The Opelousas courier., 1896-08-22

~ officer, but "a the L
wealthy as a man. Why Mr.. Rhodes
had never got married, the ladies
could not ascertain, though they talked
the matter over and over very often,
but almost all said there must have
been some cause in his youth. Mr..
Rhodes was thirty.tive, al least, which
was known only to himself, and per.
haps one other.
"Some disappointment said Miss
Anna, q young lady who thought it
wrong hal gentle,4en should be dis
appointed; "some fatal disappoint-
ment."
"Not at ALL" said her maiden aunt,
"not ct al, nobody ever thought that
Mr.. Rhodes had courage enough to
offer himself to q lady. He IS SO
modest thet I should like to see him
make a proposal
"No doubt OF it, aunt, 20 doubt Of
it and to hear him, too" said Anna.
"Your father and l." said Annals
mother, "once thought that Mr..
Rhodes would certainly marry Miss
Susan Morgan, who then lived IN the
neighborlool.'
"NWas be acceptedby Miss Morgan?'
asked Anna.
81 don't believe she ever had an
ofter,' said Aunt Arabella.
"Perhaps not" said Mrs. Wilton
''buI she certainly deserved one from
Mr.. REo'es; and l have frequently
thought that, during ser7ic2sin church,
he was about to make proposals before
the congregation, as ho kept his eyes
continually on her.
"Do you think" asked Anna. "that
Miss Morgan was rs fond Of him as he
appeared to be Of her?'
"She certainly did not take the
same means of showing her feelings"
said Mrs. Wilton, ':for she never
looked at him in church, and seemed
to blush when, by any means, she dis
covered that others had noticed his
gazing upon her"
81 should think" SAID AssrIe, partly
aside, "that q man like Mr.. Rhodes
would not lack confidence to address
O. lady, especially if she vas conscious
of her own feelings, and Of his inirm-
itv."
Mrs. W. smiled, and Aunt Araoella
was about TO say that no lady should
ever evince her feelings under such
circumstances. when Mrs. Wilton re-
marked, that once, when she had
joked Miss Morgan upon her conquest,
she rather pettishly replied, "thst she
may have subdued him, but he had
never acknowledged her power"
Conquest and possession did not
go together, them" said Anna.
"Well, is this attachment the cause
of Mr.. Rhodes's single condition? Was
there no N else at whom he could
look in church, who would be likely to
look at him also?" said Anna, nodding
toward her aunt"
"No," said Aunt A, with a hearty
smile; "'none in the pew to which you
allude. I at least was too strongly
impressed with the force of the tenth
commandment, thou shalt not covet
thy neighbours OK, nor his ass cyer
to be looking over Miss Morgan at Mr..
Rhoden"
Oneymorning Mr.. Rhodes was sit
ting in his Office, when one OF the the
deputies read off G list Of executions
and attachments, which be had in
hand to serve, and among them was
one against a lady OF a short distance.
The amount wasnot great, but enough
to bring distress upon a family.
"Let me take that, said the Sheriff,
with some feeling; cit is out of your
walk, and I will drive to the residence
of the person tomorrow morning."
The modest vehicle OF the officer
at the door Of q neat dwelling
house in a retired, delightful situa-
ton, where all things told of taste and
economy. The Sheriff opened the
gate, ascenSed the steps of the house,
and asked il Miss Morgan was ct
The servant answered in the affirm
alive.
AS Mr.. Rhodes passed along the
hall, he thought over the part he had
to perform-how he should introduce
the subject-how, if the debt should
prove to be onerous, he shonld con-
trive to lighted the burden by his own
abilities; and when ho reached the
door, he had conned his salutation to
the lady, and his opening speech on
the subject ef his official call.
The servant opened the door-Mr.
Rhodes entered with a bow. He
blushed: hesitated, and at length took
q seat, to which Miss Morgan directed
him by a graceful turn of her hand.
After a few moments h~esitancy,
Mr.. Rhodes felt that it was his bust
ness tc open a conversation that
would explain the subject Of his visit +;
SO he offered, by wav of preface, a few
remarks upon the GOODNESS of spring.
eyes" said Miss Morgan s'but yet,
cold as the weather has been and even
Notwithstanding a few fosts, you see
trees have their richest foliage,
and the flowers are l~uxulyant."
"True," said Mr.. RhosEs3; sit seems
that though there myy be q great
deal Of GOODNESS, that Nature will have
her own way, and, in time, assert her
perrogative, late, perhaps, Miss Nor
gan, but still the same"
Mr.. Rhodes felt rather startled at
ais own speech, ana looking up, was
infinitely astonished to see that Miss
Morgan was blushing like one of the
loses that was hanging against the
eve are always pleased" said Miss
ito see what we admire
breaking through the chilling inau-
,naaa IL. .uh:aI LIa.-l