The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-11-17

double. What do you sayP''
81 think your offer extremely gener-
GUS, Mr. Barker, and, of course, for such
a purpose, l am willing to hand over to
you at once Frances fortune The in
terest has been applied to her own use
always. win you look at the &C
countSp n
| Your word is sufficient, Mr.. Milesp''
So in about two weeks the transfer
was safely and amicably effected, and
Stamford Hall and estate were firmly
and surely made over to Frances Hal
liday, spinster, for her and her heirs
forever. / must state here that l op-
posed, as strongly as l thought right.
Stephens gift Of $4,000 and his sub
sequent outlay of 81 900 on furniture.
but both uncle and aunt said that the
settlement was small enough for a man
Of his means, and that it would be af-
fectation to oppose it. And really
Stephen managed the whole affair
with such fatherly kindness and thought
fulness that I could not bear to op-
pose it.
AT length the wedding-day drew near.
1t had been arranged for Wednesday
morning, and we were to leave for New
York Immediately after the ceremony.
This showed in Jose a very Christian
spirit, seeing that he once looked on me
and my $25, 900 with affection, and had
not appreciated the honor. However,
he forgave me at this interesting epoch,
and came benignly to bless my venture,
he brought me as present a black
onyx seal ring, on which was set a cross
in seed pearls. He had offered me it
once before, with his affection and his
manse, and had then refused it. took
it this time.
1t helped to swell the list of my pres
ents, and they certainly made goodly
show. First, there was the Stamford
estate from my father and Stephen Bar
ker, and the settled bills for $1,000
worth of new furniture, which Stephen
had sent to NAME the old rooms pretty
and comfortable. Uncle gave me set
OF silver and aunt some fine china, both
OF which gifts l took care to send to
Stamford before my wedding day. Nv
cousins and aunts and friends gave me
all sorts of jewelry and pretty personal
knickknacks, and these | carefully
packed in the half-dozen trunks which
were already corded and directed two
For Stephen had proposed to send off
my trunks to our New York hotel two
days before we left, in order that we
might have no concern about them, and
that l might be sure to have ALL want
ed on my arrival. opposed this plan
at first, but aunt said at was eminently
proper and thoughtful. So all my
wardrobe except my wedding dress and
travelling suit arrived at the Fifth Ave
nue. Hotel, New York, on the last day
of my maiden life.
Norman Strong called that night and
was in remarkably high spirits. He
wished me every happiness and was
very attentive to Malvina. Aunt thought
his behavior charming unselfisR--
and Twas also very satisfied with
it.
81 shall call you about eight oNSlack
Frances" said my aunt, as babe her
goodnight 1.-The hair-dresser comes
at 8:S0.n
said, Every well, aunt" and went
to my room The first thing did was
to pack my wedding dress in as small
compass as possible, and then put on
my travelling costume. This done, sat
down in the dark. About one o'clock
heard the signal l watched for. |
went softly down stairs, unlocked the
back door and went out. Norman was
there. We did not speak until we were
outside the grounds. There a buggy
waited, and we drove rapidly to the
main line about three miles off. Here
we caught the two-o' clock express, and
were safe in New York, and very re-
specially married at ten o'clock. My
| trunks, which had arrived the day be-
ton, and after delicious little wedding
breakfast-al by ourselves-we left for
that city.
In the meantime there was trouble
in Milford. Our flight was not discov-
cred until nearly eight o clock, and then
Uncle Miles sent word at once to Ste
phen Barker. My aunt and cousin S
chagrin and disappointment were very
great; in fact, when l considered the
amount of confidence and gossip they
would have to endure, felt that fol
all the Sights and scorns of my unloveC
girlhood l could cry quits. And had
got my fortune also, and Norman and
were so completely happy! We haC
not care, for Stephen had given hin
a $500 bill and a months holiday, anC
told us to get all the pleasure we coult
out of it, We obeyed him implicitly.
During that month things SETTLED
down little. I did not expect to b.
forgiven all at once, and was not; bu
then l was in a position not to worr,
particularly about it. We returned
very quietly after dark one night, very
much like children who have playet
! truant all day and creep home a
J nightfall with as little ostentation a
possible.
But at Stamford Hall everythin,
had been prepared for my comfort Zth
fires blazing, the gas lighted, and a
excellent supper waiting. The mex
J morning Norman went back to hi
desk, and Stephen took no more motto
! of his return than if he had never LEI
I it. People who had been speculatin
: about his losing that position knew
FIVE minutes that there would be n
! change. And everyone took his ton
| from Stephen. We were treated yer
t much like two children who had bee
: forgiven, and whose fault was not {
I be thrown up to them.
That was the way the men took
t and N orman pretended to be Statistic,