Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1896-05-15
THE Blue BONNETT.

his elderly aunt, Nine, Dufrelle, had
sent him.
Mon chere ami" the letter said, II
have often thought of our last CONVEX
sation and your confidence regarding
marriage.
There Is young lady--Mdlle. Ma
lnfroy--who. admitting that you agree,
would suit you wonderfully well.
Il Will not speak of her moral quail
ties, knowing that you are much too
practical to trouble yourself about SUI
Dertuous details; but will content my
SELF with saying that the young person
Is afflicted with a fortune Of 100000
francs, and, in spite of that dresses
and lives in the plainest manner.
snow, you understand, that l do not
try to make this match; besides, pack
my trunk and leave this evening for
Touralne. | have no desire to make
myself ridiculous by asking people to
'slye half million to poor devil OF u
nephew who has nothing, nor will have
in the near future.
You have an amiabIe manner, some
times are witty, and have beautiful
mustaches; young girls are often very
romantic and very foolish. 1t Is why
l mention the fact to YOU
IF you wish to see the object in
question, know that you can be found
this evening in the stage box on the
right ut the Theater Franchise.
Once you know the person by sight,
1t seems to me that, with little skill,
you can manage an introduction, and
end by entering into relations.
1T is possible that you may not sue
coed, but the stake Is beautiful enough
to be worth all the trouble that it gives
you
''Au revoir. l will see you Oh my
return, and in the meantime wish you
n happy sdminer and good luck
M. DUFRELLE.'
eP. s.. 1t may be that the other Ma
lufroy for there are two brothers OF
that name), will also be in the box.
DO not confound the two, for that one
need be no mi>;raNa, as the right ore
wiz wear n blue bonnet"
Hector rolled the letter mechanic
ally through his fingers and puffed
stJS cut VI StllOht litO tllS uii'
Never better than on this warm June
afternoon had he understood ali the
pleasures of bachelors life.
What was she like, this Mdlle. Ma
lufroy? His aunt had been very
concise N speaking, for II was true that
the question of interest in his eyes was
The principal; yet there was, however,
other details to which he was not in
different.
lie preferred n pretty woman, even
in n marriage of convenience.
She would be ugly, this Mdlle. Ma
igfWy, under her blue bonnet"
lfe was sure of this. "She was hide
GUS" No, decidedly he would not go
to the Theater Franchise. But again
his eyes fell upon the open letter.
Five hundred thousand francs! Half
Il million! He was soon lost in thought.
Some hours later Hector made his
way toward the Franchise; but be IT
said, to his praise, without too great Il
bciief that the beauty of his mustache
and The fooliShness Of q young girl
would enable him to espouse so great q
Fortune
From the orchestra chair, where he
WAS seated, he directed his lorgnette
toward the famous stage box, await
ing with impatience the arrival OF its
owner.
Soon after the Malufroys made their
entrance, the parents taking seats i'll
the back of the box and the young girls
IN front.
one was beautiful and graceful
blonde. The other was tall and angu-
lar, with an extremely long nose, and
wearing. alas! a blue bonnet
Just my luck; the cousin is adora-
blep thought Hector with rage.
All during the first act he kept his
icrgnctte fixed upon the two girls; the
one with the blue bonnet was discour-
agingly ugly; while, on the contrary.
her companion, with every movement,
became more and more fascinating.
The curtain had just fallen, when he
felt light tap on his shoulder. 'Ah,
Eugene" said he turning and recog-
nizing an old comrade, you are here,
also"
yes; but I must go. simply came
to see how the little ingenue would
take. She doesn't appear again now,
End as l start on n journey tomorrow,
l must go and make my preparations.
Can you remain until the next act!'
~ haven't a minute, mon chere; be-
sides, | have just discovered that the
Malufroys are in a stage box, and Or
binary politeness obliges me to pay my
respects to them"
Hector caught hold of him.
.Ah! you know the Malufroys? Tell
ne something that girl with the blue
bonnet"
But the other glanced at his watch
and gave an exclamation.
A lr1n RI 1nf nf ( l1jn
| must pay my respects and depart"
Hector continued without losing
courage.
ssreIl me something; those Malu-
frogs"
But Eugene, pressed for time, hurried
through the passage.
Hector ran after him.
TELL me something about these Ma
lufroys.''
"Ah! diable, you tire me with your
Nalufroys. What is it you wish?
Don't you know them?"
..No"
"Ah, well. if you wish it, l will intro
duce YOU. Come with me-"
Hector had no time to think. They
were already at the door of the box,
and Eugene, who only thought of get
ting away, paid his respects, presented
his friend, and in another half minute
was gone, leaving the latter somewhat
embarrassed at thus finding himself
with the Malufroys.
Although the young blonde was ire
sistably lovely, Hector had the courage
to address his most charming smiles to
the blue bonnet.
They spoke of his Aunt Dufrelle, Of
others and a thousand things.
oil hi