Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-01-16

though they owned her looks improve
a little, and her dress had more OF tcnt
The clerk thought she grew handsome
each time he saw her.
They stood one evening in her uncle
} winter garden. the breath and beaut
of the summer time all about then
with its witcheries, though without tn
air was chill, and hoarse the wind. Sh
was toying with a rosebud. a sweet
half. blown thing, that she had carelessl
plucked from a bush beside her. Sh
had inhaled its fragrance, trailed
upon her brow and cheek. pressed it il
dalliance to her lips, and now with he
slender fingers was unfolding the greer
calyX.
do not tear 1t. Louise'-their in
timacy warranted him in the use of he
liquid name; ''giye it TO me-or stay;;'
and he plucked its mate-''eXchang'
this with me-"
They were simple words, but they
brought rich color to the maident
cheek, and she had no power to speak
Their hands met softly, lightly, Il
exchange the buds, but somehow they
could never tell, their fingers were en-.
| tangled and in the ecStacy that thrilled
them the floral gift was quite forgot.
ten, and only brought to memory after
an hours delightful interchange OF
promises and love, by the words of the
betrothed LOuise:-'The rose has evel
been my favorite flower; will wear il
more than ever now;n when the fallen
buds were gathered up and borne away
that night on human hearts.
With a proud and manly step the
clerk the next day sought the uncle and
asked his niece in marriage. The
banker seemed astounded.
''You are too poor to marry, Pierre. "
'May be, monsieur, but not to love.
We will live on that"
1T is food for the honeymoon.
"Then ours shall last forever"
"Well, well, I'll see about it. Go
now. The ledgers wait"
So Pierre went to his work again,
and the uncle to see his niece, and they
were long closeted tOgether.-And
when he came again TO the counting
room he whispered to the clerk:
1.-The girl is as willful as yourself,
and YOU may make your own way
but mind, should the honeymoon e'er
wane, you come not here with pitying
tale.''
They were married five days after
ward, with none but necessary wit
nesses. The banker gave his niece
away, and as he pressed his paternal
kiss upon her cheek he hung about her
neck diamond necklace, which Pierre
thought an unseemly gift for a por-
tionless bride, and for a poor mans
wife. But he forgot its glitter soon in
the dazzling radiance that flashed from
her dark eyes, as side by side they
drove out from the bustling city to
spend single day of leisure.
The bridal eve was over, and the
twain, now of one flesh, sat at their
breakfast. But the bridegroom was
sad and absent, and e:e long
the bride questioned him.
"What ail's you, Pierre? Why don't
you eat or drink"
81 have no appetite"
''Love suffices, L presume, but why
that wTinkled brow? One would think
you were a cross old grandfather i'll
stead of a youthful husband. | say
again what aIls you?"
Il don't want to leave you"
"And who wants you to-not /. IN
quite sure?"
''Your uncle does, and l must go. l
have stayed too long, yet l should like
to spend one week in honeymoon.
sAud SO yOu shall ,,
''But our bread, Louise?r
''Our bread! Then you think it
will suffer from six days idleneSs. My
baker will take care of that. But it is
time the play was out.-know that |
have no expectations from the banker,
because l need none, | am mistress,
in my own right to a million and
halt"
You, LOuiSe-my brlde?'
SAY your bride-Madame Pierre
ROt quite so musical name
as my old one Of Madamoiselle Louise
LascelIe, and yet like it well. And,
the lady has a villa in the
south that a nobleman might envy,
and there forthwith we'll 90 and stay
for week or a year, just as we please. "
''But why"
Conceal so long my riches? That
| might win a husband who loved me
and not my gold. had many lovers,
but on testing them L found it was not
me they wanted but my possessions. 1
came here, and at time when sick
ness had des 9oiled me of the little
beauty had owned, and, with uncle's
permission passed off a d0werless niece.
on fancied me, in spite of my poor
looks and empty purse, and well,
never mind. Uncle gives ball to-
night, in honor of our nuptials, and
it's time you were deciding on your
dress. Mine is already ordered, and
when our friends see the bride in snowy
satin, queenly laces. and veil that Is
a fortune, floating above the ringlets
ON her neck, for the braids shall all be
unloosed and my hair have its free
will tonight, loop of diamonds in
each ear, bracelet on each arm and
necklace around my throat, perhaps
they will think they were mistaken,
and credit beauty, grace, fashion and
wealth TO the bride of the hour"
And the star of the evening and
the city shall be my own Louise, late
but the bankers niece''