Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-11-24
THE TOSS OF A COPPER.
Story of My Experience with Two Lovers.
BY ALEXANDRA DUMAS. JR,

Why punish myself? Would my becom-
ing Casimir's wife be a punishment
What juggling with words was this?
was deeply agitated, dissatisfied with
Casimir, with Rene, with myself above
all, for the two others were quite limo
cent. Casimir loved me and was jealous.
He was afraid he was going to lose me.
He let me see it; it was very natural
he should. Rene had guessed our love,
OWNED our intentions. He had told me
so frankly. He praised the man that
was in love with. Why shouldn't he,
since he wasn't in love with me him
self? Why should he love me? He
had other things to do. He was to re-
turn to Africa to fight, to stop some bit
of murderous lead, while Casimir and
were amusing ourselves at the opera.
I must confess some men really do
deserve credit. Look at this young man
of thirty, a handsome, intelligent fell
low. fighting out there in No Mans
Land, Just escaping death in a hospital
ward, and perfectly satisfied to come
and spend his sick leave with his mother
like simple college boy at our country
homei No woman is in his life. No,
not onel He receives no letters, he
writes none. He will soon join his regi-
ment to begin anew a life Of fatigue,
obedience, toll, devotion, Pronunciation,
to end in getting shotin some out-of-the-
way corner, and dying like an animal,
without careful attention, without tender
nursing. Isn't it admirable?
could not bring myself to ask mamma
to authorize Casimir to propose. But
did the next best thing. AS he only
came out to the country twice a week,
I found out a way to have him there
all the time. I told Rene freely and
| frankly everything in regard to my in
tention of marrying Casimir, and by
so doing I made it possible for me to
talk about him at any and all times, just
as if he were present. I knew could
trust Rene, that he wouldn't mention it
either to mamma or to his mother.
WASH I right in doing so? Suppose my
marriage shouldn't take place-an abb
! surd superstition, but everything is pos
| sible-Rene's lips would be sealed for
ever.
| In thus making a conf1dant Of my
cousin I would have the satisfaction of
seeing how he took it-what effect it
had upon him-fOr while out walking
the day before with his mother, who
was absolutely ignorant of my intent,
she had let drop certain words, from
which I concluded that she was feeling
how the land lay, as the expression is.
feigned not to understand. Could she
have had, thought I, some scheme in
view in thus visiting us with her son?
To tell Rene everything would be to
end his hopes then and there. Would
it not be more loyal9 But all this time
there was nothing forbidding me to
keep an eye on him, to observe how he
acted. If I was ever in his thoughts he
must have had splendid control over
himself. He didn't draw muscle. He
thanked me for my confidence in him,
| and asked me to preserve it always and
under all circumstances. Under all cir
cumstances? Did he foresee something
which I did not? Did he have a differ
ent opinion from me in regard to Cash
mir? made up my mind to observe him
very closely when they were together,
to see if he manifested any spite, any
GOODNESS.
He grasped his hand with genuine
cordiality, and from the moment he
learned of my affection for Casimir he
/ appeared to take the greatest interest in
him It's quite likely that he has never
given me thought and that he is not
I in his mothers scheme at all; that he
looks upon me as his little cousin. as IL
little girl. in fact.
Meanwhile I'm delighted with the
effect of my frankness. Casimir has
completely gotten over his alarm and is
perfectly at ease with Rene. They'v
become the best of friends. and take