St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-12-26

q It was merely the
country-seat of
Joshua Warren, capitalist, who had
built it Just three years previously. and
ii owned neither a ghost nora gallery
of salemn-visa gefl ancestors. As q mats
ter of fact Mi. Yarren, albeit quiet
nlan, and one not given to loasting,
was rather proud OF the fact that he
had neither q Pedig nor a family
skeleton to keep him awake nights.
His principal desire, now that he had
made his fortune, was to enjoy life and
Il, make those about him happy without
worrying his head about genealogical.
trees or ways and means Of forcing him-
self into the upper ten On these.
points his wife and their.only daughter,
Madge, agreed with him-and being
agreed, they sacceeded in making the
most of life. They We're jolly entertain
ers, and always had q houseful, more
or less, Of company, usually q lot of
young people. whom they preferred as
being more likely to make things live
ly; and during these particular holidays
they were housing at least dozen
young folks. on account of Madge, who
was to be married in the middle of jan
parry TO Will Braden
There were all kinds of jolly times
during that closing fortnight of the old
year. The sleighing was faultless, there
= We're lotssof social Festivities at Cliveden
T,,sld neighboring houses, and there was
every opportunity in the world to drive
duh care away-yet VIII Braden, de-
spite his approaching marriage with
quite the sweetest girl in the world, was
unhappy. Not all the time; for oc-
casionally Madge would devote to him
an entire five minutes, all at once, there
by filling him with ecstacy-after
which, alas! she would neglect him for
hours together to attend TO her duties
as hostess, whereupon he was plunged
into despair, and became gloomy and
sullen, much to the amusement of all
the rest, who called him Hamlet" be-
hind his back, and cracked jokes about
'sgreen-eyed Monsters and SO on, to
the mystification of Mrs. Warren, who
earnestly insisted that poor, dear Will
lies" eyes were not green, but hazel
But there was no doubt that Will was
Jealous, just as most young men are
likely to be when the attentions of the
adored one are demanded in other quar-
ters, even though by the laws of hos
pitality. Hetold himself he didn' mind
it, but he did. What CALLED him partic-
nlarly was the presence of that petli-
greed prig from Philadelphia, Mr.. Mar
tindale, whom he had long suspected of
a sneaking affection for Madge, who, by
the way, was particularly pleasant to
him, not to say somewhat confidential
with him. For, at least a half dozen
times, VIII had seen them, apart
from the rest. talking in guarded
tones about something or other,
and at these times both had looked |
very serious. 1t was getting past en-
durance, decided Mr.. Braden, and he pro-
posed to put stop toit. So when they /
returned from their sleighing party, on
New Years eve, he drew Madge, who had
seemed to be flirting desperately all the
evening with Martintlale, into q recess
IN the hall, where he proceeded to pro-
lest with much pigor against the treat
Inent accorded him.
Madge laughed merrily, then pre-
tended to be offended Don't be an
IDIOT, WILL" she said, sharply. Il think
know what I'm about.''
You know nothing of the sort, or
else you don't eare!'' declared Wfl,
with some heat. 'Tt.seen1s 10 me lam
entitled TO some consideration, Instead
q which you do your best to make me
eel badly and to make laughing
stock Of nae. Darling" he went ON.
more gently, this is the last YEAR of
slat single lives, Can't we watch it out
no the new one IN Just by ourselves.
'lnce thssAew loar means so much to
ts5bothps
Madge was touched. but for some in
ierlitatole reason did not choose 40 let
IN see It flssf then, Don't be spoon