The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-02-05


~ flushed cheeks and
eyes ablaze with Indignation.
The old gentleman-he was five.
and-ffty, and looked every year Of bis
age, in spite of his luxuriant chestnut
colored wig, and the artistic dye on
his moustache-glanced up, somewhat
guiltily.
''Is what true, Minnie?"
''That you are to be married to
Winifred Gay?"
Mr.. Cratchley deliberately folded
his newspaper and laid it down. He
knew the storm was coming, and de-
termined to face it braveiy.
eyes," he said; lit is true. What
of it,"
'But, uncle, you are almost sixty,
and she is only a few months over
seventeen. What::will the world say?"
Uncle Ferdinand WINGED q little.
II am not marrying to suit the
world, Minnie, but to please myself"
every one knows that she is in
love with Fred stapleton," persisted
merciless Minnie.
"Pshaw! pshaw! You ore attaching
too much Importance to mere boy
and-girl dirtation," retorted Mr..
Cratchley. "No one ever marries
their first love-"
''But she has said, over and over
again, that she hates YOU"
"We all know" said the imperturb-
able old lover, "that woman is
privileged to change her mind. Ha!
ha! hal"
eyes; but, Uncle Ferdinand"
minnie, said the old gentleman,
composedly, and with that steel-trap
set Of his mouth, which his niece we'll
understood to mean something, "let
this matter be settled between us once
for oil. I intend to marry Winifred
Gay, and no possible amount of argu-
ment will dissuade me. If you choose
to reconcile yourself to existing
circumstances, you are welcome to the
home in my house which you have al
ways had. If not, you can seek one
elsewhere"
And SO, poor Minnie was compelled
to withdraw, badly vanquished, from
the wordy battle.
No one could have been more as
tonished than was Mr.. Cratchley him
self by pretty Winifred Gays sudden
change Of tactics. Up to the last week,
she had persisted that she couldn't
endure her elderly suitor, and de-
clared that if she couldn't marry Fred
6tapleton, she would live aud die an
old maid. Neither parental urgings,
costly presents, nor prospective dia-
monds and opera boxes, had power
to move her. And oil Of sudden, in
the most ssunaccountable manner, she
had yeered around, oil smiles, sun
shine and docility.
"She is coming to her Senses" said
Papa Gay, triumphantly.
"She is seeing the folly of this sem
timental nonsense with young Staple
ton," added Mrs. Gay.
Perhaps it was so. At all events,
Winny was tired of being cooped up
in the house like q state prisoner,
shut off from all the festivities her
seventeen rar'old heart delighted in.
She had not seen Fred in a month;
and it was one Of the articles OF the
domestic treaty that all restraint
should be removed, when once she
consented "to listen to reason" as
Mr.. Gay phrased it.
'There can be no sort of objection
to your seeing as much of Fred Sta
pleton, or any other young man, cs
you please, said he, 'now that you
are engaged to Mr.. Cratchley."
So Winny had capitulated at once
and without warning. The wedding
dresses were being made; the veil and
wreath were ordered; the CratchIey
diamonds in process Of being reset;
and to every appearance, all was 60
ing smoothly as marriage-bell, when
one Mrs. Job Carstairs bethought her.
self to give q tableau evening.
"Of course We must co." cried
Winny, clapping the little white
hands, that had dimples in the joints,
just like baby's. II dote on tab.
+leaux; and Fred is to be the 'CQrsair;;"