Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1894-05-18

how the food on them was so much
finer, and so on. 1t was so enjoyable!
It was not until three days after that
we met him again, by accident but he
was no longer himself He ewas icy. 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.
returned to throw myself once more
into the arms of my mother and cry out,
Eyes; shall marry De Courtalin.
How many times between that and
the 18th Of May did repeat the opera
tion 1t came to be settled thing that
no sooner did mamma see me appear
than she mechanically opened her arms
to receive her daughter, crying, Eyes; |
will marry Courtalin, and soon after,
"No; will not!" But the II will
notr' became more and more rare.
M. de Courtalin was model of tact,
of kindness and of resignation. He
waited, always in black, always button
ed, with inexhaustible patience. Mamma
was invariably engaged with Nine de
Courtalin.
At last the 18th of May arrived. 1t
was tacitly understood that upon that
evening would say yes to the patient
lovor, 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 Nine. de Yer
nieux, who was giving a great ball
AS entered I became suddenly aware
that was the center of attraction. A
line had formed itself OH either side,
and little obs! of surprise and abs! Of ad-
miration went deep into my heart.
M. de Courtalin came up to us. He
wanted to ask my hand for all the
waltzes, for all the quadrilles, for all
the evening, for all my life
I answered: Later on. Presently. l
feel little fatigued.
My eyes roamed listlessly over the ball
room and perceived, with start, two
other eyes, fixed, settled upon me-two
eyes that knew well, but found it diff
ficult to recognize, so big had they
grown in that concentrated, wondering
look.
Suddenly their owner arose and turn
ed toward me. A glance aside showed
me Courtalin slowly and laboriously
making his way toward me from anoth-
er corner. My cousin looked at the same
time and saw him.
Then it became a race between the
two men. Gontran intrepidly cut
through all the walters, but 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 waltz! He said to me: II love
you; love you! You are grace and
beauty itself There is not another wom-
all here half so lovely! And it is I who
shall marry you! Do you hear? I, and
none other!'
''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. I have discovered that
there is not another woman like you.
love youP'
"Slower, slower, Ipray you. I am
falling. Everything is turning around.
Stop!"
mo, no; we shall not STOP If we
STOP your mother will stop us, and
have more to say to you-much more.
Swear that you will be my wife. +"
"Yes; I swear it. But enough
enough
He held me so tightly, and his face
was pressed SO close to my face his lips
so close to mine, that I grew suddenly
faint and slipped down into his arms.
The next day our engagement was an
nounced. The waltz had created scan.
dial. 1t was imperative. milwaukee
Sentinel.