The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-06-02
THE WESTERN EXPRESS.
Why It's Delay Caused a Happv
Marriages.


81 lo7e her, MOTHER said Guion Es-
ternall.
He was not, In general way, much
OF tallfer Consequently, when he
spoke, his words had the weight of
sense and rarity. But Mrs Estcrhall,
the line old lady who sat erect before
the clear. sea-coal fire, was too much
excited to consider ell this
The wife of my son, Guion." said
she, should be a lady, born and bred
not one of those girls who have had to
tight the world until all gentleness,
grace and unselfishness are ground out
OF them. No, can never give my con-
sent!''
The young man smiled slightly.
Mother" said he, 1.-The diamond It.
self hardly possesses It's true financial
value until the facets are ground with
much friction"
'Humph!' said Mrs. Esterhall. mo
one is talking of diamonds"
II may bring her to see you, mother?"
Mrs. Estcrhall shook her head 4
II have no desire to receive her" said
she. But, Guy, here are the tickets
for Henry Irving tonight. Carrie Chip
pendale has promised to accompany me
-of course. you will be on hand at
half-past seven to be our cscort?"
IL you wish it, mother"
The old lady smiled to herself when
Gnion was gone.
"A little management" she thought,
"a little judicious firmness, and Guy
will get over this boyish fancy of his.
The idea of a shop girl for my daugh-
tcr-in-law--for Mrs. Onion Esterhall!
think the lad must have taken leave Of
his senses!"
And in her secret heart she rcjoiced
with an exceeding great rejoicing when
Miss Chippendale arrived that evening,
in a pale-blue MORE gown, cut decol-
lcte, with a glittering necklace around
her perfect white throat, and bunch
OF dollhouse roses in her eorsage.
IF we are to have private box"
said Miss Chippcndalc, buttoning the
SO entcenth button of her glove, ''onc
may as we'll go in full dress, don't you
Lnow?''
My dear, you arc looking lovely"
said Mrs. Esterhall, approvingly.
Miss Chippendale was sort of HUI
man cameliia japonica-fair. graceful
and sereno--with big, expressionless
blue eyes, cherry-red lips, fax-gold
hair, drawn in fluffy crimps over her
forehead, and an unchanging society
smile pcrpetually lowering around her
lips. She had been highly educated,
and she was destined by her porents to
make brilliant match. The Chippen-
dales belonged to tho aristocnacy-
is to say, they had never done any
work and had always spent great
deal of money. And Mrs. Estcrhall
had decided that Carrie Chippendale
was the very wife for her son.
She went shopping the next day. to
match a shade of Berlin wool, to buy
some lace flounces and to decide on new
porticres for her drawing-room down
at Esterhall manor. At one or two
o'clock she experienced, not hunger,
but = lady-lilze sensation that "tired
nature" needed some sort OF sweet
restoration"
II will go into Maricotta's,'' she
thought.
Maricotta's was full, as it generally
was at that time OF day; but presently
Ihcold lady succeeded in obtaining seat
In a curtained angle, where the waiter
look her order for a chicken salad and
o cup of tea Just then she heard a
clear. low voice on the other side of
tho drapery. as q party settled them
selves TO table-Miss Chippendales
soft, well-modulated tones
''Oh, yes, Irving was very fine" said
Carrie. ''Oysters, plcnse--a box-stew
Tor ore and fritters for two and three
cups of Vienna chocolate, nicely
frothed. waiter-but all the snme.
nearly died of ennui The old lady is
the most dreadful bore you ever knew.
and Guy is regular prig. Handsome,
you know, and very talented, of course;
but one don't want to be on full-dress
parade as to ones brains the whole
time. He isn't half as nice as Freddie
Fortune-only poor dear Fred hasn't a
cent to bless himself with, and pa pa
looks thunderclouds at me whenever he
calls But once I'm married, it."
A chorus of well-bred giggling inter-
rupted Carries words Mrs. Esterhali
rose hurriedly from her seat, grasped
her gloves and eyeglasses and made all
haste out of the restaurant When the
waiter came with the chicken-salad
and the tea he found his customer
gone The unconscious Miss Chippen-
dale and her friends enjoyed their Vi
emma chocolate and oyster fritters very
much indeed.
Mrs. Esterhall decided to return to
the manor at once. Carrie Chippcn-
dale's graceful trcachery had affected
her more than she had deemed posi-
bic; and, leaving hastily written note
to explain to Guion that she had al
tered her plans, sh6 took the late OK
press, which reached Clevedon juno
ton ut nine, there connecting with q
branch train for Este rhall station. She
was travelling alone, as her maid re-
manned to pack up the last things and
follow her the next day.
There had been asheavy snowfall,
the night had settled down dark and
tempestuous, and the train was rum
min behind time. At last it came to q
full stop. Mrs Esterhall started from
dose and looked anxiously around
her.
"Tcn o'cIockr' some one said, con-