The Opelousas courier., 1898-06-25
a little back from the Parade, and it a

shower, and the gay striped awnings
futtering their scalloped borders in
the July sunshine.
The liveried footman bowed his best
and regretted to be obliged to inform
the gentlemen that Mrs. Saxony vas
not in. A swift look of dismay on
Mr.. Templeton's face perhaps touched
that functionary's tender heart, for he
fastened to assure them that miss
Loyett was in the drawing-room-
would they walk in?"
But that Mr.. Templeton declined
doing, as he was not personally &c
sauainted with Miss Lovett, at least
not sufficiently acquainted with her to
present himself. He had known her
when she was a girl of ten, and had
always been her fathers most cher
ished friend, and had been in CORES
pondence with Mr.. Lo~ when that
gentleman died so shddenl~ India;
but all the same, with al old hache-
lor's characteristic shrinking Rom
pretty young girls, he declined the N
vitation until Mrs. SFsfony should be
present.
"It's too bad-too bad" he said, as
they went through the beautiful little
park, into which carriages were not
admitted; and, impelled by an impulse
he recognized afterward as fate, Mr..
Templeton paused midway down the
path, and turned to look back at Mrs.
Saxony's house.
"By Jove! There she is at the
window-Miss Lovett! Isn't she a
beauty? Isn't she sweet enough to
turn any fellow topsy-turvy? Look,
Fred there's the wife I've picked out
for you! Can your music-teacher
beat that?"
And Mr.. Templeton seized his I'M
offending nephew by the sleeve, and
g~esticulated emphatically toward the
open window where a girl sat, beau
tiful indeed-maryelously beautiful!
fair and dainty-with dark, lustrous
hair, braided on a proud little head,
and straight, heavy dark brows, that
made the purity of her complexion
still more dazzling. A rosebud of q
mouth, a round, handsomely chiseled
chin, a white dress, with creamy lace
and a pink rose at her throat, made a
picture fair enough to indeed have
turned any mans senses ''topsy-
.turvey."
She did not raise her eyes from her
book, and she was unconscious Of
their espionage, u Of Fred Warning
toms transfxed gaze.
$50 you're struck, Ell? So you'll
give the old man credit for having
good taste, will you? You wouldn't
mind having her for your wife, after
all, I supposed"
Fred drew a long breath, then
quickly linked his arm in Mr.. Temple
toms, and drew that gentleman away.
"She is the sweetest, most beauti-
full girl [ ever saw. Til marry her to-
if she'll have me-" he said.
And how the old gentleman
laughed.
emusic teacher Notwithstanding,
eh?" he said.
And then Fred laughed, and Mr..
Templeton generously decided not to
be too sarcastic OF the poor boy.
Almost at the same moment a tall,
girl, several years older than
the fairy in white by the window in
Mrs. Saxony's drawing-room, entered
and went up to her.
absorbed in your book still,
Rosie? It is time for my lesson,
it,"
And Rosie Fleming laid down her
book, and for an hour she and Miss
Beatrix Lovett devoted themselves to
the music lesson, to be interrupted by
a gentleman who had bribed the foot
man to permit him to enter the music
room u~nannounced, and to whom
Rossie few, with a little shrek of de-
"Fred-O Fred! How did you
know I was in Brighton? Ionly came
yesterday to assist Miss Lovett with
her music. This is Miss Lovett,
Fred-Mr. Warrington, Miss Lovett."
And before he had finished his very
cali Mr.. Warrington re-
lated to the ladies the mistake his
uncle had made.
"And I am sure Miss Lovett will
not blame me if I insist that I shall
marry you, little Rosie, and the
sooner the better, before Uncle Phil
discovers his mistake"
And the nextweek there was a quiet
wedding at the local registrars office,
while Mr. Templeton was taking his
in his chair, with his handker-
chief over his face, dreaming of the
days when beautiful Miss Lovett
would reign royalty in his %nephew's
At s o'clock the same night he was
electrified by the receipt of a note
from Fred.
81 have been and gone and done it,
Uncle Phil" it said. II promised
you would marry the lady you Sc
Iected for me, and I shall present her
10 you in an hour. There's nothing
ike striking when the irons hot, is
And p%unctually to time Fred ap-
oeared, his bride on his arm-lovely
Is the morning, blushing like a rose,
ler blue eyes shining like stars, her
sweet red mouth %quivering as she
wistfully up into MI. Temple
face when Fred presented her.
"We've quite stolen a march upon
you; but this is my wife, Uncle Theo-
ohilus-Mrs. Fred Warrington, fast
md sure"
"I'm astonished and dumbfounded,
md. delighted, my dear. However
lid you do it, Fred:"
But before Fred could make the ex-