Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-02-21

4 IL ludhO us 4uosSAOA -~A--S'
Tarvenue. "You knew, thenp
st is to be hoped that l did know" re-
marked N. Tarvenue with Importance. HE
said to me only this morning: sit is time
we came to an understanding. Eusebe IS
fairly wasting away; he is so much in love
with Solange."
"Eusebel OF whom are you talking"
''Of my friend Ramillat, who is most anx-
ious that SOlange should marry his son."
IN. Ramillat did not call But the Comte
de Preyaret rang the door-bell while you
were away" And Solange, having pro-
nounced these words, maiestically left the
| room.
"M. de Prevaretr' exclaimed III. Tarvenue.
"Why, yes" said madam, initiating her
| daughters self-possessed and Indifferent
mien. "Solange is not astonished. He has
/ been noticing her great deal Of late. And
/ if he should want to marry her there would
| be nothing surprising in that either. She IS
handsome enough to make messalllance
possible
a discussion then arose between Nine.
| Tarvenue and her daughter as to whether
they should call, in their turn, on the dowa-
ger countess-a discussion which was thus
concluded by the young lady:
ION general principles it should be papa
| who returned the call But he would not
know how to appear in a way that would do
US justice. Now, if it were /, having the
habit of the world, should know how to
manage perfectly. So, it is best that mamma
and should go to call on the countess. By
doing so we will make her understand that
we are very willing to know her, but not
willing to accept the attentions of her son
against her wishes"
The plan was cleverly conceived, and a
week later was carried out.
On the same day the dowager Countess
de Prevaret was chatting with her son in
large salon filed with fine old furniture.
He, who was the most touchingly devoted
of sons, had been asking his mother how
she had passed the afternoon. She had
been too tired to receive, she said. But
there had been several callers. "Among
others these''-and she took up a card
''Mme. Tarvenue" and mademoiselle
''Do you know these people!" asked the
countess. II was surprised to get their
card"
Il know them and don't He used to be
linen draper, think. He is out of bust
ness now. They sit near you in church;
the father is little man with spectacles;
the mother very stout and rubicund; the
daughter superb creature blonde, who
dresses very well. You must have seen
themw
80, yes, remember now. believe they
bow to me. They are good souls, l should
think, they go to church very regularly"
'Good souls, perhaps laughed her son,
''but frightfully ordinary. The mother is
impossible. AS for the daughter, we call
her the empress. l assure you the name
suits her. She is tremendous poseuse."
''But why should they come to see me."
asked the countess.
perhaps to solicit subscriptions for some
charity. The mother and daughter belong
to different church organizations, l Think
"Perhaps. l don't care to know them,
but want to be polite. 1 might leave my
card some day at their house. That would
not commit me to any thing"
"Of course not, especially with the Tar
venues"
The lady little dreamed what commotion
the square of pasteboard her footman de-
posted at the Tarvenue mansion door one
afternoon would cause in that household
When Solange, who was at the window,
recognized the Prevaret livery, she forgot
all her assumption of indifference, and
rushed down to the kitchen to tell the sery-
ant that the ladies would receive Then
she threw hasty glance into the drawing
room to assure herself that all things were
in order there, and, still running, returned
to her room and began to make an appro-
pirate toilet. What was not her disap-
pointment when she heard the carriage
drive away again.
.'Idiotr' she cried to the servant over the
banister. ''Why didn't you say we were at
home as told you!"
"But, madenoiselle, the footman didn't
ask. He gave me the card and 1 said,
Madame is at home Then he said, We'll,
give her that, them"
every WELL" said Solange, with acerbity.
But you might at least have refrained
from saying that we were at home, since
you hadn't been asked"
Nevertheless the sight of the countess
card somewhat appeased her. That
grande dame, of the countess age, too.
should have taken the trouble to drive out
in the cold in order to cave a card at their
house proved conclusively that she wished
to sanction her sons course. Thus did
Nine. Tarvenue think likewise, and the two
ladies resolved that the least they could do
would be to call once more upon the coun-
tess without delay.
This had been arranged when M. Tarve-
nue., who spent an hour at his club every
day, came in with yer y clouded brow.
something very serious has happened"
said the retired linen draper. Then-"We
have no secrets from you, my daughter,
and you know already that my friend
Ramillat had spoken to me of his desire of
making match between you and his son.
expected an official proposal from him
three weeks ago. did not receive it. and
since then he has seemed to avoid me- /
did not like to call upon him because that
would have been undignified under the cir
cumstances. Finally, met him to-day on
the street, aud although he pretended not
to see me, l accosted him: What's the
reason one never sees you any more, Ramil-
latP 1t seems to me, sir he answered
stifiy, that it is scarcely my place to call
upon you again after the step l took three
weeks ago, and which you failed to recog-
nize in any way And now it turns out
that he came here, left his card, as was not
at home, and thought, of course, as we had
had conversation on the subject the ppc-
vious day, that would understand the Wis
it as a formal demand on his and his sons
part for Solange's hand. Here we are at
loggerheads, and all because you did not
give me his card.
"But he never came, he never left a card"
cried Nine. Tarvenue.
SIN any case there's good match off,
grumbled N. Tarveuue.
$40 not deplore it, beg" remarked So
lange, with her most superb mien. IL
should not sveaccepted NJ. Eusebe Ramillat
in any event. hope before long to present
TO you a son-in-law of qui te another stamp"
r =
and her daughter repaired anew to the dow
auer cOunteSs Salanpe was onch,pt;nolx