Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-08-02

''AN OLD FRIEND, MADAME
After thoroughly sounding his heart he
finally arrived at the bold conclusion that
he would ask in marriage the hand of the
Jolly bon camerade.
For several days he had deliberated in
what manner this ceremony, which he had
always thought so very comical in others,
should be put into execution. Dress coat
and silk hat?
At one time, il was rainy forenoon, he
almost decided 10 take these articles. so
useful and ornamental at counting and at
funerals, from his wardrobe, but at the last
him that before a theatric princess n some
what more romantic manner of wooing
were in pace. He did not exactly mean
TO do the thing as the hero Lohengrin had
done it, for the managers of the resort did
not keep a boat drawn 10y swans for the
use of their guests. But walk into the
propitious solitude of the autumnal forest,
a sail on the lake, or something of that
sort. seemed tit occasions.
As we said, lie waited several days. But
as the longed-for occasion for lyric state
of mind had been scared away repeatedly
by the silvery laugh of the beautiful
woman, he decided to altar his tactics.
Nothing else would answer; dress coat and
silk hat had to be taken out. In this dig
nified habiliment, a tea-rose bouquet in
his hand and a camelia at his bosom, lie
went to call on the lady who had perform
ed the feat of kinllng anew the little
spark under the lava of his heart to a
roaring tlame-and he received the intelli-
gence that my lady was out taking drive.
4 drive with a gentleman who had arrived
the previous night and had been received
by her with familiarity, like an old ac-
quaintance.
lie made inquiries among the hotel ser
wants, and from them and his observations
he had reason TO look upon the arrival of
the stranger as an interruption to his pro-
ceedings
'Dr. Johannes 0r-nus, editor. Vienna"
In this way the rival had entered his name
in the hotel register
Had Adonis arrived at the hotel in his
own person, and been received in as
friendly manner by the singer, the Baron
would have felt no greater uneasineSs than
he did about this hero of the quill with
his enormous reddish whiskers and his
sparkling eyeglasses. According to the
honest opinion of the Baron, unbiased by
any self-delusion, this Doctor with his
large stature was anything but beautiful.
But it is well-known fact that critics are
dangerous for male and female artists but
more than dangerous for the admirers of
the latter.
As man of the world, the Baron con-
cealed the unfavorsble impression which
this man Of letters had made upon him,
although he wished him into Beelzebub's
company.
IAN old friend madam is il note" he
asked, with a certain emphasis, at their
introduction. The singer confirmed this,
at the same time throwing glance at the
Doctor, which seemed to the jealous Baron
like a look of culpabe familiarity.
Baron Theodor >engen, one of the sin
cerest of my admrersr
ALAS! not an old friendr' added the
Baron with dignity. "But not less sincere
in his friendship than you, Doctor"
The two rivals SHOOK hands with cor
diality such as can lie found only among
people that dislike each other. And again
that mysterious smile, again the merry,
laughing glance of the singer.
The affair began to take decidedly dis
agreeable turn. The Baron could no longer
stanl by and see this witty chatterer, with
his red beard and his malicious satire, gain
step after step on that battlefield before
the beautiful Valdini II was absolutely
necessary for him TO undertake a general
attack. IL is in accordance with the ordi-
nary course of things that he who asks for
the hand of woman 6rst obtains possess
sion of il.
On rainy Sunday the Doctor, tired of
the idyllic quietude at the hotel. of the
tediousneSs at the hotel d hote and even
of the company of the charming singer,
chose to take long walk i'm the near for
est; this was the moment for the Baron TO
accomplish decided result. lie finished
his toilet with the earefulness of school
girl who is about to make her debut at a
ball. Then he examined himself closely in
the mirror.
''Well, my boy" he sand with nod
toward his counterfeit, ''those are nice
stories that we hear about you in your old