St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-09-13

me respectfully anu UA NY Ch4oAAAhS
the cause of their grief, handed me
letter, saying:
"Will ye be pleased to read that,
mem?"
1t was an effusion of Peter MackeY's,
dated nine months back. 1t began,
s'My dearest Jeanie," spoke of the
writer's unalterable affection, reminded
Jeanie of her promise to become his
wife as soon as he should be able to
provide suitable home for her, and
was signed: "Your own Patie.
must confess that my first feeling,
on reading this, was one OF satisfaction
at nv own discernment. $50 you were
engaged after all,'' / remarked; "but
w6y Was nothing said about it, and why
was it broken oH?''
sOu," said Jeanie, looking at me
Indignantly, 'Patie just asked me to
be his wife the vera day before l sailed,
SO there wasna muckle time to lat it be
known. And as for is being broken
off, it's Patie We must speir at ABBOTT
that, for never heard tell OF till this
day. Eli! but men are deceiyers! But
that's no. the warst OF, mem! Mary,
give the lady Mrs. Birket's letter"
Mrs. Birket, it appears, was Peters
| landlady in Aberdeen, and had written
that morning to Mary Duthie's mother,
whom she had known when they were
girls together, to ask some particulars
of Peters family and antecedents, as
her niece and adopted daughter, Mary
Hine, was soon to be married to him.
''Heard We ever the like O. thatH' ex-
claimed Jeanne; ''the man must be
clean daft:'
quite agreed with her, for I had
| never known a man before who was
engaged to three women at once.
Doubtless, Peter considered his first
two affairs as mere firtations; still his
former sweethearts had in their posses
sion letter and a pledge which would
be evidence against him in court law.
But any proceedings of this kind was
SO foreign to the natures and prejudices
Of the injured girls, that did no more
than hint at it.
The following morning, Mary
asked my permission to go for day
or two to Aberdeen with Jeanie Saun-
derson, as they had thought of plan
for bringing their recalcitrant lover to
his senses.
"Gin we dinna' MAX Peter make
shame to himself, my names no. Jeanie
Saunderson, were the parting words
of that damsel
Meanwhile Peter was happy in the
society of his (atest) betrothed, who
was very charming girl; and it may
be little to my hero's excuse to re-
mark that few men could have seen her
bonny face and listened to her sweet
voice evening after evening without
falling in love with her The suscepti-
Bile Peter certainly could not, but throw
ing all old memories to the winds, pro-
posed and was accepted.
Such being the state of affairs, Peters
feelings may be imagined when, on
entering Mrs. Birket's parior one even
ing, after his days work was over, he
saw seated BY Mary Hine- Mary Duthie
and Jeanne SauDderson.
Peters first impulse was to withdraw
hastily, but Mrs. Birket made fight i'm
possible by closing the door, and stand
Ing between it and the conscience
stricken youth. ''Just TAX seat, Mr..
Mackey,n said she, and the culprit sank
into an empty chair, placed at q little
distance from the other three ladies.
The situation was awkward in the ex-
treme The ladies continued their
knitting without glancing at him; min
ute after minute passed, and the silence
became intolerable Peter could hear
the beating Of his own heart; twice he
opened his lips to speak, but no sound
issued from them; an icy tremor ran
through his frame, and checked his ut
terance.
give what follows verbatim, as re-
ported to me by Mary Duthie.
sWeel,' said Jeanie Saunderson, at
last, sssanna we be sattlin' DOR bizness
eenoo?"
s'Aye, lassies, said Mary Hine, "but
that'll be hard matter, or I'm muckle
mista en-
Eye see," said Jeanne, taking the
initiative, ''this Peter Mackey belongsin
manner till's a.. Ist ma sae?o
.sAye, but we Gamma a haze him. =
s'Just that. moo fat think We
lassies2 Sauna we appeal till the law
courts?
"Mithna we jist set a. RIGHT amo'
oorsels2" said Mary Hine. 'sFoo gin
we wus till cast lots for him? We've
the warrant of scripter for that. ye
KEN
.Vera gweed,' replied the others,
and when Mrs. Birket had volunteered
herself as one witness, the little servant
girl. Baubie, was ben to be another.
Peters humiliation was certainly to be
complete!
The lot fell on Mary Duthie.
''Peter Mackey," said she, 81 haze
anither string till my bow, so I'll cen
leave ye till Mary Hine or Jeanne;
they're maybe wunin' ye mair nor me.
But mony thanks Y We for yer kind
ofer. which Mia 9 ma forgotten. "
Peter W(a9s tn much subdued to offer