Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-02-14
THE MARSDEN TWINS.
A Story Written for This Paper
by Edward S. Van Zile.
rCopYs1oHr.l

AAA~s - SNO"o RAN 0S0IAcS
marriage. and to paraphrase the
poet, when l said l would die a bach
elor. l did not think I would live to
see the day when l wished to wed.
Now, however, all Is changed. l want
to marry. l see only n path to hap
piness, and that leads to the altar.
Marion, l love you, will you be my
wife?'
Marion laughed outright. you are
tres drole, Monsieur Vinton. Come.
I want to find Vera"
Two hours later Vera and Marion.
attired en- neglige. were gossipping
in their boudOir about the events Of
the evening. In the abandon of Sc
clusion they were even more attract
i've than when ION parade" Vera re-
clined on a divan, n arm from
which the folds of her peignoir had
parted, stretched above her head,
while outlined against the rich col
or Of the couch appeared the volup-
tuous lines of her symmetrical form.
Marion was seated in an easy chair.
one foot resting on a stool and the
other nervously tapping the floor.
Her dark, %luxuriant hair fell loosely
about her shoulders, and made a fine
contrast for the brilliant Wilderness of
her face and neck. Shall l shock my
readers If l confess that my heroines
were smoking cigarettes? Devotion to
the realistic school compels me to
III that risk. Truth is mighty and
must prevail. even when a novelist
stands behind a boudoir portiere.
And then there is no great sin in puff
ing a cigarette if the conscience of
the fair smoker does not rebel. The
Marsden girls, having lived long In Eu-
rope. had acquired certain habits which
would have annoyed their mother and
driven their father into a fit of rage.
Poor orphans, they had nothing but
their own inclinations to obey.
Really. 1t grows tiresome." remark
ed Marion. gazing mournfully at the
rising smoke. Seven men proposed
to me tonight. I'll have nervous
p%rostration yet, unless l accept some
body"
Vera smiled, and looked at her sis
ter alphabetically.
Don't do anything rash, May. I
had almost Is severe a strain as you
did this evening. l refused six. Mr.
Vinton was rather clever in his meth
cd. l had some trouble to make him
understand me-"
Marion started. blushed slightly,
and said:
Eyes; he is importunate. But l re-
fused to take him au serieux."
"What do you mean? Did he pro-
pose to you. too?"
YES"
The sisters gazed at each other SOL
EMMY for a moment, then burst into a
laugh.
Its really too bad" exclaimed Vera
should be so absurd. l can't under
stand It,"
"Who were your other victims,
ve?"
..Well, there were Weldon, Count
Kovinsky, Van Sch2;ck, Harry Ash
ton and vane. The Z cunt was deli
cious. He confessed in French, and
did a very pretty bit of acting. l
told him he should take to private the
atricals. He has an awfully hot tenn
per. and his black eyes snapped fire
when I said this. Mon Dieu, l am sick
Of the whole thing"
$50 am I, We. But what can we do?
You know as well as l do that these
men want our money. They think we
are much richer than we are. There's
VintOn. for instance. 1t made no diff
ference to him which of us accepted
him. The financial stakes were equal.
This is a queer city, isn't it? Mammon
the god Of gold, and Dagon, the god Of
the Philistines, are the only deities
worshipped. Excuse me, dear, 1 didn't
mean to recall to your mind that 1
know anything about mythology. My
thology IL not considered good form
over here. But what shall We do with
these Marsden monomaniacs?"
Vera lighted a fresh cigarette, ar
ranged q pillow beneath her head, and
oCVUlCu W RVuuCl tuC VAOUlClu CblCIul"
". After q time she said:
''How would 1t do, May, to lose our
money? There is no doubt that our re-
puted wealth subjects us to great an
noyance from these fortune hunters.
II the rumor went out that we had lost
everything in an unlucky speculation
we could then discover who are our
true friends"
But" objected Marion, who loved
luxury, 1--WE would have to give up SO
many things to make the report seem
reasonable. Personally 1 don't think
I should like poverty, v e. IL 1t were
not real Of permanent"
She loked around the elegantly fur
nished chamber a~ffectionately. In the
subdued light Of the shaded lamps the
room appealed to the imagination. 1t
was an appropriate setting for youth
and beauty. The heavy hangings, the
costly rugs, the paintings by modern
French masters, the lazy-looking d.
vans and chairs. all seemed to whisper
to Marion, begging her to stay where
they could look upon her at their
pleasure. There is a spirit in every
house and in every room that speaks
to those that have ears to hear.
.'You so too far, May" returned her
sister earnestly. s'rha details NJ tho