The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-02-26

happy moment as long as live"
LET her come, by all MEANS" said
Archie; 81 have the widest curiosity
to see woman you do not want me to
marry. 1t gives my mind such de-
licious rest to think of it,"
Our cousin arrived duly, and was so
handsome and stylish that both my
husband and myself were secretly more
determined than ever that we would Sc
cure her for our brother by fair means
or foul.
"This is our old bachelor brother"
said the master of the house, pushing
him before him with one hand on each
shoulder. precisely as though through
age and infirinity he was unable to
stand without assistance, and the room
being somewhat dark. the deception
was complete.
what is his namep' asked Violet,
pleasantly.
g Archibald Wyman."
"Indeed how classical-that is al
most the composers name," she said,
carelessly; then added, in the same
tone: II dearly love old bachelors. /
have whole host of them on my list of
friends"
"You will have to speak louder when
you tell him such things" said my hus-
band, "for he is very deaf"
"Dear me! how unfortunater' ex-
claimed Juliet Seating herself she be-
gan a voluble strain of small talk, con-
ducted in key of such surprising loud
ness that / feared Archie would sum-
marily wreck terrible vengeance upon
his audacious brother-in-law. Louder
and louder waxed the conversation, as
she fancied that the bachelor dignified
reserve was merely the result of his lack
of hearing. thought / should die of
modification, and fastened to have
lights brought in, hoping that when she
discovered that the :. bachelor" could
not bee over thirty-five, and really
looked five years younger, she would
pause. / was not disappointed. She
turned toward her cousin look of in
dignant inquiry. l knew Archie was
very angry, but he was too polite to
evince it. That nightJuliet said to me.
before retiring:
"what made Cousin Charley treat me
so badlyP"
"He wished Archie to appear at
disadvantage, said l. HE wants you
to dislike him."
"Why?'
Because he has picked out wife
for him, and does not want you to inter-
fere with his plans"
"Indeedr' sneered Juliet, loftily,
"he has no cause to be uneasy"
's am glad of it." I returned, "for
Archie needs wife who can devote all
her time to him, and of course you
could not spare the time from your
music"
Certainly not! and if he is such a
ninny that he would expect wife to
follow him around with his slippers in
one hand and his dressing-gown in the
other, must respectfully decline, for /
have no time to waste upon such tri-
fies."
She turned away with q half sigh.
adding:
'..And did like his FACET is one l
have dreamed of SO often"
Before Juliet had been in the house
two days my brother had evinced a
marked preference for her society, and
she for his. l verify believe in those
days they thought both Charley and me
ubiquitous. If in the first two months
of her visit they enjoyed a single pri-
vate conversation of two minutes dura-
ton, am ignorant OF the time. Char
ley with his book, or l with my sewing,
would invariably drop in upon them,
whether on the front piazza or in the
cool, shady arbor they essayed to have
q comfortable chat. One evening when
we knew them to be sitting on the
piazza, which opened both by doors and
windows into the dining room, Charley
drew me to the window nearest them
and said:
s.ls it not q trife too much that my
cherished plans are to be frustrated by
that designing womanp"
"Do speak lower" said l, in stage
whisper; 1--WE do not know where they
are"
They started for walk an hour
ago. She is bent on having him. To
think she has even abandoned music
for the time being. / hoped that that
if nothing else would disgust him. 1
wonder with his keen penetration he
cannot see what a sham that girl.is."
8. For that matter" said /, II think
she is as badly taken in as he is, for you
know Arch is the most selfish creature
alive. Awife must be his slave or moth
ing. He would never consider any
woman his equal. and being SO old it is
doubtful if he will ever change"
Never fear" exclaimed Charley, in
q loud key, s'Violet Hunt will manage
him. / have known her from child
hood, and pity him. / will try strata
gem. / will read letter at tea, pur-
porting to be from one of his sisters
who is violently i'll, and writes in haste
for him to come and see her."
''But when he gets there and finds
it is false, he will never forgive us,
said l.
''Little do care, ii can only save
HIM from this cruel fate"
Two hours later. when went to call