St. Landry democrat., 1884-03-29

4 1E1CuIS lultECJ.
The season known to retail traffic as
'busy" wakes and wanes. Summer
comes, and August, swelter:ng, intoler-
able, settled upon the deserted town.
The houses are like ovens, the streets
like blast-furnaccs, and everything that
remains behind the migratory popula-
ton is undergoing a lingering process
cremation. The proprietors have fled
the heat, one salesman to a department
is found to be sufficient, and the rest
are away taking their summer vacation.
Those who remain behind have little to
do, for there are hours together when
there is not a penny's worth sold.
1t happened that ''47'' is reigninc
alone in the glove department., and she
is refreshing object for contemplation
this sultry afternoon in her dress of
blue organdy, with pale ribbons fiutter-
ing at throat and waist.
Above her head her wares are most
effectively displayed in complete cam
opy of long wristed gloves in every CON
ceivable color and shade of color, and,
there being nothing else to do, she sits
upon the ledge below the shelving and
Yields a monstrous palm-leaf.
| When nothing is selling there is no
change to be made, and The cashier
steps out of his narrow, sitting inclos-
ure and wanders in search OF a breeze.
| The long lace mits that fringe the cano-
Ply over the glove-counter are stirred as
| If by zephyr, and the airy freshness
OF "47'' is attractive. He goes behind
the counter and sits down upon the
ledge.
you look awfully gloomy to-day,
What is the matter?n she asks.
''Well, | have reason to look gloomy.
| have made an unpleasant discovery;
or perhaps should say, I've been I'M
pleasantly discovered. %
''Tell me about it.
80 it is long story he says, more
than half persuaded.
This is very long afternoon
wei, | have very rich and very
crochety old uncle, and about seven
months ago l received a letter from
him telling me that if / would come
and take charge of his business and
marry a girl that he had picked out for
nue. he would leave me his fortune. He
said the girl was pretty, and knew the
fortune was ample, and as | was not
getting along very well where I was
you will infer that I did not hesitate
long before accepting the proposition.
1t was all arranged with the girl, who
seemed to be quite fascinated with the
romance of the affair, and i started for
the town in which she and my uncle
lived. But on the way got to thinking
about it, and it struck me that | would I
like to see her at least once before the |
die was irreYocably cast, so when |
reached the town [ hunted up cousin |
must arrange for me to call on her in
cognito. He assented very readily, and
as | only reached there the day before
the wedding was to take place, we
called the night of my arrival. She
came in directly, and | was introduced
as Mr.. Falkner.
''And such a girl! The moment [
laid eyes on her grew rigid with in
dignation to think that my uncle dared
impose on me in such way. He had
led me to believe she was everything
man could want in wife. / found her
painted like an Indian, dressed in hor-
rid taste, talking at the top of her
voice, and altogether the most ill-bred
had ever seen. | could not
stand it, so | wrote note to my uncle,
left the town that night, and have new
er been back sinceI learned to-day for {
the first time that the girl saw was
not the one was to have married, but
a friend of her cousin whom he had
taken into his confidence, and that her
horrid curls and her vulgarity were as
Sumed for the occasion, all a part of
Dicks little pleasantly; and my
tinancee, who Dick says is the prettiest {
he ever saw, was so cut up by
my brutal behavior and the note I
left that she ran away, and for a '
ong time they thought she had drowned /
herself. Of course there was big
and everybody denounced |
ne. Dick; a cowardly knave, hadn't
he nerve to tell the truth about it {
md acknowledge his part in the I
1ffair, but the girl who abetted his t
iendish deception went straight to my {
lncle and told him everything as soon |
IS she heard was gone. 8
''When he saw how it was he swore
hat we should both be found, dead or {
live, and if we were alive the marriage {
hould be consummated. They started $
detectives after us and advertised us e
and at last they got on the |
rack Of the girl and they've traced her '
0 this very town. Think of it! Dick |
avs they are sure she is here, and he !
vas here looking for her when he acct |
entally stumbled upon me. They'll I
ind her OF course; it is only question t
f a few hours. and then must be Q
ragged Up, like a schoolboy that has r
cen playing hockey, and married to F
r;fa of eo,eoo o+bo, ,,oanSs oha;oo ~. f.