The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-20

eno thust say eltner yes or no TO him, and
she say that will break her heart.
We'll, in tho evening strange gen.
tleman come--a very fair gentleman,
with pretty curly hair-and he ask to
| sec my. Marie. She look over the stair,
and she say to me:
1T is the other one.'
"Then l am nearly crazy, but Marie
say she will not go to see him till Mr..
LEROY come. Perhaps can tell she
say, when SEQ them both together
when Mr.. LEROY come, we go down
the stair and there they are, both to-
gether, and they look hard at each 9TH
err. We talk little while, and then
say, Gentlemen, what is it that YOU
want?
"And they both say quick, 'Marier
And Marie she say:
But you cannot both have me. Is
1t not so?' And the one that came Inst
say, very angry:
"'You must decide now which one
you will havep
'Then Marie look at him and frown
and say quick:
Very well, then; decide now that
will not have YOU
"Ihen Jean LEROY he smile little.
and the other one walk out of the house
quick, his face like storm cloud. and
then Marie sit down and cry. She will
not speak to Jean LEROY, although he
coax her very hard She only saw that
she will stay with me, her mother. Then
Jean he bow and say to me that he hone
my health will keep good, and Marie
stop crying and make him a grimace.
and he go away too. They both come
back often. But she cannot tell which
She like best ever, and am very weary.
Almost would be glad that she leave
me and marry. So one day she tell me
that next week she will marry, and there
IS no time to get her the clothes. and she
will not tell me which one. I like them
both very well, and l feel bad, but she
only say, You will see
ION Thursday she would marry, only
quietlike-only those who marry her and
l, her mother, there-and we 90 to the
church together. When we get to the
church, 1 look to see which gentleman,
but l SEQ no one. Marie is cool. She
say: Let us wait. He may be late,' and
she smile to herself. l think it is very
strange, but at last see Jean LEROY
come round the corner and Marie run to
meet him. When he come near, l see
that he look-oh, horliblel He have his
arm tied up, and his coat is torn, and
one of his eyes has black mark, and he
is lame. He wear no hat, and the collar
and tie are gone. Oh, it is dreadful
But say nothing. fear Marie change
her mind again. But it is not SO. They
are married, and | make Jean tell me
why he look so dreadful.
Well he say, Marie tell each of
us, separately, that she will marry us
today, and when see him smile, not
knowing that he has her promise, too
and when he see me he hold the head
high, not knowing that l shall marry
her. 80 all the week we nearly have our
night, but l never touch him till-well,
last night Marie write us both and say
that she will marry the one that will get
TO the church first. We both get the
note at the same time, and see that he
Is getting ready early, and hurry too.
When he leave his house, leave mine
also, and all the way we try to keen
each other back. 1t is very hard work.
and two hours after we leave the homes
we have not get farther than the first
corner.
=" Soon we start to run, but we cannot
get past each other, and then he catch
hold of me, and then we fight some more.
But soon tear his coat bad, and he can
not wear it, and then his vest, but ma
dame will pardon me that l cannot tell
her all that happen. AT all event, we
have to go home to get the clothes, and
| get here first" Madame paused, and
knew her story was done.
And were they happy together, ma
dame:" asked. at is hard to imagine
Marie settling down quietly"
Madame sighed.
"1t is long story" she id.-Madge
Robertson in Romance.