Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-09-13
Tho week of ordeal passed away, as ali

The week of ordeal passed away, as ali
weeks will, of joyous holiday or burden
ed with the awful shadow Of mourning.
And Mark Tyrrel and Mr.. HardenDrook
went down to farmer Layard's snug little
red brick house to learn the story OF
their fate, on the evening of the second
day from that on which Eunice had sat
enthroned on the stone stile and recelv-
ed two offers of marriage at once.
Miss Layard, meanwhile, had not been
idle. She made up her mind to marry
the man who loved her the best.
"For If l should love, and have no
equal need of affection given me back"
Eurioe said, "my life would be simply a
wreck. III am loved-really. truly, and
for myself, then, and her violet gray
ewes softened into velvet tenderness, VI
would not envy the proudest lady In the
land"
.'But how are you going to decide the
question:" said Mrs. Tarbox; her aunt,
WHO "kept house" for iarLaer Layard,
and did her very best to spoil Eunlce
every day of her genial life.
"Oh, know how" said Eunice, calm
"And mayn't / know, too"
"Of course you may, for | couldn't
manage matters at all without YOU
And then there was a regular council
of war between these two designing fe-
males.
So when Messrs. HardenbroOk and
Tyrrel arrived, Mrs. Tarbox received
them with a great deal of politeness, and
invited them to ''stay and spend the
evening"
"Mr. Layard1l be in directly" said
Mrs. TarbOx, "and know he'll be pleas.
ed to see you"
"Ahem !" said Mr.. Hardenbrook POM
Miss Eun,ce."
"Oh-h-hp cried Mrs. Tarbox
"Then you haven't heard?'
Heard what?" demanded Mark and
George a; once, while Eunice, hiding be-
hind the door in the next room, felt her
self culver all over lest Aunt TarboS
shouldn't have nerve enough to go salts
factorily through her part.
But Aunt Tarbox had more nery e than
her niece gave her credit for, and went
on admirably.
swell, declare" said this excellent
lady, 81 thought everybody knew by
this time. News does travel so in THU
| village"
"But," interp osed Hardenbrook; ner
| yously, "you haven't told us what it is.
$50 1 haven't" said Aunt Tarbox
"Then you didn't know that our Eunic,
was going to marry Squire Carpenter
down in Daleville."
esquire Carpenter roared Mr.. Har
J denbrook, growing very red. who thu
mischief is Squire Carpenter, Of Dale
Vile? / never heard of him."
"No, nor anybody else" thought Aun
Tarbox, secretly longing to burst on
laughing, but she answered, calmly:
| "Well, he's a rich gentleman, who,-'
'.And EunIce has Tilted me for HIM?
cried George, scarcely crediting the evi
dence of his own ears. "Me when tn,
| Hardenbrook farm and the saw-mills ant
everything else that belongs to the prop
| erty might have been hers"
| Mark Tyrrel stood quiet and silent
but through the friendly crack of tn
door Eunice could see how very pale In
countenance had grown in the lamp
light: 49,,
"Well," quoted Mr.. Hardenbreok, still
very much excited, "let her go, / neve
cared much about her-maybe it's jus
as well. There's as good fish in the Sc,
as ever was caught out of it eh, Tyrrel
Don't you think we've had a lucky es
cape from the flirting, good-for- nothing
little-hey-hallo! what are yol
| aboutr"
For Mr.. Hardenbrook' y flow of word
was suddenly checked by a firm and un
i q; - ovrocv, Of bic iuur,lor
| "Hold your scandalous tongue" enun
ciated Mark Tyrrel, Indignantly. Mis-
iayard's name is Ear too precious 10 b,
taken into your insulting mouth. LIZ
her marry whom she will, l shall al
ways love and respect her, and l shal
insist upon you doing at least the latter
81 didn't mean anything" sullenl.
muttered HardenbroOk, as the youn,
Hercules set him down with more EN-
phasis than gentleness on the chair il
the corner, II wish you good evening
Mrs. Ia box"
And ont he founced, considering him
self a vely illused mortal.
Mark Tyrrel was about to follow hi
example, when the door suddenly open
ed and E mice ran out with reddene,
cheeks and smiling lips.
"Mark-Mark-don go yetp sh
cried. IL want to tell You that"
THAT Squire Carpenter is all an inven
tion," laughed Mrs Taibox. "Eunic
only wanted to find out which of yol
really loved her the best"
"Then. Eunice p exclaimed the youn
man, with kindiing eyes.
Yes" said Eunice, quietly, "you ma,
have me, if you will. Only" she added
laughing, "Pm sorry that Mr.. Harden
brook was so disturbed"
Il am not" said Mark.