The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-04-20

marry-c ycuse me-"
"See here, Phil" exclaimed the
father, "who by this time was at white
heat, ''yOu never knew me to break my
word. merely ask you to marry for
your own good Ipoint out a wife in
every way suitable to you. Marry to
please me, and will not only start you
fairly in life now, but leave you all |
have when | am gone. Marry to suit
some foolish fancy of your own, and Phi
yes, I'll found an asylum for idiots.
Now you understand me-" And Briggs
marched off, leaving his son to his medi-
tatiOns.
"If l stay here" said Philip to him.
self, 'father and Twill quarrel. Better
give the dear old gentleman a chance to
cool of. I'll ruralize little"
That afternoon Philip packed a port
manteau, and with fishing rod and
mineral hammer started off to Mont
gomery County, where an old college
mate of his had married and settled, one
whom he had long promised to visit.
When he arrived there he learned that
Boudinot and his wife had gone to Long
Branch for the season, and the servants
with them, the house being in charge of
a care-taker. hilip heard of good fish
ing in Il stream four miles of, and con.
Guided to try it. He found lodgings at
a farmhouse near til" place, owned by
man named Seth Cooper.
His quarters were quite comfortable
The house was an old stone building of
ante-RevOlutiOnary erection, and was
roomy. lie was assigned chamber up
stairs, looking out on trinity kept gar
den, in which old fashioned flower, and
pot herbs were grown side by side, and
which sent a lcasant fragrance through
the open window. The room ITSELF wa,
adorned with pictures and knick knacks
showing feminine tasted, and the bed
stead was furnished with II lair mat
tress, AID not the bag of feathers of the
vicinage.
"Dccidcdly," sad Philip to himself,
there / another female on the premises,
younger and possibly fai,cr
than the substantial Dame Cooper. and
with some refined taste
But neither that day nor that week
did he see any woman other than Mrs.
Cooper or the hired girl. However, the
cooking was good. the country air and
his walk round about gave him an ap-
petite, and he was content. He fished'
the stream closely, or rambled here and
there, hammer in hand and bag a: side
Or leaned over fences and talked with
the farmers about craps and the
weather.
In weeks time the thing grew mo-
lotOnOus. The fish were not always in ,
lined to bite. good spec mems in quar-
les and in stu grew scarcer, and his stock /
If talk on farming was nearly Exhausted. /
he began to think Of going to the
Branch and hunting up Boudinot. As
IL sat upon the veranda one afternoon
debating the matter. wagon was driven
Up the lane and stopped at the door.
lightly ont stepped a young woman in a
leat travelling dress, and the driver fol
owed her with a large trunk, under
which he staggered, burly as he was.
'lrs. Cooper came frcm the kitchen and
"Why, it's Gwenny, de-
lare!"
"lou dear old Aunty Ruth" said the
newcomer, hugging and kissing the
wife. II came to have a good
ime for a MONTH"
"And so you shall. my dear was the
earty reply.
Philip took an ocular inventory of the
oOkS, dress and manner of the new
omcr as ne took off his hat. "A sweet
ace and graceful figure, and presentable
nywhere," was his internal comment.
Heres luck. shall not visit the Branch
et."
"iou have boarder, aunty," said the
irl when upstairs with Mrs. Cooper.
''Ies. He's Mr.. Bee, " SAID the other.
1t don't look as if he had any call to
FORK for his living, Judging by his
'hite hands and his fx-ups. and he's
lenty of money"
"Bee Then he isn't a busy bee. But
e's good-looking; if he be agreeable,
ell do for a walking stick"
Mrs. Cooper's mistake as to Philip was
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