St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1893-04-29
CHAPTER II.

was BACK to my BOOKS again. My eS-
periences in the country had not in the
least engendered distaste for them, as
might be expected. "Love in cottage
had never been one of my beliefs. /
never could fully comprehend the bliss
therein contained. Life was to me a
battlefield, and as such / loved it, and
my interesting relations with certain
young lady in the great city yonder gave
a point, a purpose to the fight.
Like most students I had before this
oftentimes been sorely concerned about
my future station in life, and generally
the prospect was decidedly dark. Then ]
would fling my lexicon in a distant cor
ner, and in the language of the old
dramatist Otway howl most piteously:
Tell me why, good Heaven,
Thou mad st me what am, with all the spirit,
Aspiring thoughts and elegant desires
That fill the happiest man? All, rather, why
Didst thou not form me sordid As my fate.
Base minded, dull, and fit to carry burdens?
Why have ! sense to know the curse that's
ON me2
Is this just dealing. Nature2
Now this was gone, and no more re-
peated Otway, unless it was that pas
sage little after that:
Can there in woman be such glorious faith7
Sure, all Ill stories of thy sex are false!
o woman! lovely woman Nature made thee
To temper man. chad been brutes without
you'll
Angels are painted fair to look like you:
There's in you all that wt believe of heaven
Amazing brightness, purity and truth,
Eternal joy and everlasting love!
Time did not hang heavily on my
hands, for | was full of hope, and thai
brought its joyful train. It was now
my last year in college; but few
months and would be fairly out on the
sea of life. Commencement was over;
was an A. B. / pocketed my "sheep
skin" and started for the great city.
where lived-wel1, you know.
It was now year since | had first
seen her, We had made no arrange
ment on parting for any interchange OF
letters, as that would hardly be tolerated
by the .'hard, cruel parent wide daily
newspapers), SO had neither heard fron
nor seen her for a long twelvemonth. But
no thought Of the Inconsistency which
which she so fascinatingly secuted, en-
tered my brain; all was sweet tran
guilty.
And now | was in the great city-for
what? | could hardly give an answer.
The tailor was first to receive a call
from me, the barber next and somebody
else next
Night comes on apace.
walked briskly along a street with
to1J a5t do
| came to Number forty three" had
no time to consider how / felt, for the
door was quickly opened by a spruce ne
gro boy, who, taking my card, led me
into the parlor. Here had some oppor-
tunity to know how | felt, and found
did not feel altogether too easy. Some
great preparations seemed going on: the
parlors were lighted more brilliantly
thought, than ordinary occasions needed;
there seemed to be great eommotion--
servants hurrying up stairs and down
stairs; | heard dishes rattling, occasion
ally a suppressed laugh, and then harsh
oath from authoritative lips. Presently,
however, the door opened, and-not she
entered. Instead it was tall, gaunt
man, with little round Jew eye, a very
Cassius visage; one of those who "sel
dom smile, and smile in such sort as
if they Knocked themselves"
rose as he entered. tMr. Shipley?'
l bowed. "You will pardon my daugI-
ter, sir, for not seeing you. recog-
nized in your name that frequently
dropped by my daughter in her mo
ments of mental abstraction, and allow
me to say to you, sir, that it proves you
to be no gentleman"
'sMr. Spencer
~ say no gentleman would permit
himself to form a clandestine attach
ment with lady of birth and wealth,
and still less seek to lower her to his
own grade" q
This was too much for my keen sensi-
bilities. "What do you mean, sir"
demanded.
81 have no inclination to handy words
with you, sir. / have only to inform you
that my daughter, whom by some foul
means you attempted to entrap. but
who now is thoroughly ashamed of her
conduct and is equally disgusted with
you-please keep your seat, sir-this
evening, at eight o'clock, will be led to
the altar by his honor the Count de Vau-
vineauxfo
Perhaps the reader thinks that here
was fine opportunity for a scene. /
hope he is not disappointed to know
there was no scene, no raving, no pull
ing of hair or rending of clothes
"Does your daughter know, sir, that ]
ayn in fl,ia ho77caS.