The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-06-09

man, a. ne extinguished his candle, 81 have
&C co wisely in getting out of this business. /
should have been miserable for life il had
gwen In. What mOnstrous thing It Is in
TINS century Tor mans relatives 10 take on
themselves the disposal Of his liberty in such
an outrageous way as this! Pauline is the
ias g1ri in the world to suit me, with her prim
anectation OF coyness and her ridiculous air
ar OF petite reV. believe she has not an
idea In her mind-these French-bred young
women never have-and she doesn't know how
70 De natural and sociable and sympat.e
Mnehever my time does come to turn Bene-
DICK, my wife shall be just as unlike mademoi-
selle ma cOHsine as DO ssible'
80 there was an end Of this most excellent
ma ch, to the infinite disgust, vexation and
oismay OF the intriguing parties. Hugh COM
municated to his grandfather IN respectful
repusnance The proposed alliance, and his
unaitera6le resolution 20 undergo the worst
thai might happen rather than submit to 1t.
AND Pauline declared with immense fervor
that rather than perform her share in the con-
'ract she would be cut to pieces or buried
awe awe; In the face OF such obstacles no more
could be done, and af er sundry futile re-
proaches and laments the family scheme was
abandoned. Hugh was admitted to be free
man, and Madame Lestrange began to turn
her thoughts to the pursuit of some other
eligible parn
But the cousins, however widely separated
from ma rimonial point of view, we're cous-
ms still, and the unavoidable failure of mutu.
ally cherished hopes could not be permitted to
elect an enlargement between the two
branches Of he family. Early in the spring
Pauline and her mother reappeared In London,
and thither also came her only brother Jacques,
but recently emancipated from the bonds OF
Alma Mater. Now jacques was the chosen
particular friend of his cousin Hugh, aud
although, bein. the younger man, he had en-
tered the Tn versity later, they had during
more than year been fellows udents at the
same Hall, and inseparable allies in all the
pursuits and interests OF college life. There
fore, immed ately On his arrival in town,
Jacques sought out his cousin, and within
half an hour OF their meeting, the Younger
Lestrange was in possession of the details of
the family Vaccinations and the fiasco conse-
quent thereupOn.
~ heard something about the affair from
nome, said Jacques, but in such vague way
that l could make nothing of it. However,
we need not trouble ourselves about the thing
now, and suppose you won't let it make any
difference to you. Are you going to Lady
Leigh's on Thursdayf'
Upon my word, answered Hugh, medita-
lively, Il don't know. was going, but I hear
Pauline and your mother will be there, and
that seems awkward, doesn't it!n
my good fellow, YOU don't mean to say you
are going to cut us on account of this unto
ward affair! You will have everybody Cos
siping about the thing if you behave SO
ridiculously, and you may injure Pauline's
chances in way you don't think of. Why
should people know there has been anything
contemplated between you! All sorts OF tales
will be told, a hundred times worse, every one
OF them than the truth; and nobody need
guess ANYTHING at all II only you conduct
yourself nationally and in q natural manner
And really cannot see why you should dis
n ma Oar vf,,a L..
regular quarrel between you, no jilting or
jealousy or anything Of that kind; it was a
simple mutual dissent from certain views
entertained for you by older people who ought
to have been wiser. Besides, it all happened
four months ago, and The entire scheme has
20 to Lady Leigh's bali, but I would dance
with Pauline, just to show friendliness and
disposition to put things back on the old
This discussion ended as Jacques wished.
Hugh promised not to absent himself from the
ball In question, and he kept to his word. 1t
was one of the first balls of the season, and
was well attended. Pauline seemed to be a
great success, and danced unweariedly. But
shortly after supper, as Hugh, having handed
his last partner to her seat, stool idle
by q doorway, his surprise was great
at being lightly tapped on the arm by Pauline's
ian, and hearing her say, as though echoing
"When are you going to ask me to dance,
cousin Hughes? have just this waltz free il
you like" Then in lower tones: do not
seem to avoid me; there is no need for us to
be strangers to each other on account of what
has occurred. People will notice It. mamma
says"
What could Hugh dot Impossible to re-
fuse, and besides, whether he danced with her
now or not mattered nothing; their engage
ment had been formally nulliied, and no at
tenti ms he might pay her could be misinter-
preted. After all, too, she was a handsome
girl, and supper able enough as mere cousin.
cousin may be tolerated and even danced
with very agreeably, provided one is not ex-
pected to make her ones companion for life.
So Hugh resolved to be pleasant. Perhaps,
Indeed, poor girl, he owed her some amends
for his part in the recent failure of the family
plot; at any rate, they stood now In no false
light together, and there was therefore no
reason for observing constraint or reserve in
his manner toward her. And so the next
minute the young mans arm was round Pau
ines waist, and the pair were whirling to-
yether amicably down the room.
They paused at length by q conservatory,
md Hugh found his partner q seat beneath q
all tree fern.
s'What splendid waltzer you are % he said
yraciousy. odd they teach you that in |
Parisi'
She answered pleasantly, with manner 90 |
unaffected, and smile SO bright, that Hugh |
'ecalled with wonderment the stiff primness |
which had characterized her every gesture
md word when they last met. How, he asked |
himself, c0ula four short months have brought |
about so striking q differences |
Their talk flowed gaily on, for Hugh melted !
md warmed under the influence of his com |
oaniOnS gracious manner; until Pauline. |
,eing in request I r another dance, dismissed |
ler cousin with parting intimation that she |
1Oned Tn NEE him the foflowin a. ovan;u ~.& a.
house of q mutual friend.
'We shall be there early" said she, with an |
ingenious air. IF you like to come by ten |
o'clock can give you the first quadrille.''
Hugh went home bewildered; and, entering
his room In the gray morning twilight, threw
himself into an easy chair and meditated there
I'LL sunrise.
What! This girl, 80 mindless, so wordless,
70 prudish, 80 unsympathetic, whom q mis-
AIKEN devotion to the interests of kinship |
would have forced upon him Is wife, had sud
lenly changed her whole nature, and became |
genial, frank, intelligent, charmingi Hugh |
,0uld make nothing Of the mystery. 1t did |
lot occur to him that he, too, must have ap-
,eared to Pauline that night under new and |
1ery different aspect from that presented by
he gruff and unamiable young man who had
'een offered her for husband. Let that have
,een as it may, however, it is not on record |
hat MademOiselle Lestrange made any obser-
'ation Of this latter kind to her mother.
Lady Leigh's ball was but the first of q
yoodly number Of dances and Eat homes'' At
which the cousins were destined to meet. Hugh