St. Landry democrat., 1882-05-06

| ''She is a prudent girl" said the Pro
lessor to himself. .sShe does not care
to have much to say to gentleman to
whom she is not engaged. | will speak
to her father"
| He spoke to her father, and gained
the Doctors full and hearty consent.
Tom Nelson, seeing how well pleased
Rene's parents had been with him, had
never thought it necessary to ask form
ally for her hand. Doctor Alexander
informed his daughter that Prof. Apple
ton had asked permission of him to adj
dress her, and then and there Rene We
hemently declared she would never re-
ceiye the Professor as lover. and sure
ly never become his.wife.
J" Girl, you are mad," said the doctor
angrily. Prof. Appleton is worth
have taken pains to learn fifty thousand
dollars, and the honor Of having Pro-
fessor in the family is good deal, | as
sure you. In short, | command you to
receive Prof. Appleton as your future
husband"
"And remember it is also my desire
that you look upon the Professor with
|
the girls in the village are crazy after
him .......-...--......-...
Rene's lips opened to say that any of
them might have him for all of her, but
she had never been disrespectful to her
| parents. She turned and walked out
| of the room without word, but with
hot rebellion in her heart. tt was in
the evening of the same day that Rene
met Tom in the garden and the CONVEX
sation We have recorded took place.
Rene went to the house, five minutes
after being called by her mother, deter
mined to be. SO disagreeable to the Pro-
fessor that he would never ask her to be
his wife. But instead Of the Professor
came a boy with a note from that
learned gentleman, saying he had taken
a severe cold which would debar him
from realizing the pleasure he had an
ticipated for that evening, and that he
hoped he should be able to call in few
days. About this time Mrs. Alexander
determined to give party. At fifty
she loved gayety better than did Rene
at twenty-five. A week from that even
ing, she decided she would gather her
friends together for social time. a few
games and little supper. The list of
people who were to be invited was forth
with made out, the invitations were
written, and Rene's ten-year-old broth
er Fred was sent out to distribute them.
The Professor received his invitation
as he sat in his room with watery eyes
and nose made very red by constant APP
phcation of his handkerchief. He knew
he should probably be the lion Of the
evening, and resolved to order q new
suit of clothes for the occasion. He
drew his desk close to the fire, and wrote
a telegram to his tailor in R, city
distant ten miles, telling him to send by
express samples of the most fashionable
cloth for gentlemen's evening wear. A
boy was dispatched with the message.
BY the five o'clock train the samples ar
rived, and the boy who was at the .ex-
press office waiting for them, took them
at once to the Professor. He examined
them very carefully, indeed, before
making choice. He had heard Mrs.
Alexander say that nothing disguised
her more than to see a person dressed
out of taste, and he was wise enough to
understand that TO please the mother of
the girl he hoped to win was no small
thing, especially as he must depend on
that mother to help him win the daugh-
ter. After long elaboration, he made a
choice. sA3J y
"Pearl-gray is always genteel," he
said. ''That is color, or rather shade,
that must, think, please every one.n
He sent the sample he had selected
to his tailor, directing that knight of the
shears. and goose to make him q suit Of
the same cloth, having it cut in the way
that would be the most becoming to
one of his figure and position. The
tailor had his measure.
"H'm!'' said the tailor when he re-
ceiVed the sample. 81 wonder how
this got Id among the pieces sent
Appleton believe piece was lying On
the desk when I put up the samples.
Guess young Durfee sent it in when he
ordered that masquerade suit. Wonder
why the Professor sends that back?"
He had held the Professors note in
his hand unread while he looked ct the i
sample. Now he turned his attention
to the letter, and gave . long. low
whistle. Sf ks 81
The Professor must be getting
boyish,'' he said. "Of course be must
be going to masquerade to order .
suit like that. / don't see why he has
il made in the latest style. But obey
orders If you break owners is my
And he went away to give his
cutter minute directions about the suit.
Tom Nelson went about his work
with rather q heavy heart in those days.
Rene's parents did not fail to show him |
that they no longer looked upon his at
tentions to their daughter with favor.
He did not believe Rene would give |
him up. but doubts would creep into
his mind and fears haunt him III spite Of |
-. II l