The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-11-12


confession, and the brother was out
looking after stray yearling. Al
osine Ponpon was the elder of two sis
tiers. The younger, Seraphine, had
some two years before left the parental
home with a gallant young husband,
and was now comfortably settled over
at Coulee Croche.
This marriage of the more youthful
sister had been severe blow at Alo-
sine, for she had always been led to
believe that suitors were bound to take
the older daughter first The bridal
party, mounted on their little Creole
| tackles, and followed by a wagon of
household goods had hardly disap-
peared behind knoll in the prairie
than she burst into a passion of tears,
and refused to be comforted. From
that day she formed resolution that
if she died an old maid it would not be
her fault. She was, perhaps, a little
too tall and angular to attract many of
the fastidious young men, and her I'M
disguised efforts to capture a gallant
were perhaps too much for the gay
beaux OF the prairie. Be this as it
may, few ever stopped at the house
longer than time enough to water their
horses or take cup of coffee, except,
perhaps, Aleck Harris. He had been
over often. and had spent whole after
moons with her brother talking over
stock matters and the improvement of
grasses.
AiOsine had nurtured Warm senti-
ment for the young man, and when he
was in the house invariably managed
to be in the same room. She thought
she saw signs of reciprocated feeling
frequently. and now that he had come
over at time when she was alone she
was sure there was but one object to
his mission. On his approach she had
darted into her room, given hurried
twist to her back hair and encircled
her neck with flaming red ribbon, so
that when he reached the steps she
looked at her best
"Boucta is not here, is hep" asked
the bold rider as he took seat.
mon; hee go long time, yes. An
ow 20 doc, Sieur Hareese? Hi opes yo
wesl, " and Alosine proffered him a
glass of water.
"Oh, I'm very well, mamselle," and
he swallowed the water as only a
thirsty man can. I'm very sorry
Boucta is gone, for l came over here
on very important business. The
truth is, [ wanted to ask him a ques-
ton in which you yourself are som e.
what interested. -
The sunlight danced on the prairie
swells. The blossoms of the wild in
digo apd the tall stems of the rushes
in the waterhole away off beyond the
corncrib seemed to tremble with de-
light. Roseate hues tinted the cumu-
lOus clouds and the plaintive whistle
of the "killdee" overhead became the
voluptuous notes of the mockingbird.
Alosine had been looking forward to
this moment tor the last twenty years
and now it had come. Ali how noble
that NJ sieu Hareese looked now. Such
strength, such dash, such manly beau.
ty. Her heart almost choked her. Its
pulsations were rapid and strong.
81 ham ware sorree dat he ham
gone, Seur Hareese," she was just
able to say. "Eet was SO good OBJ 20
10 to come"
ooh, don't mention that, mamselie.
| have been thinking over this matter
for a long time, and [ must confess
that | was little afraid of speaking to
you about it. thought l would see
Boucta first"
As Alosine looked at Aleck Harris
now the tears welled up into her eyes.
She had seen his comfortable house on
the prairie and had very fair idea of
his herd. Even while he was talking
she could fancy herself seated in the
big rocking-chair on the gallery of the
Harris home, dressed in pink and
white calico, with breastpin of impos-
ing size glistening in her bosom. She
had longed for these things all her life.
"Yees! Sieur Hareese, my brudder
he ware nice to me all de time, han ee
kno, what ee like, hi like" Then she
thought that if Sieur Hareese did not
wait for her brother day would be
lost, and in such affairs q day means
an eternity. So, holding her sunbon-
net before her face just low enough to
permit her big black eyes to peer over
the edge, she said: "Spose mi brud-
der no come tell de eebening, weel 70
tax seat han wait TO imp"
Il can't wait. You see. I've cot to
decide to-day"
She was sure the eventful hour had
arrived. She looked into the open
door at the front room. Surely the
"Hareese" house was better than this.
She knew of his carpeted floors, mar
ble-top tables and handsome pictures,
and she yearned to become their mis-
tress. She resolved to draw him out
at once.
Aleck," it was the first time she
had ever pronounced that name aloud
and she trembled at her audacity, but
She tgo on. "Aleck, hi wooed be
much 'bliged eff We wooed speak to me
jus like We wooed speak to mi brudder.
Wat you want TO hask i'm yo can hask
me. Eet will be hall de same"
Aleck Harris looked up into her face
squarely and frankly. He had not the
slightest suspicion of what had caused
those deep bushes and bright sparkle
i'll those eyes. He was a mere babe in
such matters.
"Well, if must, why [ must, but |
Woulu mucn prefer talking to your
brother. You know how hard it is to
move a woman when her affections are
concerned, and | confess l haven't
much faith in moving you. ''-Alosine
whispered almost inaudibly: "Yo
must not say dat y" The truth is old
man Fagot, over on the bayou, has
offered me his fast mare, that he
bought in New Orleans, for one hun
dred dollars. Now. know how much
you like that pet horse of yours. but /
prefer him to Fagot's, and l came over
TO see whether you would SELL If
Boucta was here / know | could make
q trade.
The young lady was looking him
now squarely in the eye. With every
word he uttered her face grew paler
and paler. AT last she could stand it
no longer.
"Sieur Hareese! Stop right dare.
hall de time thinks 20 one gentleman
han Railways say so to my brudder,
but hi can no stan dis. Yo come ere
to suit apoor leetle GIRL hin err hown