The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-10-25

why wss nothing said about it. and why
Was it broken off?''
= "Ou,- said jeanne, 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 sbroken
off, it's Patio We must speir at ABBOTT
that, for never heard tell OF till this
day. Eli! but men are deceivers! But
that's no the .warst OF, mem! Mary,
give the lady Mrs. Birket's letter. ~. 81
Mrs. Birket, it appears. was Peters
landlady in Aberdeen, and had written
that morning to Mary puthie's mother,
whom she had known when they were
girls together, 70 ask some particulars
of Peters family and antecedents, rs
her niece and adopted daughter, Mary
Hine. was soon to be married to him.
Heard We ever the like o. that!'' ex-
claimed Jeanne; 1.-THE man must be
clean daft!''
Iquite agreed with her. for 1 had
never known a man before who was
engaged to three women at once
Doubtless. Peter considered his first
two affairs as mere flirtations; still his
former sweethearts had in their possess
sion a letter and 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. Ft
The following morning. Mary
asked my permission to go for a day
or two to Aberdeen with Jeanne Saun-
derson, as they had thought of plan
for bringing their recalcitrant lover to
his senses. aIat
s.Gin we dinna' max Peter make
shame to himself, my names mo- Jeanne
Saunderson," were the parting words
of that damsel.
Meanwhile Peter was happy in the
society Of his Qatest) betrothed. who
was a 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 parlor one even
ing, after his days work was over, he
saw seated by Mary Hine-Mary Duthie
and Jeanne Saunderson-
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 ex1
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
teuance. ssr,t - sslitss4 al I
+ I give what follows verbatim, as re-
ported to me by Mary Duthie. /
''Weel," said Jeanne Saunderson, at
last, ''sanna we be sattlin' COR bizncss
eenoop' fta 50.
Z AYE. lassies." said Mary Hine, "but
that'll be baird matter. or I'm muckle
mista'en. ae
Eye. see," said Jeanne, taking the
initiative, ''this Peter Mackey belongs in
q manner till's a.. Ist ma sae!"
"Aye, but we Gamma a hae him"
"Just that moo fat think We
lassies? Sauna we appeal till the law
courts?'
.sMithna we jist set a. RIGHT amo'
oorsels?" said Mary Hine. ''Foo gin
we wus till cast lots for him? We've
the warrant of Scripter for that, We
KEN"
..yera gweed," replied the others,
and when Mrs. Birket had volunteered
herself as one witness, the little servant
girl, Baubie, was ben to be another. Z
Peters humiliation was certainly to be
complete!
The lot fell on Mary Duthie.
"Peter Mackey.' said she, IL haze
anither string till my bow, SO I'll cen
leave We till Mary Hine or Jeanne;
they're maybe wuntin' We mair nor me.
But mony thanks t. We for yer kind
offer. which l haze ma forgotten"
Peter was too much subdued to offer
a word in his own defence. and the pro-
ceedings were renewed. a.aaI6 ssff
This time the lot fell to Mary Hine.
Peter" she said, II Wilma cast up
till We hoo We haze wronged me an
ithers. But this l maun say, bad
lovers no like to maxi gweed hus-
ban. SO I'll leave We to Jeanne, if She's
carin' to taxi ye. ''a.ltg 50 ~ ,iaa
Z ''Weel, Patie.'' said Jeanne. s.gin
abody refeeses We l maun cen haze We
myself. But it's on twa condeetions,
min We. First that we'll be marriet
this day month, an second that there'll
be nae mair o. these ongaens after
marriage -
The wedding took place in due course,
and Peter proved to be most devoted
and obedient husband. Eye see, Mary
OMAN" said Jeanne one day to Mrs.
Jem Leslie formerly Mary Duthie,)
'.gin the gweed man and turn whites