Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-15

afternoon met Madame Mesn1ldot and her
only daughter at the band in the gardens at
the Place Solferino, and had, as on previous
occasions, sat with them, criticising the
music and the passers-by, talking of the
weather, the approaching festivities OF La
Fete Rationale, and the news from Paris.
1t was the ninth time he had
thus met Mademoiselle Adrienne; but
never in the whole course OF his
acquaintance had he enjoyed so much as
two minutes tete-a-tete with her. Madame
her mother was her constant duenna, and
little walks and little talks with Mademoi-
selle by herself were luxuries unknown to
him. And yet at the moment we lind him
lounging over his cafe froid at the Victor he
is actually engaged in the process called
making up his mind to propose in due
form for Mademoiselle Adrienne's hand.
She is beautiful, said NJ. Alphonse to him.
sell; she is amiable; she is 10 years old;
and Monsieur Mesnildot cannot give her
less than so, 900 francs for dot. Less! Par
bleu, it is mpossible that she shall not re-
ceive 100000 My friend Monsieur Jules
Bernier shall call upon Madame Mesnildot
without delay. 1t is done!
Now, it was a somewhat bold thing for NJ.
Alphonse to say thus that 'it was DONE in
VI.
had never even told him to look upon him.
self as affianced to Mademoiselle Adrienne
or anybody else. But allowance must be
made for NJ. Alphonse in view of the sim
gularly happy attitude his only living
parent adopted toward him. M. Georges
Thevinet was a shipowner of large property;
and OF his three children, M. Alphonse was
the eldest and favorite; to Alphonse he gave
an annual allowance of 5000 francs, and
denied him nothing he chose to ask. When,
in accordance with the laws of the Repub-
lie, NJ. Georges wealth was divided among
his three sons, the share he had allotted to
Alphonse, though apparently ofvalue equal
to those of his brothers, would in reality
yield the largest income. But we antici-
pate.
NJ. Alphonse Thevinet, sitting over his
cold coffee at tie Victor was one of the best
looking young men in all Normandy, and
everybody, himself included, knew we'll that
he was the best parti in the province. He
was % years of age, and stood feet inches
in his socks; his black hair, cut scrupulous-
ly to uniform length of three-eighths of an
inch, stood erect upon well-shaped head;
his mustache, though small, was model of
symmetry; and his dress, from the high
crowned straw hat with ribbon la Tour
Eiffel, to his vanished boots, defied criti-
cism. Mademoiselle Adrienne was fortu-
nate indeed; Monsieur and Madame Mes
nildot could not but welcome such a suitor
for their daughter; and since NJ. Alphonsc
had decided to present himself in that ca
pacity, her happiness was secured whether
her views concurred with theirs or not. A
young French lady has no voice in these
matters; she is not consulted, and infinite
possibilities of trouble are thus agreeably
avoided.
NJ. Alphonse sat smoking his cigarette
and tasting his coffee, now and then ex-
changing a bow with an acquaintance; but
he made no attempt to enter into conversa-
ton, until short stout man of five or six
and thirty, with a smooth, pleasant face,
came through the fower-tubs which par
TALLY concealed the cafe doors from the