nor myself care for each Others re.
spect. Now let Us drop the subject.
When you get ready for the sacrifice to
take piace, TIL be ready to be offered up.
This is dreadful ? Hortense, said her
uncle. .ss355
ssQuite dreadful, " echoed the aunt;
ssWill you be married by q Roman
Catholic priest Hortense?' $3.50.
aAnybody, anywhere, anytime, Z said
Hortense. sss .{ s=ss
4 Ynur uncle will give you away.
s0f course, he will deliver the goods,
said Hortense. S II
sEoftenseln
Forgive me, uncle; but spade Isl
spade yon know, and sometime for
get 10 call it an agricultural Implement