The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-01-15

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blaze of vivid
color, to enjoy
the sunset; but she didn't enjoy it
any more, after Muriade Vail had
told her the news. There was band
playing in the little park, whose green
grass and sparkling fountain formed
such pretty picture, but she did not
hear its music any longer.
Married. said Miss Delavigue,
lifting her hands and drawing a sepul-
chral sigh-''m married! Does the
whole world think, and dream, and
trouble itself abort nothing else?"
''I'm very cory, aunt" said Muri-
sde, "but-''
''No, you are not, interrupted Miss
Delavigue. Don't begin, at this late
day, to tell me falsehoods."
81 don't mean that I'm sorry be-
cause I've promised to marry Tom, !"
said Muriade, with bright spot on
each cheek, because that would be O
falsehood. No, indeed, I'm not sorry;
but mean I'm vexed to disappoint
you, aunt"
Muriade was dark, Spanish-eyed
girl, with brows like two perfect
arches; a red, cherry-cleft mouth, and
the most roguish of dints, scarcely
large enough to be dignified with the
name of dimple, that came and went
In capricious fashion in her chin.
She stood, with folded hands and
head slightly dropped, before the
prim, elderly lady, whose black silk
dress resolved itself into such perfect
folds, and whose iron-gray curls hung
30 precisely on either side of her face.
Didn't take you when you were
seven years old, and bring you up as
young lady should be brought up?"
sadly demanded Miss Delavigue.
'Yes, aunt"
Sand haven't I had you educated
ht Mademoiselle Melisse's, with extra
piano lessons, and your voice Guilt
waited at two dollars a lesson?" went
on the old lady.
"Yes, aunt" confessed Muriade.
"And," severely went on the cate
chist, ''just as you were getting to be
areal companion for me in my advanc-
ing years, you forget all this, and run
off with--Tom Whitworth. ("
81 haven't run off with him, auntl'
Dashed out Muriade, scarcely knowing
whether to laugh OF cry.
''But you would if you couldn't
wiring consent from me. You know
you would" said Miss Delavigue.
''You'd scramble down ladder, or
climb out of fourth-story window"
81 love him, aunt" said Muriade,
earnestly; land he loves me-"
Rubbish" said Aunt Delavigue,
with al energy which nearly tipped
her eye glasses from her Roman nose.
"You mean that he loves your expecta
lions. He loves the idea of inheriting
my money and this brown-stone house,
and all the shares in the Mexican sill
yer mines. That's the beginning and
the end of it!''
"Never, auntw cried poor Muriade.
''That's WE'LL" grimly pronounced
Miss Delavigue; because I've my
own. ideas ON the subject I don't
know that I'm at all too old to marry
myself"
"Auntl" exclaimed Muriade, in sur
prise.
''Why not?" said Miss Delavigue.
81 suppose there can be old fools as
well as young Ones"
''But," pleaded Muriade, 'are you
In earnest?"
"Why shouldn't be in earnest?"
Aunt" burst out Muriade, lis it
Major darlington? Is it? Oh, I
know it is! And oh, aunt, dear, I do
SO hope Won will be happy! And Ma
jor darlington is perfectly splendid,
since he got his false teeth, only, aunt.
those tedious stories of his about the
war in Florida-won't you get tired of
them, if you're obliged to hear them
every day?"
Miss Delavigue looked in some per-
plexity at her niece. She had sup
posed that this hint would have filed
Muriade with dismay and disappoint-
ment; but on the contrary that young
lady appeared to accept the idea as the
most natural thing in the world. And
Tom Whitworth, CHANGING, entirely by
accident, of course, to come In just
about that time, coincidedin Muriade's
view of affairs entirely.
"The jolliest thing ever heard of, .
declared Tom, who was fair-com-
plexioned young Saxon, with curly yell
low locks, blonde moustache and SUI
perb teeth-which latter was for
tnnate circumstance, because Tom
Whitworth was always laughing. Its
regular middle-aged romancel''
~ dare say" said Miss DeIavigue,
primly. nBut what do you say TO
ioms one else getting q! ~ money!