Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-04-15
JEAN.
A Love Story---The Story OF a
Strange Wedding-Day.

Little Jean D'Orsay came into the
studio one fine May evening, bringing
with her a CLEAN of outside light and
the scent Of yiolets. ..... ..,.s
"Thaye come for q long talk, 0ctavia, y
she said. AZ have much to say, and
YOU have much to listen to. Where is
nv old friend, our homemade couch?
o there it Is, pushed away back In that
dark corner. 0ctavis, how could you
treat my handiwork with so little dig
nityG" Then she pulled away with her
pretty hands until the couch with its
worn chintz covering and cushions was
placed to her liking in the broad win
dow, and she comfortably established
thereon. The warm, golden beams of
the setting sun rested lovingly on her
sweet face.
"And so, my dear" | said with sigh
of content, for was very glad to have
my Jean home once more, after an ab-
sence of many weeks, "you are really
engaged to be married? 1 only heard
the rumor, as true, the other day, aud
have waited for your own lips to tell
NE all about it, and as many of the Sc
cretsOf love making as you will confide
to an old maids keeping.p
20 yes, am engaged, She answered
carelessly; "but, OctavH, il you are
piDing for love-secrets, l have none to
I'll Snralx. N WALL ~ / do
that it was all arranged long ago, be-
fore papa died. 1t was his dearest wish
that should marry the Baron Won
Stock, and abroad We are taught TO
obey our fathers, even though they
die and leave us; and even without
that we DOrsays never break our
word"
She said this simply and as matter
of course, taking Off her rings one by
one and making little row OF them on
the top of the couch. She was very
young, only just seventeen, but there
was a ring of proud truth in her voice
that showed that she had learned her
lesson well.
"Yes, l know, child" answered,
with another sigh, not so tranquil as my
former one; "Only, you see, L can
nett her understand nor believe in such
keeping of ones word. Here, i'll
America, generally, girl marries for
| one OF two reasons: either because she
loves, or because she is poor and needs
| home. The latter can never be your
ease; then, Jean, do you love the Baron
Won StOek?"
Jean shrugged her shoulders. ale is
So" she said, land has gray hairs, and
/ am just seventeen and, you know,
summer and winter can never agree.
But am D'OIsay."
"DOrsay or not D'Orsay," l replied
shortly, II dc not believe in such non
sense. Jean, do you realize what you
are givingup to q man you do not love-"
al think do, Octavia."
as there then some one you do love,
Jeanw
A long pause followed my question,
during which Jean put on slowly the
shining little circlefs that belonged to
her slim fingers. Then she said in a
troubled voice: "Octsvia, that is just
what have come to tell you"
A peremtOry knock at the door, fol-
lowed by the immediate entrance and
familiar voice of my favorite, Denis
Durant, interrupted jeans little con-
feSSIon.
care you here, Nine. Octavia, all
alone in the cleaning? And may l
inm
"Come in and welcome, Denis, but
when did you arrive? Your last letter
said nothing of your intention to return
SO soon. You were on your way to
Florida then. Did you weary of the
sunny South, or were the Florida
girls less winning and beautiful than
you expected"
"NO, and yes, Nine. Octavia. As to
the Florida girls, fortunately for me
they did not make up my entire COM
munity, for i had other things to think
about"
Denis crossed the long studio,
and stood beside us where we sat
in the quick.coming shadows. | turned
to Jean To make them known ID one
another.
Jean" | said, "this is your one rival
in my affections; Denis, this Is your
only cOmpeer in my heart"
had proceeded thus far when | was
shaken out of my usual calm bya little
gasping noise from amongthe cushions.
Denis started forward, and to my utter
dismay and establishment | saw him
seize jeans hands and cover them with
eager kisses, while he said in a broken
voice:
"You here, my darling. Why, |
thought never knew you aud Nine.
Octavia were friends"
Then Jeans frightened little voice:
so, please, you must not. q, Octa-
via, tell Mr.. Durant all about it,"
Tell Mr.. Durant all about it," |
echoed; "indeed, | think it is you
two should make aniexplanstion tome"
And so by degrees they told me. 1t
was the same old story that is forever
and forever repeating itself. They
had met in Florida, gone sightseeing
and pleasure seeking together until, as
a fOrgone conclusion, they had come
to love one another; and then-why,
then came jeans summons home fol-
lowed by her formal betro,hal to the
Baron Won Stock.
"She never let me know, Nine. Octa-
VIA" said poor Denis, where she was
going, or why Did she suppose held
her love so lightly Won and 80 lightly
lost? What if sts was engaged to Baron
Won Stock. and bound by all the be-
trothals in ChristendOm? 1t doesn't
matter in the least. No guardian can
dispose of q girl that way in this coun-
try. Jean, l tell you it shall not be.
Don't you believe me, Jean"
But Jean was sobbing quietly to her
self, her face buried in her hands, and
only the sof, dark fringe of hair upon her
brow visible.
JEAN" said at last, surely there is
no cause for all these tears. 1t is quite
simple; what Denis says is more or less
true: the Baron will never hold you
unwillingly to your word. Be frank
with him, my dear; it is always the
best way to be honest"
"You do not know" she answered
lifting her tear. drenched face into the
moonlight that now streamed in soft
effulgence through the open window,
"what it means to us to have plighted
our troth. 1t is only very little less
binding than a marriage VOW, and |,
above all Others, must not break mine;
for, do you not know my dying father
promised for me, and / may not soil his
honor, thought l might my own"
| And from this we could not move