The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-11-28
lie PRESS.
I'm Marriage Force.
London Society,"

denied that union III 1amllleS is ueHgnL1ul 10
witness; but of even such good things as
these, one may possibly have a little too
much So, at least, thought you Hugh
Lestrange when bis grandfather Affection
ately intimated to him that the family of
which he had the honor to be the oldest
bachelor representative, unanimously con-
sidered it his plain and obvious duty to mar
~ his cousin Pauline. Highs father had
been dead some five years, and his great
uncie's grandson, Pauine's father had
fallen in the Franco Prussian war; for the
branch of the Lestrange family to which
she belonged was of French nationality, and
had but recently migrated across the water.
There had been a family conclave whereat
it had been resolved and carried mem. con.
tina the common interests. pecuniary and
otherwise, of the house of Lestrange, would
be materially advanced by the matrimonial
union of the two young people. The result
of this important conference being duly
communicated to Hugh by his grandfather,
and TO Pauline by her mother, it was con-
fidently expected that both cousins would
regard the alliance in the same light as their
seniors and enact their respective parts with
willing concurrence. Indeed, so far as
Pauline was concerned, there could be moth
ing unusual or despotie to her in this pa
rental arrangement of her future, for her
French education and surroundings had ac-
customed her TO the idea of family arbitra
ton in matrimonial affairs, and she was not,
as are English girls, familiar with the
notion of maidenly independence She re-
ceived the news of the proposed union witt
calm acquiescence. her cousin Hughes, as
she called him, was not likely to prove an
unkind husband. and she was content to let
matters DRIFT Quietly to the desired consum-
marion. Not so, however, the bridegroom
elect. Hug Lestrange felt that distinct
and deliberate jury had been done to him,
and he resolved to resent it. But, being
Young fellow of anna lie nature. hating ar
gumept. and dreaoing open rupture, he
confined the expression of his dissatisfaction
to a few words of mild remOnstrance, secret
ly determining the while so to Coz duct his
part of the affair as to demonstrate unmis-
takably alike to Pauline's mother and to the
young girl herself his utter inability 10 enter
Into the spirit of The new character allotted
to him.
II was arranged that the necessary propo-
sal should be made and the courtship inau
gurated at a certain country house to which
during the hunting season, both parties had
been invited. Pauline had but lately quit
ted her school in Paris, Hugh had not long
left Oxford, and some years had elapsed
since their last me ting. Under such cir
cumstances this renewal of old ties with a
new intent was regarded by the family con-
federation as an event of critical interest.
On the evening of the day which wit
messed the arrival at Shireton Manor of
Mime. Lestrange aud her daughter, Hugh
was deOuted to conduct Pauline to dinner;
and as the two co Sins placed themselves
side by side at the table, many nquiring
and speculative glances were turned toward
them by those of the guests who had bee .
admitted TO the secret Indeed, they were
couple any family might have been proud to
escort to the altar. The young man, now
in his twenty-fifth year, was tall, bearded,
and fair-faced. Pauline, thoroughly French
in feature and complexion, was yet no
mean of stature; and though the
national petulant and impulsive tenn
permanent showed Itself in the curves of her
lips, the truthful steadfastuess of her brown
ewes stood sponsor for heart that was not
empty of En- lish blood What.a pity it was
that, being so handsome couple, and car
rying with them the good wishes of all their
mutual relatives, and fine inheritance to
boot. they could not find each other charm
ingl But Fate would have her way.
Throughout the whole of that critical din
ner. young Les range. meditating on his
wrongs, was unsocable, monosylab:c and
unpleasant. Pauline, disposed at first to
accept with affability such affectionate ad-
vances as her cousin might make, when she
perceived that none were vouchsafed, as
sumed frosty reserve, and stood aloof on
her dignity. During two hours-fve courses
and dessert--the pair sat side by side, prim,
morose and mutually uncivil; and when the
hostess arose, a thorough mislikiDg had
been established. The incidents of the re-
mander of the evening confirmed the opin-
ion each had formed of the other. The ice
froZe harder and harder over the hearts of
both; and before Pauline retired for the
night she disburdened her mind to her
mother in voluble French, very much after
the following fashion:
Mamma it is perfectly useless to tell
me to marry Hughes; he is altogether obi
GUS and insupportable. As for him, he
hates me; that you must all have seen
plainly enough. He hardly spoke two words
TO me all dinner time; and directly he saw
me go to the niano, he went off to the smok-
ing-room with Capt. Lowell. He thinks
himself too good for me, no doubt; you can
see how abominably concelted he is by the
contemptuous way in which he looked al
everybody. and by his air of ill-bred re-
serve"
But Pauline, dearest,'' pleaded Mme
Lestrange, deeply chagrined, suppose all
this arises from shyness on his part? Re-
member, his position is rather difficult
one; and young man brought up in En-
glish ways, as he has been, may feel more
embarrassed than Frenchman under sim
lar circumstances.
"Awkwardness is not charming" re-
turned Pauline; "and shy man is hardly
better than a rude one. However, will
give him another chance tomorrow; but If
he is not nicer at breakfast and luncheon
than he has shown himself at dinner, will
have nothi more to do with HIM. He is
lu h1i Ia nd tn hp ha6 in the world T
suppose; and am but IS after all, and just
as Tood looking as other girls. Good night,
dear mamma" And with parting kiss
and satisfied look in the mirror, Pauline
passed light hearted to her chamber.
But the next day things wore no better
an aspect, and mademoiselle's second de-
nunciation of her intended spouse was une-
quivocll and decisive. Hugh, on his part,
saw reason to congratulate himself on the
course he had adopted, aud when he quilted
the smoking room at midnight, he had ac-
cepted friends invitation to leave Shireton
Manor on tne morrow for more congenial
Joys elsewhere.
"Certainly,' said this recalcitrant young
man, as he extinguised his candle, 81 have
acted wisely in getting out of this business.
l should have been miserable for life if | had
given in. What monstrous thing it is in
this century for n mans relatives to take on
themselves the disposal of his libertyin such
an outrageous way as thisl Pauline is the
last girl in the world to suit me, with her
prim affectation of coyness and her ridicu-
lous air Of petite refine. l believe she has
not an idea in her mind-these French bred
young women never have-and she doesn't
know how to be natural and sociable and
mpalhetic. Whenever my time does come
to turn Benedick, my wife shall be just as
unlike mademoiselle ma cousine as posi-
ble."
So there was an end of this most excellent
match to the infinite disgust, veXation and
dismay of the intriguing parties. Hugh COM
muuicated to his grandfather in respectful
terms, but with firm expressions, his abso-
lutte repugnance to the proposed alliance,
and his unalterable resolution to undergo
the worst that might happen rather than
submit to it. And Pauline declared with
immense fervor that rather tfan perform
her share in the contract she would be cut
in pieces or buried alive. In the face of such
obstacles no more could be done, and after
sundry futile reproaches and laments the
family scheme was abandoned. Hugh was
admitted to be free man and Madame Le-
strange began to turn her thoughts to the
pursuit of some other eligible pGrti.
But the cousins, however widely separated
from matrimonial point of view, were cou-
sins still, and the unavoidable failure of mu-
tually cherished hopes ould not be permit
ted to effect an arrangement between the