The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-11-02
FROM JEST TO EARNEST.

said Pierce Trevor to his friend Ralph
Dewey.
You talk as if were = conun-
drum"
$50 you arei Now, look here,
Dewey, let's have clear cornPrehen-
sion of the matter. Do you love Fanny
White?''
"Well-yes-I rather think, on the
whole, that am a little taken with tho
sparkling brunette
IA little taken! How very enthu-
siastic you arel And she. poor child
is more than a little taken with YOU"
II fatter myself that you are RICH t.
''Vell, then. why don't you ask her
to marry your
There it is" groaned Dewey; you
are all in such a hurry. Can't a man
admire girl without being brought to
book for it tho very next day? I won't
DO hurried. When I get ready I'll
ask Fanny to marry me. Are you sat-
isfied?"
VERY far from it..
''As Miss White is only your wife's
cousin, really don't recognize your
right to catechise me!'
"Does that mean that 1 am to mind
Ralph laughe ed. "Construc it as you
please-on,y pray don't bother me any
more"
He threw himself Iazi1y on the grass,
f1inging his cigar into the very heart
of a cluster Of wild flowers and max
ing an impromptu pillow OF his arms
crossed underneath his head
'Slaep, them" said Trevor, a little
contemptuously. II can't afford to
lose the brightest hours of a golden
day like this.'
Our hero had not lain there many
minutes, however, before the soft
chime Of girl voices sounded through
= kn I'm, ~ n a nd
the monotonous murmur OF green
boughs overhead.
''iirls!'' muttered Dewey; ''can'e a
fellow be clear of EN- anywhere? But
they're on the other side of the copse.
that's one blessing, and if I keep quiet
They were on the other side of the
copse-three bright-faced girls in flut-
tering raiment.
''It's so delightfully."- cool here" said
Hildegardo Ayrner, a fair blonde. as
Saxon as her name.
And ono can talk here, too,'' said
Mary Bell. LAT the hotel one is never
certain of noe being overheard"
Dewey gave a silent chuckle at this.
Fanny White, leaning against the
twisted stem of the veteran wild grape
vine, devoted her whole attention to
her parasol handle.
She was the prettiest of tho three,
black as tho BLACKLIST jet, while her
skin. just touched with the creamy
tint that characterizes the creole.
glowed carmine on her check
Fanny. do let me try:' sold Hide
garde. ut will be such a splendid
joke, and your English adorer is 80
long in making up his mind"
..But-but what will Capt. Aymer
think?''
He'll be delighted; men always
glory in a bit of mischief, and Kent is
such a splendid actor
"Do, Fanny" urged Mary Bell. 1T
will be just for all the world like the
theater. lIildcgarde's brother is to
pretend to be desperately in love with
you and you are to encourage his at
tentions until that slow-moving Dewey
is brought to the point. How l shall
enjoy the progress of the situation
But your brother must fully under
tatingly.
''Of course; sha'n't explain it to him
myself? There's not bit of harm in
it, and Mr.. Dewey certainly needs
some stimulus. Now, do consent! Kate
will be here this very evening""
''She don't forbid it, Hildegarde."
eagerly cried Miss Bell. land all the
world knows that silence gives con-
sent. Come, see how long the shadows
are getting2"
And the three graces huttered down
the hillside.
Dewey rose to his feet and walked
| away also.
My dear little girls" said he. by
way Of soliloquy. Its q very cleverly
concocted little plan, but it won't
work, and I've no doubt 1 shall enjoy
it as much rs Miss Bell proposes to
do"
And he laughed aloud to think how
completely he should outgenSral his
feminine adversaries.
iii keep Fan in suspense for an
other month, just to pay her for THAR
he added, within himself. II like the
girl we'll enough, but for all that
won't be hurried into matrimony."
Knowing what he knew. therefore.
MIR. Dewey was not at all surprised
that evening when he walked into the
hotel drawing-room to see a stylish
young man in the uniform of a captain
sitting on the sofa and being very de-
voted to Miss White.
Let 'em work." said Mr.. Dewey, and
he sat down to play backgammon with
a pretty little widow. Fannie watched
him from beneath her eyelasbes
1T doesn't produce any effect at all
upon hin-the brute!' said Hildegarde,
who had expected to see the recreant
lover brought to captivating terms at
once.
THAT'S because we don't put 1t on
strong enough said the captain.
.'Fanny-I may call you Fanny, mayn't