Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-07-11
A TEST OF LOVE.


ment when change your flresido for an
otherf doubt it No, no, have plent,
of time yet, am only Is years of age
While am much honorcd by tho attention
OF NJ. 10 Baron dc Merillac l repeat tina
must refuse him."
"My dear child" replied Mmo. Odiot
"you should reflect that one Of those day.
YOU will lose me. / have been suffering
for long time, and very little would suf
flee to carry me off. You will then fine
yourself without support, since your dea
father Is gone, and husband Is the nat
ural support of a young girl when she ha
lost her parents Baron Merillac Is n very
estlmable young man. You will probably
never get such another offer. He Is enor
mously rich, and he has title and Is th'
only son of parents who will adore ant
worship you as II you were their own child
1t would surely be madness to persist In {
refusal that has no basis. The baron Is q
handsome cavalier, and his manners art
of the best. What more can you wishY"
"Then you know himf" asked Antoi
nette with surprise
without doubt"
"Yet have never seen him here, per-
sisted the girl.
"No, he has never been here, but have
met him several times at the house of Nine.
de Saverny, where you would never accom-
pany me, under the pretext that she dis
pleased you, and 1t was Nine. dc Saverny
who spoke to me of the baron as n man
who would be suitable for you, from every
point of view"
81 shall like Nine. de Saverny still less
now," exclaimed the girl. what busi-
ness Is it of hers? If she is SO anxious to
get NJ. de Merillao married, let her take
him herself. She is a widow"
"You are foolish, ma bonne cherie M.
de Merillac is 20 years old and Nine. de
Saverny is so. She might DO his mother.
But you should not get angry. One would
almost think that you had some other
reason than the one you give so vehement
ly for refusing M. dc Merillac."
"Some other reason, stammered An
toinettc, lowering her eyes, while pretty
little flush came into her checks.
Mime. Odiot watched her smilingly, and
several minutes passed in silence.
Antoinette took up her sewing again,
and being aware no doubt that her moth.
er's eyes were fixed upon her presently rose
and went over to the piano. Mime. Odiot
stopped her as she went.
we Will scUUl0 CH6 iliUler OuCc lOT dli,
she said never to return to it. Che rea-
son you refuse M. de Merillac is because
you don't want to marry. Is it iotT'
"Mais oui, maman," said Antoinette In
q voice that nevertheless lacked tho ring
Of sincerity.
$50 that no matter who else may come
to me to ask your hand may tell him no
and send him about his businessp"
l~t< bot yo<
when am older-if theft liked him."
stammered the young girl, much embar-
rassed. @
$50 be It, We will talk Of something
else. For instance, my dear nephew Gas
ton has now been with US for three weeks
and has nearly finished his picture. He
has been very busy making some sketches
in the woods for another one he has In
view. think he is with your uncle at
this moment. Let us go across and see
him-I mean my brother. He has not
been very well of late"
"Oh, no, mother; my uncle Is quite
well again." said Antoinette quickly.
"Ah, you have some news about him?"
Antoinette bit her lips. Her answer had
slipped out too quickly.
"The gardener told me-" she added
naively.
Mime. Odiot pretended not to notice her
daughters embarrassment.
"Will you come with mep I am going
at once. AS he is your guardian ought
to let him know at Cnce Of your decision
with regard to M. de Merillac, for he knew
all about him."
"Oh, my uncle knew"
eyes"
"And he approveda"
eyes"
"Then CASTOR knew that 1t was pro-
posed should marry this baron?"
Perhaps
"But he has said nothing to me about
itl'
81 thought you had not seen himp'
ooh, yes--that is-oh mol have not"
replied the girl turning her face away in
her confusion over her little fibs with
which she was inexperienced.
"Let us go. Are you comingP'
Nine Odiot turned away to hide smile
"Is my presence very necessaryS" the
young girl asked. Then she added: II
think that my uncle and yourself will be
able to talk more at your ease If go away;
besides my uncle will question me, and
shan't know how to answer him."
"That is cutie simple. You will an
swer him just as you answered me''
"You are making fun Of me, mother"
replied Antoinette peevishly.
''Not the least in the world 1t is not
quite natural that you should refuse
match so agreeable to your mother and
your tutor for SO plausible q reason. You
do not want to get married. But here we
are talking again OH this subject, which
we had agreed to leave alonel 1t was Won
that started 1t again, you must noticel''
"Oh, now, mother, you make me cryi''
And Antoinette burst into tears and
threw herself upon her mothers neck.
why do you cry, ma mignonneP There
is surely no cause for tears in our conyer-
. savion."
At this moment servant girl entered
the room and announced that the Baron
de Merillac and his son were waiting out
side.
M le Baron de Ma,illac and his son."
.he said.
Then sho withdrew. Antoinette bur