The herald., 1895-05-06
SHE WANTED
A HUSBAND SO SHE
ADVERTISED

The following personal might have been
seen all that summer on the fourth page of
b prominent journal:
Wanted.-A young lady residing in the
provinces, pretty and distinguished, with
dot of 800, coo francs, desires to marry gen
tlenan of about 35 years. one in the legal or
military profession preferred, who resides in
Paris. No agencies. Address Madeline T. T..
box 1888 this office.
Elodie Rabottenu the party referred to,
was young lady, to be sure, and is so
STILL morc's the pity. She also resides in
the country still, for her father is judge
at St. Colombian, an obscure town in the
canton of Boauce
But, first, she was not pretty second,
she was not at all distinguished; third, tho
above mentioned 300, 600 francs are prin-
cipally expectations from her uncle,
bachelor, it is true, but scarcely 40 years
of age and solid as rock
AS to the mo agencies, ~ that was base
deception. Madeline II. T., box $780,"
was in reality Theodore Tardivel, whose
trade is to arrange matrimonial bargains.
''Tardivel has written me a long letter, "
said Judge Rabotteau to his wife one
morning of last autumn. Here is his
week from now, and St. Colombian has
been designated to provide quarters for
half battery Of artillery.
This half battery of artillery is COM
nandcd by Captain Lecomte, and Captain
Lccomte wishes to marry young lady
who has been brought Zip in the country.
Now, don't think of anything but making
the house look it's best. We must have a
second girl, too, so that the cook will not
have to wait on the table,,
Goodness" gasped Mmo. Rabottcau,
what an exponso"
Il do not deny that it is quito consid-
erablo outlay, but do you or do you not
want Elodie married? She's 90 now, and
for the past eight years we have offered
her to every bachelor, green or ripe, in the
country round, to say nothing of widow
ers. Now a chance offers ITSELF and we
must profit by it, l shall go and fix it
with the mayor so that they quarter the
captain OH us.
When September came, cannon sounded
all the morning long through the vast
plain that surrounds St. Colombian, and
toward O'Clock in the afternoon the ap,
proach of the half battery was announced.
Presently the captain appeared at the
whitewashed gate that served as boundary
for Judge Rabottcau's terrestrial paradise,
Rabotteall, under the spreading acacia
trees, was reading The Revue des Dcux
Mondes. His wife, not far away, was
cutting punches of grapes from the yell
lowing trellis, and behind the white mus
lin curtain of the parlor window Elodie,
warned by preConccrted signal burst
with the energy of despair into a love
song.
Madame" he began, with bow,
'allow me to Introduce myself am
You are known to us already, M. Le-
colntc. We were expecting you"
The officer bowed and smiled and shook
hands with Rabotteau. Then he was led
to the parlor to tho great confusion of
Elodie, whosuddenly cut short her song,
blushing as if she had been 100 miles from
suspecting that an artillery captain was
to set foot that day within the limits of
the canton in which her father admins
tered justice.
Tho captain discreetly suggested that he
would take his meals at the hotel, but
they soon gave him to understand that
that would be an objectionable insult.
1t is unnecessary to say that the dinner
was feast. BY dessert the four persons
assembled seemed to have known each
other for ten Years, and the captain made
a conquest Of them all.
AT 10 O clock he asked permission to re-
tire.
"Of course, dear NJ Lecomte," said
Nine. Rabotteau. AFTER such fatigu-
ing journey hope you will sleep we'll un-
der our modest roof"
In tho morning at O. clock, when tho
captain went down to mount his horse,
the judge was waiting for him to take
breakfast That evening there was now
repetition of the follies of Belshazzar.
Lecomte politely asked the fair Elodie
to play for him; then in his turn the
young man was Invited to sing. Ho ac-
ceptcd without hesitation, and he had a
superb voice. Next he played one of Men
delssohn's Songs Without Words, - with
undeniable merit.
Elodies father and mother were in &C.
stasies. AS to the girl herself, she could
feel wings gently sprouting on her shoul-
ders.
A couple of days later Rahotteau dis
oreetly brought up the subject of officers
marrying and pretended to decry it. Le-
comte smiled significantly and politely
opposed his hosts theories. He added that
during the war the married officers had
performed their duty better, if possible,
than the others.
That night not member of the family
slept a wink, Elodie least of all.
''Well it ought to go through this time, ;"
Mme Rabotteau declared to her husband,
for, according to my calculations this
week has cost us at least 400 francs"
"You can't make an omelet without
breaking eggs" the judge replied senten-
tiously.
He had secretly written to Tardivel.
''Lecomte is charming. He suits us to
Il. Is it necessary to give him Il hint?"
And Tardivel had replied
Pretend to know nothing about it.
When he comes, back, will see him.
will manage the whole affair."
However, the last day of the maneuvers
had come. That evening the Rabotteau
kitchen was needed for supreme effort,
destined, to all appearances to be crowned
with success.
But, alas, at the accustomed hour the
tniv t- al <1,.,