Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-06-19
A LOVERS SACRIFICE.


che River Loire, there stood at the time
of our story number of very pretty
dwellings, each with its little balcony,
its vine-wreathed arbor, and its garden
full of gay flowers, set about with high
stone wall in the midst of which stood
prodigious gate, bolted and barred
within as though hundred burglars
we're expected every night.
If it had not been for this precaution
it would not have been esteemed proper
for Mademoiselle Rosine Nichaud to
walk so much under the old pear trees
in her fathers garden. Young French
ladies are guarded very carefully by
their parents, and seclusjon is their por-
ticn during their maidenhood. No one
vas more rigid in regard to this matter
than Monsieur Michaud. Not that Mon
sieur Michaud intended to doom his
daughter to celibacy; he had already
chosen husband for her in the person
of the son of an old friend, Monsieur
Thibault, who was equally anxious for
an alliance between the families.
And, strange to say, the young peo-
pie thus betrothed were very much in
love with each other. Ever since he, q
little boy playing with other boys in the
road without his fathers gate, had seen
Rosiue Michaud in her tall, white
.crimped cap and baby shoes of pink kid,
toddle by cllnging to the hand of her
nurse, he had an admiration for her;
and Rosine had felt Fate only too kind
TO her in giving her an afianced hus-
band like Theodore Thibault, when it
might we'll have been some one whom
she detested.
Everything was in fine train. The
papers made out-the little house which
M. Thibault was to bestow upon the
bridegroom, already furnished-piles of
white muslin in the seamstresses'
hands-and the very ring bought, when
an awful thing occurred.
Al. Michaud and Nj. Thibault, sitting
down to dominoes one fine day, fell into
Il quarrel. At first, merely polite
one; then an angry one; then furious
"one. NJ. Michaud called NJ. Thibault
"a cheat, and NJ. Thibault called M.
-Michaud liar. NJ. Michaud gathered
,the dominoes in his hands. and was
about to hurl them at the head of M.
Thibault. He thought better, and
caught up his hat, stuck it on his head
all sideways, crammed his fists into his
pockets, and. without an @adieu,"
marched out of the house, calling to his
i. son to follow him.
The end Of the affair was dissolu-
ton of the matrimonial engagement be-
y tween Rosine and Theodore.
In vain Theodore demonstrated. In
vain Rosine wept. The old gentlemen
y were not to be moved by the unhappi-
XMAS of the children. All the deeds
Hhat had been drawn up were cancelled.
The little house which had been fur.
nished for the bride and bridegroom
was let to an Englishman sojourning in
the place, and the lovers were forbid.
den to speak another word to each
other as long as they both lived.
Perhaps it was worse for Theodore
than for Rosine. She was permitted to
weep as much as she chose. It was
only natural that she should be found
saitting disconsolately under the pear
trees, and she could eat no dinner, and
refuse herself to callers. Her mothe,
Seit great sympathy for her, and her ia.
eher felt grieved that he could moi
make her happy.
But Theodore, whose feelings were
.probably stronger, and who felt the in.
Justice of the old mans conduct more
.poignantly because he was not SO used
to consider his parents word law, wal
forced to attend to business, to talk te
his fathers customers, to appear il
every way as usual, and was not allowed
q moment Of private conversation will
the old gentleman. Rosine grew sad
but Theodore grew angry. She gave
up all hope; he began to plan a meet
ing. At last, having bribed Roses maii
to keep his secret, he confded to the
hands of the girl aletter to her mistress
in which he begged her to steal from
the house that night, and wait unde,
the pear trees beside the garden wal
until he should come to her.
Rosine, who had never disobeyed he,
parents in her life, felt as guilty al
though she were about to commit muir
der when she stole out of the little sid.
door to keep the rendezvous; but, never
.theless, her heart beat high with hope a
the thought of meeting Theodore ono,
more. And when at last she saw
through the darkness form rise abov.
the wall, stand upon it for moment