The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-01-04
MARRIAGE BY EXPRESS.


called Chamblard, what possible interest,
/ should Ike to know. can a fellow take in
the business"
So spoke young Raoul Chamblsrd,
lounging comfortably in his seat of red
velvet, on the 10Th OF March. 1892, in
drawing-room car OF the Marsei.les ex-
press, which had started from Paris at
$50 a. m. Young Chamblard was talk
ing to his friend Maurice Reyoilie, who
was returning aftera six months furlough
TO bis residence in Algiefs.
The lieutenant OF the Chasseurs
d'Afrique answered his friends question
with nOncommitting shrug. and Raul
went on:
"Al the same. that is my fathers fixed
idea-there must be Chsmblards TO follow
us And as the governor has but one son,
IL deyoiyes On me 10 be the happy instEu-
nent."
We'll, then, be the happy instru ment."
But, my dear fellow. Pm only twenty
four 1t is hard lines 10 have 10 marry at
twenty-fOur, and It seems to me- that L am
entitled 10 a little more aInusement-and
In fact to a good deal more
We'll. then, amuse yourself
az We certainly done Il so lar. | have
amused myself. and no mistake. But my
tastes run to somewhat expensive pleas
ures. 1 can't enjoy life without money.
and I've come 10 my last hali-penny.
Think OF that-my last hali-pennv!"
sect out! You're as rich as Cr9sus !"
That's where YOU make mistake.
When l came Of age three years ago / mad
what nav mother left me. She was not
very rich, poor mother - only C00,O00
francs 1t was pretty well a love match
for the governor. / soon ran through the
100000 francs-and in common decency
could ] spend less than that. with such a
father as 1 .have2 The governor is tire
mendously rich"
so everybody says"
And they say right lie has 12.O00, 900
well tied up that nothing can touch. and
bis bank brings him in, one year with an
Dther, 100000 or 100000 francs. in addi-
lion to the interest on the 100000.
You couldn't name q sounder house
Than Chamblard's- steady-going. hon.
Est and more than respectable. The
governor doesn't do me justice, but upon
my soul l can be just to him. The
governor has only one vice. Every day at
his club, from to :, he plays piauet for
l0-sou points. lie keeps an account of
his games as scrupulously as he does
everything Else, and the other day he was
telling me that his piquet had brought
him clear $3.50 IN the last twelvemonth.
He has stall at the opera-only for the
music, not the ballet-and never sets foot
behind the scenes. ANYHOW, my father
is what you might call downright good
fellow. He ia model OF all the virtues,
and he is never tired of putting something
by for me. But, to speak frankly, [ con-
TESS he is Just now putting By little too
much. He has cut of the supplies. If l
won't marry. he won't give me any money
he has said Itin so many words. That
is mis- program. And he has picked out
wife for me, three wives, IN fact
Three wives"
That's 80. He came to nv room one
morning and said: We must come To
the point. Here. look ct this list He
had set down the names, the families,
the dowries-it was drawn up in decend-
ing order of the dOWries. I had 10 give
in agreed TO an interview with Num-
Der One. They managed itIn the Champs
Elysees, a. the Salon there. Ughl Mum
Der One was dried up stale, bony, Dimple
faced
pFhen why did your father
Why? Because she was daughter
only deughter-to a Roubaix manu-
facturer In a large way of business. 1t
100000 frances year on each eide. aud
eventually, if the thing answered their
expectations. there was TO be a shower OF
millions. The governor was IN ecstases
over the idea that all his millions in Paris
would IN one day grow into an enormous
pile with all those millions from ROubaiX.
You may be sure the millions would not
brighten me, ii only they could accompany
lovely, verv lovely vile, with good
stYle-any amount Of style. And that is
my program, don't you know, / must
be able to take my vie to the front
boxes at the theater without having to
blush for her before the attendants"
what! before the attendants?'
why. certainly. 1 am known; have
Ireputation TO lose. Those box-openers.
my dear boy, are always the same; and
Eou bet that they know me- For five or
Blk years they have seen me coming with
the best known and best dressed people
IN Paris. So. don't YOU see. / could never
have dared 10 show up before them with
that ROubaix stick. l tried 10 make the
governor see that, as delicatelv as | could
but there Is no arguing with him. There
are some things be doesn't understand,
and can't understand. | don't blame him
for that-he belongs TO another genera
ton, and | belong to the present one. So
4 put NV tOOt NoWHt anu declared i WOULD
never marry Number One. Mind YOU. [
spoke 10 the governor IN the most sensible
manner / said 20 him: You want me
TO have home of nv Own'-an interior.
as he put It but when | have furnished
this home with q scsrecrow to brighten the
eparrows away IL viii fill me with disgust
this interior Of yours, and | shall be com
PEELED. irresistibly compelled. TO fix up for
myself little exterior. Thus I shall have
an establish ment within and an establish
ment wishout-and won't the money
fly them But the governor refuses to
listen TO anything. He doesn't see that
can't do without pretty little wife, pretty
and nice in the Partisan style that il to
say. original. bright, tTifie mischievOus
with spies Of deyiltry IN ner, Wits that
would be locked at in tile streets, and
would have opera-glasses leveled at her in
the theater, one who would do me credit
and give me a certain distinction. / must
be able TO carry on my bachelor life with
her as long as possible. And then there
Is something else which / can't say to the
governor. he is called Chamblard-not
his fault; only the consequence is that
am called Chamblard too, and il is not
altogether easv TO push yourself in society
with such name. \ lovely, a thoroughly
lovely wife is the best passport you can
have. Look at Robineau. He has lust
been elected at the little club in the Rue
Roya.e II is not exactly the Union or
the Jockey. but all the same you cant get