The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-04-23

~ tAL ] - ls'AtNN AAiDAS AZ NtNtAANs 10
taken dinner with him, and We were
sitting silent before the fire. All at
once he said:
"]VilI, did you fall in love last sum-
mer as | expected? Or was it only
trOut?'
II fell in love-
"D0es it lHst?'
II love her more than ever"
"Is she pretty?"
a. think so, sir. Yes, | am sure she
is very lovely"
"Educatcd?"
"NO, sir"
"Lady-Iike2"
"No, sir; she is just a simple, limo,
cent child. She has no idea of life, OF
fashion, or dress"
1T won't do, Will. Girls OF that
kind are very pretty to write verses
about; they don't answer in real life
Il am sorry you think so, sir. II
you only saw her."
"Ah, Will, | have no occasion to
see her, | know all about it. For a
girl of that kind | nice came very ea
being a scoundrel. am not talking
without knowledge. Poor Bernice!
poor Bernicel"
He smoked very silently Gor some
time, and then seemed suddenly to re-
member me. "Will'" he said, "'yOu
must not run into this danger without
warning. Come with me-"
He led me slowly upstairs into his
own room, and we stood together be-
fore q fine painting"
"Is Nelito Jones as beautiful! as
that?"
"she is very differentiated she is
not as beautiful"
mo, no; few women are as hand
some as BerniCe was. The tempta-
ton was great, if that was an excuse.
She was a fisherman's daughter. Her
father lived on one Ofthe small islands
in the Delta OF the Mississippi. She
was a splendid, passionate creature,
and with ali her faults she loved me
as few, if any, men deserved to be loved.
Under the orange trees surrounding
their little cane hut | spent a whole
summer, defying heat and fever, and
supremely happy ifBernice was by my
side.
Her father was a sensible man; he
positively refused his consent to our
marriage. Hesaid his daughter suited
him and their wild life well enough, but
that she would make me wretched. and
be wretched herself also. He warned
me that she was passionate, Jealous,
and revengeful, and fit for no gentle
man to marry. But | thought differ
ent. She had a native sense OF what
was graceful and proper, and l was
sure that If she was fashionably dress
ed and placed in a fashionable world,
she would instinctively adapt herself
to its ways and habits.
"At length her father and / came to
open dissension; and he told me, with
the rude frankness of his order, that I
must leave the house, and speak to
Bernice no more. Bernice and | had
anticipated this order, and were pre-
pared for an escape together. In the
afternoon, while he was sleeping, we
took a boat for New Orleans.
"As soon as we landed / looked for
q clergyman to marry us. We called
on several. Some made excuses, and
some were from home; but at last, as
we rode through a small street, | saw
a church door open and a minister en-
tering. | went boldly up to him and
told him | haG run away with the lady
and offered him a large fee to be mar
ried without delay.
He agreed very politely. The congre-
CATION were coming in, and many peo-
pie were present. We took no notice
of any one, went to the altar, and were
made man and wife. The service was
the Episcopal service, and our mar
riage certificate was signed by George
G. Williams, officiating clergyman.
"For some time we were very happy.
/ bought her fashionable clothing and
rich jewels, and we Travelled about
from place to place, Bernice's great
beauty everywhere attracting atten-
ton and remark. At length, being in
New York, | thought / would pay a
short visit to my native village, and
exhibit my beautiful bride to my old
friends.
ut was there our troubles hogan. I
knew most of the village girls from
childhood, and they came with al the
frankness and kindness of sisters to
see. me. Many of them called me
John as they had always done, aud
there was scarcely q respectable fami
ly in the village that did not give an
entertainment in our honor. In ho-
tells Bernice had played her part very
fairly. She had little to do but dress
well andlook handsome, and this she
accomplished almost naturally. But
in the familiarity Of household visit
ing her deficiencies were glaringly APP
parent. Even her splendid beauty suf-
Tered somewhat when in contrast with
the fair spirituelle faces of the North,
and she felt this dimly, and resented
it.
Every girl I spoke to became an OBJ