The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-05-26

how the food on them was 30 much
finer, and 90 on. Ii was 20 enioyablei
It was not until three days after that
we met him again, by accident, but he
was no longer himself. He was 10y. His
good morning was ICY; the shake Of his
hand was icy; his words icy. He was
awkward and embarrassed. He quickly
lost us IN the crowd and reappeared no
more.
I returned TO throw myself once nor
into the arms Of my mother and cry out,
Eyes: I shall marry De Courtalin.
How many times between that and
the nth Of May did / repeat the opera
toni It came to be . settled thing that
no sooner did mamma see me appear
than she mechanically opened her arms
to receive her daughter, crying, Yes; /
will marry Courtalin, = and soon after,
mo; / viii motif But the 81 will
MOTIF became more and more rare.
M. de Courtalin was q model Of tact,
Of kindness and of resignation He
waited, always In black, always button
ed, with inexhaustible patience Mamma
was invariably engaged with Mime. dc
Courtalin.
1t last the 18th Of May arrived. II
was tacitly understood that upon that
evening ! would say yes to the patient
lover, and the engagement would be
formally announced before all the world.
! was restless all day and glad when II
o'clock in the evening found mamma
and me at the home Of Mime. de Yer
nieux, who was giving . great ball.
As I entered ] became suddenly aware
that I was the center Of attraction. A
line had formed itself ON either side,
and little ohsi of surprise and ahsi Of adj
miration went deep into my heart
nj. de Courtalin came mp to us. He
wanted to ask my hand for all the
waltzes, for all the quadrilles, for all
the evening, for all my life.
answered: Later ON. Presently. /
feel . little fatigued."
My eyes roamed listlessly over the ball
room and perceived, with q start, two
other eyes, fixed, settled upon me-two
eyes that ] knew well, but found IL diff
fcult to recognize, 80 big had they
grown In that concentrated, wondering
look.
Suddenly their owner arose and turn
ed toward ma. A glance aside showed
me Courtalin slowly and laboriously
making his way toward me from anoth-
en- corner. Ny cousin looked at the same
time and saw him
Then it became q race between the
two men. Gontran intrepidly cut
through all the walters, bat he reached
me before Courtalin. He came up to me
precipitately. He caught my hand; he
put his arm about me.
We danced gayly, wildly, furiously.
What q waltz He said to me: II love
You; / love you'll You are grace and
beauty itself. There is not another wom-
an here half so lovely And it is I who
shall marry you'll Do you hear? l. and
none otheri''
"Ah, my dear, If you had not come
tonight, my engagement to M. de Cour-
talin would have been officially an
nounced tomorrow.
"Yes, but ! have come, and / am here
holding you fast. / havediscovered that
| there is not another woman like You. ]
love your
Slower, slower, / pray you. ! am
falling. Everything Is turning around
Stopl'
mo, no; we shall not stop. IF we
stop, your mother will stop Us, and I
have more to say to you-much more.
Swear that you viii be my wife"
Yes; / swear it, But enough
enough'-
He held me &C tightly, and his face
was pressed SO close TO my face, his lips
80 close to mine, that ] grew suddenly
faint and slipped down into his arms.
The next day our engagement was an
nounced. The waltz had created . can
DIAL It was imperative. Milwaukee
| Sentinel.