The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-07

l.
Jacques dc Cabour had no desire to
marry merely for the sake OF marrying,
but he admitted that II he met a pretty,
graceful. Intelligent, and amIabie girl.
he might be willing to change his con-
Onion. He objected 70 seeking u Wife
but the idea OF meeting one was agree
able,
There were two points as to which
jacques was above all else particular
His wife must be willing 70 live in the
country during four months OF the
year, and she must never have passed
even the most -tfiflng examination, for
he had a great horror Of blue-stocklngs'
a. wen as OF those butterflies only able
to exist in Paris. Nice. or Deauville.
Devoted to sport, to horses and dogs
Jacques liked to remain as late Us pos
slble in Tontaine.
He did mot wish his wife az he chose
one) to endure this exile as a victim
= resigned to melancholy fate. That
sort OF woman did not appeal to his
Imagination. She must enjoy and be
interested in country llfe. Yet the
Yicomtesse de Cabour must be dainty
and elegant; the idea Of espousing a
good little girl" with beautiful hair
and q timid devotion to her parents
made him SILVER.
When Jacques woke one morning to-
ward the end OF May, he recognized
among his letters the large, pointed
handwriting of ibis great-aunt' the
dowager De Jalon.
'AhW thought he, there is marriage
in the air."
He knew that the old lady wrote only
ON great. occaslons-that Is to say. to
propose to MIN "a charming young
girl" or to arrange an interview. Nor
was he mistaken as to the contents Of
her letter.
"My dear boy" It ran. yfrom the pro-
yinclal ocean ! have fished a pearl. An
adorable child, rich and'lovely, who, 1
am sure. will captIvate you, as she has
me, at first sight.
''Yiolette de Irene, IS years Oh age,
has dowry of fifteen hundred thou
sand francs, and in appearance is more
than pleasing-nes merely pretty. but
unusual and charming. She resembles
no one else. Her benuty cannot be
analysed, but 1t is bewitchlng.
at any rate. you will not refuse to
meet her, and 1 shall count upon seeing
you in my box at the opera on Friday
evening. As have said nothing deiin-
lite, there will not be the stiffness of a
formally arranged interview.
your affectlonate aunt and friend,
"JALoN."
Mile. de Irene spends most OF her
time in the country. She would be Just
the wife for you. Do not miss such q
splendid chance. The parents are
charming"
CabOur was lost in thought. Really
he opportunity was tempting. IAN un-
usual style Of beauty," ''bewltchlng!'
There must at least be a foundation Of
truth In what his aunt had written
and then fifteen hundred thousand
francs dowry. and brought up in the
country!
What Jacques disllked was the place
hxed upon for the meeting. His aunt
had previously arranged for him any
number OF interviews in her opera box
On Friday the Dame Blanche" would
be given, and Cabour felt sure that he
had already refused at least dozer
charming girls to the sound Of Bolel-
deus music.
on Friday evening at O'Clock
Jacques de cabour. correctly and care
fully dressed. entered his aunt De
Jalon's proscenium box. After th'
dowager had introduced him to the
Count and Countess de Irene. a short
fat gentleman. and tall. angular lady
he seated himself at the back of th'
box in order to gaze unobserved a
NademoIselle vlolette.
The examination filled him Will
Ru,azement 1t was impossible. His
aust must have been joking. That {
charming woman? Nonsense! A trump
What queer figure. and what toilet
MademoIselle de Irene did not IL
point of fact. appear attractive. He
hair was badly dressed, and dowdl
loW-necked gown revealed shoulder
and arms which seemed dlspropOrtiOne'
and upgaEnly. Her throat was too long
her Over-red cheeks shone like eide
; apples: her ample mouth surely con
tained too many teeth. and there wa
something provoking in the astcnlshet
expression OF her eyes. Andthen, Fl
that elaborate gown, which would hay,
better suited very slender woman
she looked SO heavy and clumsy tina
Jacques. as he gazed, became more ant
mere convinced that his aun; had draw
him Into an awful trap.
He leaned back ia his chair. aud. re
naming ohstinateiy blind to Madam
de Jalon's signals, which plainly in
vitsd him to be more nmIable. hdgetei
in his seat, lrst crossed, then uncrosset
his legs. and struggled between an lire
risti6ia desire to give vent to his tempe
and an oyerp0werlng sense Of drowsl
ness. which finally conquered. He frs
Gzed his sleepy eyes on the bony prohl
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