The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-11-19

sat . young man Of about twenty-five.
his face bronxed by exposure. and his
long boots despatched with mud.
Standing in those same boots the wiry
cavalier would have measured somc-
thing like six feet two inches. His
features showed that he was Of Anglo
Saxon blood. lie was known In the
neighborhood as m sieu Harccsc.' .
slight variation on his p~atronymic,
HarriA Some eighteen months before
the afternoon referred 70 he had pur-
chased y tract Of land in the prairie.
and on IL had opened a stock farm on a
small scale. He was industrious.
genial and frank. 50 that after a period
Of probation he was greeted by the resi-
dents Whereabouts with something ike
cordiality. His little ranch. rs he liked
to call il, was about five miles away
from the Ponpon residence, and On
this occasion he had galloped across
the prairie and ridden directly into
what would have been the front yard
Of that family. had there been any
fences around the place. There was
something in his face that betokcned
unusual earnestness. and when he
yaulted out Of the saddle and. hat in
| hand. inquired 81 the young lady, in q
guinea blue gabrielle on the gallery. il
her brother was at home. he surprised
that black-eycd demoiselle very much
BY his
She happened to be the only person
nj home. for her widowed mother had
that day ridden TO Grand Coteau to
confession. and the brother was ont
looking after a stray yearling. AL
osine Ponpon was the elder Of two Sis
tiers. The younger, Seraphinc, had
some two year. before left the parental
home with a gallant young husband.
and was now comfortably settled owe
nj Coulce Crochc.
This marriage OF the more youthful
sister had been a severe blow at Alo-
sine. for she had always been led to
believe that suitors were bound 10 lake
the older daughter first. The bridal
party. mounted on their little Creole
tackles. and followed by q wagon OF
household goods had hardly disap-
pearcd behind a knoll in the prairie
than she burst into a passion Of tears.
and refused TO be comforted. From
that day she formed \ resolution that
il she died an old maid il would not be
her fault She was, perhaps. a little
too tall and angular to attract many Of
the fastidious young men. and her un'
disguised efforts 10 capture a gallant
were perhaps too much for the gay
beaux OF the prairie. Be this as II
may. few ever stopped at the house
longer than time enough to water tneil
horses or take a cup Of coffee. except,
perhaps. Aleck Harris. He had been
over often. and had spent whole after
moons with her brother talking ovel
stock matters and the improvement d
grasses
Alosine rad nurtured = warm senti
mcnt for the young man. and when h'
was ia the house invariably managed
To be in the same room She though
she saw signs II rcciprocated fcelin:
frequently. and now that he had conn
over nj a time when she was alone sh'
was sure there was but one object 4
his mission. On his approach she ha'
darted into her room. given a hurried
twist 10 her back hair and cncircle'
herncck with a flaming red ribbon. .
that when he reached the steps sh
looked at her best.
..Boucta is not here. is hep" aske'
the bold rider as he took a seat.
Mon; hre 60 long time. yes. Al
ow 70 doc. Sieur Harcese? Hi opes v
wcel.' and Alosine proffered him
glass Of water.
/, s.Oh. I'm very well. mamselle.' an
he swallowed the water as only
thirsty man can. lin very sorr
Boucta is gone. for came over her
1 on very important business. Ih
Z truth Is. / wanted TO ask him q que:
] ton in which you yourself are some
what interested"
/ The sunlight danced on the prairi
( swe.ls- The blossoms Of the wild u
. digo and the tall stems Of the rushe
|. in the watcrhole away of beyond I'll
I corncrib seemed 70 tremble with 81
light. Roseatc hues tinted the cunt
r lous clouds and the plaintiye wiistl
/ OF the ''kilIdcc" overhead became I'll
/ voluptuous notes Of the mockingbir,
4 Alosine had been looking forward
this moment for the last twenty year
and now il had come. All, how mob
+ that NJ sicu Harcesc looked now. Sue
strength, such dash. such manly beat
q ". Her heart almost chokcd her. /
! pulsations were rapid and strong.
I'll II ham ware sorrce dat he ha'
. gone. Sicur Harccse." she was ju
h able TO say. ''Ect was so good OBJ ,
y 10 TO come"
..Oh. don't mention that. mamsell
9 I have oecn thinking over this matt
4 for a long time. and 1 must confe'
g that | was q little afraid Of speaking
you about Il. thought ! would =
Boucta first"
9 A Alosinc looked at Aleck Harr
4 now the tears welled up into her eye
= She had scen his comfortable house Q
the prairie and had q very fair idea
his herd. Even while he was talkin
she could fancy herself seated in Il
big rocking-chair on the gallery Of u
. Harris home. dressed in pink al
g white calico. with = brcastpin Of impo
'c ing size ~glistening In her bosom. $
had longed for these things all her lii
z .'Yecs! Sicur Harcesc. my brudd
= he ware nice 10 me al dc time. han
4 kno. what ee like. hi like" Then i
= thought that IL Sieur Harecse did n
y wait for her brother 4 day would
Y lost. and in such affairs a day mca
VI an eternity. So, holding her sunbo
y net before her face lust low enough