The Bossier banner., 1894-07-05

anything improbable happen in real
life"
well" she replied, 81 can tell you
strange story, the truth of which 1 can
vouch for"
II should like to hear it." said JON
son, and the other members of the par
ty, having overheard the conversation,
drew their chairs nearer to the fire and
gave her their attention.
1T is curious" commenced LADY
Berkeley, that should tell you the
story of an American family, living in
small New England town, and for
fear some of you might know the peo-
pie concerned, l shall change their
names.
About twenty-five years ago, there
lived in Milford, Conn, a clergyman
and his wife and child.
These two parents worshiped their
little girl, for it was late in life that
she had been sent to them
CAS- the child grew older, they seemed
to grow younger, and life seemed to
them well worth living
The old clergyman was never SO
happy as when, with bis little Imogene
on his knee, he told her stories, or
taught her her first lessons.
1T was their greatest pleasure to de-
prlve themselves, that they might give
more to their child.
Their income, however, was small,
and, though sufficient for the comfort
of the family during their daughters
childhood, it was not adequate for
their expenses as she grew into woman
hood.
This matter of income troubled
these good people for some time, until
the father conceived the idea of tutor
ing college men who had been unfor-
tunate in not passing their class exan-
nations.
"He. therefore, went up to New
Haven, which is but few miles from
Milford, and made arrangements to
take into his family one or two of the
students during the summer months.
This proved very feasible plan,
and the pecuniary results were most
satisfactory.
THUS matters went on for a year or
more.
ut was during 1mogene's seven
teenth year that her mother was in
vited to spend the summer in Europe
with an invalid cousin, and, as her
husband and daughter urged her to go,
she finally consented to leave them for
three or four months.
''She sailed early in June, and, two
weeks later, there came to Milford
young man from Yale, to be tutored
for a couple of months.
He was the son of Mr.. Prentice,
well-known New York broker, and Il
very charming fellow.
1T took but a short time for the
young people to fall in love, and in
very few weeks he asked permission of
lmcgene's father to marry her.
'The clergyman was delighted and
wrote to his wife, saying:
The young people are so happy,
and the fellow very attractive. 1
couldn't wish for better match for
our daughter Ny only objection is
their extreme youth. Then he added
that Mr.. Prentice, Sr., had been up to
see them and was equally pleased with
the engagement.
SIN the course of ten days came
cablegram from his wife saying:
Break engagement at once. I sail for
home by next steamer
'"This message was dreadful blow
to the young people concerned, and
greatly bewildered the clergyman.
However nothing could be done
but await his wife's arrival, and then
matters would probably straighten
themselves. In the meantime his wife
had sailed, and landing in New York
the following Saturday had driven di-
rectly to the Office of the young mans
father and asked for an interview with
him.
''Mr. Prentice was as much distressed
at the broken engagement as the
others, and he readily granted her re-
quest.
st is easier for you to imagine, than
for me to describe his sensations, as
she explained her cable by this story.
She began Immediately:
"'Mr. Prem tice, your wife was very
dear friend of mine. We were at school
together, and shortly after separating