The National tribune., 1882-08-05
A LITTLE GOOSE. "

There are many charming sentiments con-
uected with clanship, and it cannot be de-
MED that union IN families is delightful to
witness, but of even such good things as
these one may possibly have a little too
much. So, at least, thought young Hugh
Lestrange, when his grandfather affection
ately intimated to him that the family Of
which he had the honor to be the eldest
bachelor representative unanimously con-
sidered il his plain and obvious duty to
marry his cousin Pauline. Hughs father
had been dead some five years, and his great-
uncIes grandson, Pauline's father, had fallen
in the Franco-Prussian war: for the branch
of the Lestrange family to which she be-
longed 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.
that 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 conf
IDENTIFY expected that both cousins would re-
gard the alliance in the same light as their
seniors. and enact their respective parts with
willing concurrence. Indeed, so far as Pau
lire was concerned there could be nothing
unusual or despOtic to her in this parental
arrangement of her future; for her French
,,,d
her to the idea of family arbitration in
matrimonial affairs. and she was not, as are
English girls, familiar with the notion of
maidenly independence. She received the
news of the proposed union with calm ac-
quiescence: her cousin Hughes, as she called
him, was not likely to prove an unkind hus-
band. and she was content to let matters
drift quietly TO the desired consummatiOn.
Not so, however, the bridegroom-ele
Hugh Lestrange felt distinct and deliber-
ate injury had been done to him, and ne re-
solved to resent it. But being young fel
low of amiable nature, hating arguments
and dreading open rupture, he confined the
eXuTession of his dissatisfaction to a few
words of mild remonstrance secretly deter
mining the while so to conduct his part of
the affair as to demonstrate Enthusiastically
alike to Pauline's mother and to the young
girl herself his utter inability to enter into
the spirit of the new character allotted TO
him.
Itwas 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
quilted her school in Paris; Hugh had not
long left Oxford, and some, years had elapsed
since their last meeting. Under such cir
cumstanceS this renewal Of old ties with
new intent was regarded by the family
confederation as an event Of critical interest.
On the evening of the day which witnessed
the arrival at ShiretOn Manor Of Madame
Lestran@e and her daughter, Hugh was de
puted to conduct Pauline to dinner and, as
the two cousins placed themselves side by
side at the table, many inquiring and specu-
lative glances were turned toward them by
those OF the guests who had been admitted
10 the secret. Indeed, they were a couple
any family might have been proud to escort
to the altar The young man, now in his
twenty-fifth year, was tall, bearded, stalwart,
and fGir-faced; Pauline, thoroughly French
in feature and complexion, was yet not mean
OF stature; and though the national petulant
and impuIsive temperament showed itself
IL the curves of her lips, the truthful stead
fastness Of her brown eyes stood sponsor for
heart that was not empty OF English blood.
What a pity it was that, being so handsome
a couple and carrying with them the good
wishes of all their mutual relatives, and q
fine inheritance to boot, they could not find
each other charming! But Fate will have
her way. Throughout the whole Of that
critical dinner, young Lestrange, meditating
on his wrongs, was unsOciable, monosyllabic
and unpleasant. Pauline, disposed at first
to accept with aflability such aflectionate
advances as her cousin might make, when
she perceiyed that none were vouchsaied
assumed a frosty reserve, and stood aloof on
her dignity. During two hOurs-1ive courses
and desert-the pair sat side by side, pTim,
morose, and mutually uncivil; and when
the hostess rose d thorough misliking had
been established. The incidents of the re-
mainder Of the evening confirmed the opinion
each had formed of the other. The ice froze
harder and harder over the hearts Of both
and before Pauline had retired for the night
she disburdened her mind to her mother in
voIuble French, very much after the follow
ing fashion:
Mamma, it is perfectly useless to tell me
10 marry Hugues; he is altogether odious
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 60
to the piano he went off to the smoking
1ooal wi5h Captain Lowell. lie thinks him
self too good for me, no doubt; you can see
Ecw abJuinably conceited he is by the con-
temp,uous way in which he looked at every
body, and by his air Of ill-bred reserve"
Bat, Pauline, dearest" pleaded Madame
Lestrange, deeply cbagrined, Suppose all
this arises from shyness on his part. Re-
member his position is rather difficult