The Opelousas courier., 1889-08-10
Poor Mrs. Brand who had fallen into

'Of course Gertrude can not marry
apoor man." said she. ''But might
have been nicer; 1 was horrid."
Then Mrs. Brand wept p~rofusely and
called Gertrude TO come to her.
''It's for your own good, child" she
declared, call for your own good"
''How would you have liked it your
self, motherp" was all that Gertrude
would say. "Now | must lie down,
and I shall take to my bed, I think,
for what is the world to me now?"
"Ah, some of these days you'll re-
pent all this" said Mrs. Brand, but
Miss Gertrude returned to her bed
room.
Shortly after came a knock at the
door, and opening it, Mrs. Brand saw
without a couple of stout men who
logged between them a bass-viol case.
''Dis is we're de wedding is to be
Monday?" asked n of them.
"No," said Mrs. Brand. THAT is
all over"
1892" replied the spokesman. well,
| must leave it here a little while
anyway. / comes for it bretty soon
aready." and with that he followed his
companion, who had already van
ished.
The impudence!" said MI. Brand.
But she could do nothing but submit.
There the great bas5-viol case stood
''like q ghost" as she said, staring
a~Aer" (Mrs. Brands descriptions
were very curious at tim es) until the
long Monday had passed.
Meanwhile, Gertrude was shut up in
her room and refused to come out.
Evening came; Mrs. Brand began to
feel desperate. She had no n to ad-
wise with, and she b%ethought herself
of an old crony who resided in the same
house. At least she would weep with
her tear for tear
Carefully locking her doors, SO that
there was no possibility of Gertrude's
escape. Mrs. Brand accordingly pro-
ceeded to the rooms occupied by Mrs.
Finch. But that lady vas out, so the
little card upon her door declared, and
Mrs. Brand hurried home again.
She had only descended n flight
of stairs, and her eye had never left
the only eg ress from her own suite Of
apartments.
AS she unlocked her door she heard
feet ascending the stairs. and turning,
saw the Germans who had brought the
b~ass-viol to her Dol
''Goot evenin'," said the older,
larger and most talkative Of the two.
Here We are again. We come to take
de instrument. wish l come to plsy
nit dot weddings"
II wish you did, I'm sure" groaned
poor Mrs. Brand.
we'll, If I vas not a married man
mid den childrens air eady, / would
brobose. und if you said yes, We would
have dot weddings" said the stout
man.
Il never heard such impudencer'
said Mrs. Brand. There's your great
Jumbo f9 lie, do take it away
"Yes, V 8 Gases it." said the Ger
man. Careful, Hans, careful. Good
bye, lady. Go lightly, Hans, knock it
not mid de door" &C
And SO they vanished.
Mrs. Brand turned the key upon
them and went to the bedroom door.
"Gertrude; she cried, bus The girl
made no answer.
Thankless child" said Mrs. Brand.
She sat down by the fire in her little
parlor, and began to wish that she had
not been SO mereenary. And so the
time passed on until nine o'clock, and
still Gertrude gave no signs of being
alive-a
Tho girl intends to keep meJat of
the room" he said to herself.
Then she Put her knee against the
door and shook it violently and it
o~pened-it he'd been unlocked.
Gertrude, swith the quilts drawn
over her head, lay in her little bed.
The mother did not disturb her. She
went toward her own and turned the
quilts down, and had just begarg to
rush her hair, when a loud rapping
came upon the outer door,
who is there?" asked Mrs. Brand,
from the inside.
"Open!n said an authoritative
voice.
rs it ire?" cried Mrs. Brand, turn
ing the key. As she did SO in rushed
a waiter With a large box, followed BY
walters with other boxes.
Y .The wedding-supper, madam" said
the leader.
"The table," said some one follow
ing them.
Mrs. Brand fell into a chair, and
lGsatched them as they placed the long
boards upon the usual supports. and
covered it with fine damask, and set
dishes upon it that were tempting to
the eye, and placed in the center a
sugar castle, aud piled nuts and fruits
in lovely pyramids.
She had tried at first to demonstrate,
but the chatter of the dishes drowned
her voice; and who were these coming
upstairs, laughing and jesting as they
came?
All the guests who were to have
come to the wedding o there, and
many more. Aud there she sat and
stirred at them, and they laughed the
more. All, how could she explain9
And did Gertrude hear all thisp How
would it affect herp