The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-12
WALTZED HER AWAY.

able fiances-my cousin Gontran, tho
duke dc Lannis, and the Duke do Cour-
talin.
saw him-at the ball of the Do
Fresncs. He did me the honor to dance
three times with INC, and went homo
absolutely intoxicated with joy. But
the joy was of short duration, for the
next day he said to his brother, who
told his sister, who told me:
cit seems that am to marry my
cousin Marceline. Last evening I was
literally thrown into her arms. Out Of
pure goodness of soul took pity Oh the
poor little schoolgirl and danced with
her threo times But there must be no
more of it. have not yet had enough
of life. Besides know of nothing more
ridiculous than marriage between cous-
ins. -
But that was not oil. He also said to
Robert, Il saw her in evening dress last
night for tho first time, and she Is so
thin
That night, after Gabrielle had told
mo all this, I disrobed before the mirror
and studied my poor littlo shoulders
with their great hollows and had fit
of weeping. Mamma came in the middle
Of it,
"NIy angel, what is it2'' She took me
in her arms.
But 1 could not speak The tears
choked me. My treasure, you pain me.
Speak, dearest -
Then, to reassurc her, managed to say
between my sobs: 1T is because am
thin, mamma! Gontran, last evening,
thought l was so thin!"
Thcrcupon mamma began to laugh.
Sho told me that ut II she was much
thinner than 1, and sho assured me very
solelnnly that would certainly develop
That winter of my first season mamma
took mo to dozen great affairs, but
they were occasions of mourning and
sorrow, for Gontran was not there.
He did not want to marry He even
told Inc so. did not know then that
this was by order of my mother.
One day about o'clock In the after
noon-it was tho second day Of juno
mamma came into my room with look
OH her face that was new to me. MY
child, she said, "my child"
She had no need to say moro un-
dorstood. All the evening before ut the
Prince do Vearn's NJ dc Courtalin had
been with mo, and tho next morning his
mother had told mamma that her son
knew of nothing more beautiful than my
face.
Mamma tried to make me listen to
reason If refused him, threw away
n cr,la,,I{I Oh !
lin was the mark at which all the ma
tcrnal guns were pointed. Great name,
great position, great fortune.
For me, I had but one word to oppose
to oil these just and proper remarks
Gontranl Gontran Gontran or the con-
vent, and the most severe convent at
that-Carmel
M. de Courtalin was perfection I
listened to his praise all the afternoon
and hated him The more he was eulo-
gizcd the more turned from him. With
Gontran could bcquite at my ease, for
he never impressed one with his superb
GRITTY. l knew but little, but my igno-
rance, compared with his, was erudi-
ton.
Nine. dc Courtalin had called to ask
my hand for her faultless SON I do not
know what mamma said to her after my
refusal. I only know that was left for
awhile In peace.
And where was Gontran through the
long summer? Making II tour Of the
world very quietly and quito at his ease.
l learned afterward that this also was
mammals doing; that when no was In
.I0non hn had hr-or,ch Df
lovely little things, placed in a tiny case
that bore my name. The case had been
cent to mamma, but had never seen 1t.
All that year one name was sounded III
my ears-Courtalin, Courtalin, always
Courtalin. He had all the virtues under
heaven. My determination began to
weaken, say it to my shame.
After all, what advantage there was
in being a married womanl Absolute
freedom would be accorded me. Then the
thought Of being a duchess was not dis
pleasing.
All winter mamma displayed perfect
taste and exquisite sweetness She never
urged, never tormented me. 1 know,
however, that she said to her friend,
Nine. dc Nelly: "My dear, she will
yield before tho Goth Of June. It must
be.
On that date we left Paris for AK
les Bains.
And did not continue to say no with
tho savage energy Of last year. only
awaited GOntran's return. I knew that
he would reach Paris on the I'd or Sd of
April. The following day he would GER
tainly como to SEQ us.
And so 1t happened He called about
2 o'clock, before mamma had quito COM
pleted her toilet, I was alone I ran to