The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-11-29

by an impartial observer, the transac-
tion might look very like selling I'm e.
tate with heavy undeclared mortgage
upon it. To the honorable, yet impe-
cunious. Fitzgerald, however, it itappeared
but in the light Of that time-honored
course, "The only thing to do, by
Jove
And he would do his duty like a man,
he would. No more flirting now. OF
course, il they met much, it would be
awkward-deuced dangerous with an
other "by Jove ~. Well. they mustn't
meet, that's all
You see Lucius thought himself quite
good man. don't want to say word
against him, only if he is one then there
are plenty Of good men about, that is
all. So much the better that there
should be, of course.
His young wife, though hardly Of
what you would call strong character,
inherited from the late Huggins large
share of that pertinacity which he had
turned to such good account; and she
pours out the coffee this morning with
an air Of innocent triumph in her blue
eyes at having carried her point.
"And 50 Mrs. Fitzgerald insists ON
Lady Verulam and her daughter being
invited, mused her husband. "The
Verulams OF all people in the world
For Percy, tool As if Birdie Verulam
(as she was familiarly called, her real
name being Bertha, would marry Per-
cy" az w~ 60.
Percy is Amelia's brother, older than
she is by four or five years. Rich, of
course. Higgins Senior left his thou
sands equally divided. But the son had
not acquired any Of that gentleness and
good breeding which seemed to have
come to the sister - if by magic. In
Lucius Fitzgerald's mental phrase, "He
is an insufferable young cub, talking
slang by the yard, and only fit to herd
with bagmen and shop boys" ia
"Yet he is his brother-in-law, must
be made the best OF, and is even now
coming on the 10th to meet Lady Con-
stantia the fastidious and her defghtful-
ly-6ne daughter! II only they would
send an excuse! But no! Circum-
stances would never 90 and risk their
cherished old reputation for spitefulness.
How they mas smile nowLthat is, if
II they ever do smile." saH =
So cogitated Lucius; and his little
bursts Of wicked exnltation at losing the
battle rapidly gave way to ever-increas.
ing doubts and fears. He was sufficient
y grand scig,semr to remain uncruehed
by the Fsssy trouble. "Vn pour ye
beau.frer :" but the other matter
seemed, rs he reflected upon it, to hour
~ contain less and less OF what was
sweet, and more and more Of what was
Otter. Granting that there is always
something of rapture in meeting our
souls ideal once again, so lcng, that is,
as she is not on the arm Of a successful
rival, what good could possibly come
out OF this untoward encounter? And
for momentary thrill, Joy that was
first cousin to sorrow, was it worth
while to joopardize even such very gray
colored domestic felicity as now be-
longed to him? Yes, the more he
thought of it, the less he liked the pros
pect. Visions Of strange, heart t-rending
scenes, tragic duets and more tragic
trios. began to fit across his brain by
night and day. After all, he had suf-
fered rnarvelously little for the lack of
Miss Verulan & society since his mar.
riage. Indeed, this had often. been q
subject of wonder to him. He was really
comfortable enough with Amelia, and as
to romance, passion. ecstasy-was the
whole thing worth while? Was he not
getting just shade too old, or, to put
It plainly, too fat and lazy, for these
fatiguing toys?
All this time Amelia Vas perfectly
happy and serene; for when Lucius was
with her he was more than ever a,eE
0etits soi1s; and then had she not gained
her own way in the matter of inviting
these Veruians9 -nR4g
And they were coming, too. "Were
going to pay other visits in the neigh.
boehoOd, and should be 90 delighted" )"
Lady Constantia's note had said.
For some days before they arrived
Nj. Fitzgerald had good deal Of spare
time on his hands. with which his wife
did not interfere. She was 20 engroesed
IN her first hospitable preparations, and
in adding touches Of beauty TO the some
what hastily furnished rooms, that she
had little leisure TO bestow upon her
husband. The quittance, would Aave
bss4 perhaps, something of = neSdy q
any other time but - hour after hour
passed on, and the time approached
nearer fof the arrival of the Veralau4
HI. Fitzgerald grow more and moGe d.
lected, till at last even Amelia was COM
PEELED 70 notice il, and she inquired with
some solicitudG Whi1 allied him. Of
course be heisked up suddenly and aaid:
"Nothing."' How oonld he own that
hs either longed for OF feared tho arrival
q these peopls? In point Of fact hs
was absolutely beginning to dread it.
"You win 90 and meet them as the
station, Lucdus? Il would be 70 uneivfl
to let them como up hess all alone. But
I think had be1ter stay and receive