The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-09-26
Then Some One Seized Her.

changes of fortune with cheerfulness,
but grieved plaintively every time
she attempted to do her hair or darn
Mr.. Pingre's clothes. She thought of
Victor roughing it in the far west III
stead Of being at home with plenty of
money and a servant to wait upon
him; she looked at her lovely daugh-
ters, Marie and Katherine, and won
dered where and how they We're to
get husbands. She mOaned over the
pathetic cruelty of life, read Miss
Braddon's novels. much in vogue i'll
the south at that time, and left the en-
tire management of the house to Nam
my Eloise, the one faithful loving old
creature who preferred serving them
to taking her freedom. -,
The Pingres lived in a big two-story
log house with an open entry between
the main lower rooms and 4 back and
front gallery The grounds were am
pie and we'll shaded. with roses, Grape
myrtle, athea and other blooming
shrubs growing in the open SPACES
between the trees and along the walks.
A fruit hedge bordered the garden
fence, and sweet pinks lowered along
the vegetable beds. But an air of ne
elect seemed to hang over the whole
place, and Katherine decided in des-
perate mood one day that something
must be done or the house itself would
tumble down.
She possessed more energy than all
the other members of the family put
together. She managed to startle
them quite often with the bold flight
of her youthful fancy, but still they
regarded her with q temperate degree
of admiration. Mrs. Pingre regretted
that she was not as pretty as Marie,
but MI Pingre considered her even
more attractive than her sister.
'She lacks fesh," objected Mrs. Pin
gre.
But she makes it up in spirit said
Mr.. Pingre.
esprit is not the substance most
admired in this world, my dear. Mea
always e-admire-plump women
well, we'll, Katherine is only a
child"
'She is eighteen, just two years
younger than Marie. and quite old
enough to marry, if there We're some
one to marry her.
Mr.. Pingre slipped softly away. he
didn't care whether the girls married
or not, so they were happy and the
problem Of a livelihood for them could
be solved. He often vexed his head
into a positive ache over that thought,
and then he would take down his gun
call the dogs and go for a tramp over
the hedge grown fields, or find refuge
in shady corner of the gallery with
an old book or the weekly papers from
the ''city," as New Orleans was called
in that part of the state.
Katherine's thoughts were more to
the purpose than her fathers, for they
took definite shape one day while she
lay on the grass by the private hedge,
No one could have admired Marie
more fOndly and proudly than Rather
white skin of pure blonde, and such
ravishing arms and shoulders. But it
was against Marie's peace that the
young schemer plotted. Katherine
knew nothing about love, and she de.
termined that her sister should marry
for the benefit Of the family. What if
she did like John Barnard, who kept
a store in Marion? Could he add to the
family fortune? No; John Barnard
would never do. She must marry
Prosper DevereauX, who possessed
money as well as youth and good
looks. He lived in New Orleans, but
he owned a plantation in Marion, and
he had attended the same country
school with the Pingre girls. Rather
inc detested him heartily in those days
because he leased and frightened hel
with dreadful ghost stories. But now
they were grown, and he had come tt
Marion for the first time since the
war, end in all the country there was
no beau so handsome, so daring anl
gallant as Prosper Devereaux.
eyes, she must marry him." sale
Katherine to herself very firmly. I'll