St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-11-28

Mr., Annelsey had desired an 1mme-
diate union, but to this she had inter-
posed decided negative, and he had at
last consented that she should remain
at school year longer, when they were
to be married and he would take her to
New York to reside.
This was not wholly unexpected by
the family. They knew that Mr.. An
nelsey had followed the young ladies to
San Francisco, and that he had been a
frequent caller upon them while there.
Jennie had even intimated in one Of her
letters to her mother that she thought
Lucy and he would be married some
day.
She said less of Ensign, who was
almost as frequent a visitor as Annel-
sey.
In fact the two young men had made
up their slight differences and frequent
ly called upon the girls in company, or
together arranged with them for attend
ing upon places of amusement; and If
Jennie had chosen she could have in
formed her mother of the probabilities
of another marriage, almost as certain
of taking place as that OF Lucy to Mlr
Annelsey.
Jennie, however, was not formally
engaged to Mr.. Ensign.
He had his own way to make in the
world, and had passed the age when
men are apt to act hastily in such af
fairs He meant Jennie to understand
that he preferred her to all others, yet
he did not think it well to bind her by
formal engagement until he had some
thing more ahead upon which they
could begin life together.
| Times for laboring men, and especial
| ly for skilled mechanics like Ensign,
were good just then, but the standard
and the art of saving large fortunes out
of salaries of thirty or forty dollars a
week in private life is.even yet not well
understood except by a few railroad of
ficials and presidents Of savings banks
Mr.. Annelsey, infatuated with Lucy,
and having no necessity for delay on
account of pecuniarY matters, had pro-
| posed the moment he found his courage
sufficient for the ordeal; and she, al
though knowing in her heart that she
loved Erastus better, yet thinking he
cared nothing for her, and that her par
ents desired her union with Mr.. An
nelsey, accepted him. But when he
urged an immediate marriage, her
heart failed her, and she begged for
time, giving as her reason a desire to
remain at school another year, and so
fit herself the better to fill the position
which she should occupy as the wife of
/ one who had the entrance of polite So
ciety in the first city of the country.
! In this Lucy was partially sincere.
She did not greatly love the man to
whom she had engaged herself. As an
escort to places of amusement, or a
companion upon days of merry-mak-
ing, she would perhaps have chosen
him in preference to any gentleman Of
her acquaintance, and was not very
sorry that she had promised to be his
wife, She cried little when she was
| first alone after having done SO, and
| even told herself that she was doing it
to save her father and the rest of the
family from poverty, and because her
heart was broken at Erastus' desertion
of her for Julia Ennis; but when she
had cried her cry out, she did not
worry greatly about it, but began pict-
uring TO herself the life she would lead
| when she was the wife of one who
could supply every want, without hav-
ing to stop to consider whether some
thing else would not do as well, and be
more economical.
She honestly wished to fit herself as
far as possible to appear well in the so
ciety into which her husband would
take her, and intended to study harder
than ever, hoping thereby to accom-
pIsh it.
And 50 it had been agreed between.
them that Annelsey should go at once
to New York, where his presence was
desired by his parents, and that Lucy
should remain in school another year,
when he. was to return, and their mar
rage be consummated.