News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-07-24
THE BEAUTIFUL OCT0ROON
HOW A YOUNG MAN WAS CHEATED DF
HIS BRIDE.
She Loved Wildly. but She had her Heart
Under Perfect Control.
TFrom the Toledo Blade.1

plantation by Federal troops, told a
story of an octoroon girl since the war.
The girl was one of the most beauti-
full of her race, and of course had been
trained by her mother to be as wise as
a serpent, if not as harmless as a dove. |
She knew just how beautiful she was.
A very rich young man-that is, a !
ye=v,g man with a very rich father, saw
her and fell in love with her. A great |
many young men had done the same
thing, but she put very high price |
upon herself. A house furnished never |
so well was all very well for common |
girls, but she held herself far above that |
sort of thing. She was perfectly will
ing that the young man should have
her, but marriage was her price, nothing |
less. When he told her how much he |
loved her, she assured him that love was |
not worth a whit to woman unless it |
was legalized, and that if he loved her
as he said he did, he ought to be willing |
to make the sacrifice she required that
he might possess her. He begged,
stormed, swore, entreated, wept, walled
aud howled, but to no avail. She was
as cool as a cucumber. She loved him
and he loved her; why not marry?
The young man was so infatuated that
he mustered up courage and went to his
father.
The old man was very stern with him.
His son marry an octoroon Never
''Do it, SIR" said he, in the regular
irate father style, ''and you will never
look me in the face again.
In vain the young man appealed. In
vain he remarked to the cid gentleman
that he had been young once, and ought
to know how it was himself. The old
man did not see it in that light.
"But. father" pleaded the young
man, 'tshe is no common woman.
81 don't suppose she is. Were she,
you would not rave SO over her"
"All 1 ask is that you go to see Marie.
Go and see her, and I know you will
welcome her as a daughter. Go and see
her,"
The young man was confident that the
charms that had enslaved him would
capture his father.
81 will go and see her," said the father,
''to please you, but it will not alter my
decision. But 1 will go and see her"
The old gentleman did go and see her,
and he found that his son had not ex-
agerrnted her qualities. She was ex-
ceedingly beautiful, exceedingly bright, |
exceedingly accomplished, and as keen
as a razor. She was the wisest young
octoroon there was in New Orleans, and
she took good care to put her best foot
forward. She talked the old gentle
man out of his prejudices, she made him
interested in her, and when he left her
presence he went out in a sort of a dazed
way.
He did not return to his son at all, put
avoided him. The young lady said to
her mother, after the old gentleman had
gone, 81 don't think, mamma, shall
marry Edward. I don't like him as
much as thought I did, and marriage
without absolute love would be, to a
nature like mine, h ell upon earth.
Don't talk rubbish to me" remarked
the mother, ''you Won't throw over so
excellent a man with such brilliant
prospects, will you p
"a bird in the hand is worth two in
the bush. My shrinking soul IS fright
ened at the thought of trusting my
future with young and changeable man.
[ require love. Irequige the entire de-
votion of heart as true as my own.
Aud besides, mamma, suppose the cruel
father should disinherit the son ! That
would be terrible. I think my duty to
myself and 10 you requires me to shake
the young man. But shall do nothing
hastily. I shall consult my heart. "
The next day the old gentleman scalled
again, and enjoyed an hour or two of the
delightful girls society, and when Ed
ward came again he was not permitted
! to see her.
'EShe loves you" said the mother,
who did see him, ''with love furious in
its intensity; but she will never be the
means of making you unhappy. When
your respected father gives his consent
and is willing to receive her as a daugh-
ter, she will rush gladly to your arms,
but not till then. Marie is full of pas
sion, but duty keeps it in check. Her
very love for you prevents her from
| making YOU miserable"
"But must see her.
Impossible" was the heartless re-
ply, and the door was slammed in his
face.
1t was impossible that he should see
Marie, for very good reason, viz: his
father was with her trying to persuade
her to accept his ''protection," which
the astute young woman rejected, as she
had a similar offer from his son.
The young Edward found himself in q
very singular position. He could not
see his love without the consent of his
father, and he could not see his father
at all to get his consent. He could
make nothing at all of it.
| ABOUT II MGCh IilS1CdiJCL tLAC StSiJ
was cleared up. He received the follow
ing from his father:
s'MY DEAR Son: All you said to me oi
Marie is true. She is indeed everything
that is lovely in person and mind. She
is at once the most beautiful and the
wisest of her sex. | should be perfectly
willing for you to marry her but for one
trifing fact. / have found it essential
to my happiness that should marry
her myself, which l have done. | have
provided for you amply, and shall prob
ably never see You again. My wife ano
/ propose to live hereafter in Paris.
hope to hear from you occasionally.
"PAPA."
SHoRT.-An amusing incident recent
| / L. i -.