Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-06-29
ONE DAY LATE.

ONE DAY LATE.
Bernard. seated by his uncle's side.
was listening with dropping head
The uncle was talking morals. and
speaking OF Il fortune squandered, OF
importunate duns, and of the folly of
a disinherite1 young man.
Bernard, with his blonde mustache
and laughing eyes. remained impass-
ible; he knew what the old gentle
man was after well enough At last
he interrupted him.
My dear uncle, | am doing you a
service i'll interrupting the flow of
your eloquence; but pronounce my
sentence [ am readyw
Il will pardon all your follies if
YOU will obey. Mile. Leonide Oar
biase is Is. is a brunette with blue
eyes, $1,000 down and considerable
expectations"
Il must beg of you to believe" re-
piled the young man, that prefer
the lady's eyes to her dollars
The uncle shrugged his shoulders
as man whom one foolishness the
more or less cannot concern, and
wrote letter to the lady's parents:
He will suit her. l am sure; he is a
good looking fellow, and to morrow
he will leave here and arrive next
day at your town"
The letter was not communicated
t" Leonide. but she was given to un-
derstand that very nice young man
was coming Oh visit, with the inten-
ton OF paying his court to her. She
asked what he was like Her father
responded that he was a blonde, dis
tinguished, with blue eyes of great
brilliancy and depth. Leonide re-
NAMED dreamy all day. Towards
evening she approached her mother
and whispered:
Mamma, l have an idea, an ex-
collent idear'
Although the mother had no con
fidence in the ideas that passed
through the brains of Leonide, she
was willing to listen.
well, mamma, here is my idea.
Nine. Darblase and her only beloved
daughter will go tomorrow to the
railway depot where the passengers
dine. Other ladies will dine there al
SO, SO that Mile. Leonide can see her
intended lover without his expecting
anything, and judge for herself Of
his appearance"
The mother consented, and the
| next day the two ladies were seated
awaiting the arrival of the train.
The train was heard approaching,
the porters and officials began to run
about, and Leonide's heart beat as if
it would burst her corsage; her rosy
cheeks became the color of poppies,
and she pressed her mothers arm,
murmuring, Here he is.'
Nine. Darblase, in a state of con-
siderable emotion herself, eagerly
scanned the travellers as they came
out. Two fat women, a soldier and
a parson slowly advanced; finally
they heard some one ask for M
Bernard Martin, of Paris"
Here" cried a young man cheer
fully. He was little fat fellow, as
found as a barrel, with red hair.
standing on end. and marked with
the small pOx.
"Ah, mamma" cried Leonide, pale
and speechless at the sight.
1T is an insultw cried the mother.
And to think" said the girl. that
the uncle said his hair was light and
curly!'
Two hours afterwards NJ. and Nine.
Darblase took Leonidc to Paris to
console her for this misadventure,
and after week or two spent in see
ing the sights the family returned.
Bernard's uncle received the fol
loving epistle: You have PLAYED us
a very scurvy trick, your nephew is
ugly. vulgar and stupid, my daughter
would die rather than marry him
The old friendship must cease; your
shameful conduct has broken it for
ever"
Two years later, a young man who
was walking on the street, received
Cn his head little satin slipper; a
very pretty little slipper, the heel of
which, however. had scratched his
nose. He raised his head, and saw
on the upper balcony lady who " as
gesticulating over the loss.
AS she seemed young and pretty,
the young man ascended to the fiat
from whence the slipper had fallen
and rang tho bell. A servant ap-
peared.
Il wish to speak to madame" he
said. ION urgent business
At this instant the proprietor of
the slipper appeared.
You are very kind to have taken
the trouble to come mp with it Pray
enter"
The young man could not refrain
from expressing in his eyes the ad-
miration he felt
"Will you be kind enough" she
said little embarrassed by this
admiration. Ito tell me to whom /
owe the pleasure of not remaining
slipperless?"
My name is Martin" he replied,
for of course it was Bernard.
The young lady began to laugh
Just think" she exclaimed, Il was
going to marry man who bore your
name
. She told him the whole story of
the railway restaurant. aud her dis
gust of the little red headed man.
You are Leonide Darblase, and
the Bernard Martin whom you waited
for was myself"
AS she made gesture of surprise
he continued:
Yes, L was unable to quit Paris
one day fixed The next day l ar
rived at your house and found it shut
up and you away At the same time
my uncle received an Incompetent
sible letter from your father. Now