Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-04-26

DC SOt1COn1AB uACA1tlt111Ctl, dL&l BIl1G
the mans life could not have beea
what it ought to have been. To you,
who saw him at the time that every
body was charmed and captivated by
him, 1 can say that we hardly be-
slowed a thought on these things. The
man made friends with everybody
This house was Goodfellow's hall to
the men; if the ladies could not come
here because there vas no Mrs. Bos-
took, nor even housekeeper, they
nevertheless spoke of its master as
the most gallant and agreeable of men.
Especially was this Sc after he had got
rid of his scapegrace son. There
sky. He was cheerful, even hilarious,
the idol of his friends, owning the
finest cotton lands in middle Missis-
sippi. You have heard something of
southern hospitality; you should have
seen for yourself how it was dispensed
here in the days of Pierce Bostock.
Yet have not named the chief source
of this mans happiness. 1t was his
daughter Coralie.
She was about fifteen when 1 last
saw her; she must be in the vicinity of
eighteen now.
My young friend, you'll agree that I
am rather too old man to go into any
raptures about female beauty. You
saw my wife and daughters; they are
good enough for me; they are my mod
els among women. Yet / must say
that Coralie Bostoek. when 1 last saw
her, was the finest girl that ever laid
eyes on; and 1 suppose that she is to-
day the most beautiful one at the south.
She seemed the very apple of her
fathers eye. At one time he took her
down to New Orleans, and left her
with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart to
be educated. But he could not do
without her. In less than month he
had brought her home, and from that
time he had her teachers here in the
house half the year. She learned
quickly; music and the languages
seemed to come to her like second
nature. And never did child more
warmly reciprocate a parents lavish
affection than did Coralie that of her
father.
Time passed on, and that fatal April
of 1858 came round.
Bostock had issued invitations for
gentleman's dinner party. I was in
vited, of course. Alphonse Basnet, a
Frenchman owning the plantation
adjoining the one 1 then occupied,
called on me in the morning, and
asked me if 1 should attend Bostocl1's
party.
l told him that l should.
''We11,'' he said, 81 want your ad-
vice. l am asked, too. A countryman
of mine, Castex by name, who has
lived in Louisiana, and more lately in
Arba, arrived at my place yesterday.
When I told him of my invitation
he became greatly interested and asked
me to take him along"
''Take him, then. That, l believe,
is one of the usages of society the
world over"
Eyes, to be sure; but Castex leads
me to think that he has known our
host before. He has asked me fifty
questions about him. He seems much
more interested than he naturally
would be, growing oet of any ordinary
acquaintance in past years. 1 must
take him, of course. What I want you
to advise me about iS Shall [ go over
and speak to Mr.. Bostock this morning
about him?''
l was on the point of advising Al
phonse to do SO, by all means, as 1 GER
tainly should have done had Castex
been my visitor. 1 have often thought,
that, had 1 obeyed my impulse, the
bloody combat that has been described
to you might have been avoided. Then
came the reluctance to interfere in a
matter of other mems social response
bilities, and I declined to advise him.
Alphonse returned home, and his guest
accompanied him to the dinner-party
unheralded.
1t so happened that these two arrived
last. With them there were thirteen
in the parlors, the host making the
fourteenth. All who had been invited
were present, save one; and. I remem-
Der that as Mr.. Castex was presented
to the company, there was much re-
mark and jest about our good luck in
having him there, SO as to avoid the
awkward thirteen at the table,.
When he was introduced to the host,
a different scene occurred. Mr.. Bos-
took started, changed color, withdrew
his proffered hand and made a slight
bow instead. Castex smiled, bowed,
and turned away. In my eyes he had
a most disagreeable face, and the smile
was very nearly sheer.
It was an awkward incident, and
threw chill over the party at the
start; for every body observed it. Still,
there was no outbreak just then. Din
ner was soon announced, and Mr.. Bos-
took led the way to the hall
The host was at the head Of the
table, of course; 1 happened to be at
the foot. Next on the right of the
head was doctor; next sat Basnet, his
friend beside him.
The soup had but just been served
when Coralie, then but twelve years
old, came to an open door and stood an
instant. She evidently desired to speak
to her father, but, seeing that he and
his guests were seated, she went away.
Castex saw her, and stared at her.
Directing the attention of Bostock to
her, he put question to him in French.
1t was answered in the affirmative.
Basnet says that the question was:
SIS that your child, monsieur"
Then, upon receiving the reply. Cas-
tex leaned over the angle of the table
and made a rapid rejoinder also in
French. Basnet distinguished the
words: wife, avenged and 'New
Orleans" More than these nobody I'M
derstood.
Nobody but the host The remark,
- e. L.