The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-10-12

H h Tai ta 'e"s a aiafs ne
S and he was then
~ rejecting that the
absinthe had been
a misconcepton. Not that he regret
ted excess on such a glorious day, but
he made a mental memorandum TO be-
ware; he must not, a second time, be-
come the victim of a deleterious hab-
1t. He had his wine out of the cellar
In twinkling; he arranged the sacri-
fetal vessels. some on the white table
cloth, some on the sideboard still
crusted with historic earth. He was
in and out of the kitchen, plying Anas-
taste with veImOuth, heating her with
glimpses of the future, estimating their
new wealth al ever larger figures; and
before they sat down to supper, the
ladys virtue had melted in the fire of
his enthusiasm, her timidity had dis
appeared; she too, had begun to speak
| disparagingly of the life at Gretz; and
as she took her place and helped the
soup, her eyes shone with the glitter
of prospective diamonds.
All through the meal, she and the
doctor made and unmade fairy plans.
| They bobbed and bowed and pledged
each other. Their faces ran over
with smiles; their eyes scattered spark
| les, as they projected the doctors po-
| litical honors and the ladys drawing
room ovations.
But you will not be a Red!' cried
| Anastasie.
Il am Left Centre to the core" re-
piled the doctor.
Madame Gastein will present us
we shall find ourselves forgotten said
| the lady
Never" protested the doctor.
Beauty and talent leave mark"
Il have positively forgotten how to
dress" she sighed.
Darling you NJ are me blush" cried
he Yours has been a tragic mar
riagew
But your success-to see you ap-
preciated, honored, your name in all
| the papers, that will be more than
| pleasure-it will be heayen!" she
| cried.
And once week." said the doctor,
archly scanning the sylIables, 'once
week-one good little game of bac-
carat7"
only once week." she questioned,
threatening him with finger.
II swear it by my political honor"
cried me-
Il spoil YOU" she said, and gave
him her hand.
| He covered it with kisses.
Jean-Marie escapes into the night
! The moon swung high over Gretz He
went down to the garden end and sat
on the jetty. The river ran by with
eddies of oily silver, and a low, monot-
| onous song. Faint wells of mist moved
| among the poplars on the farther side
| The reeds were quietly nodding. A
| hundred times already had the boy
| sat, on such night, and watched the
| streaming river with untroubled fan
| cy And this perhaps was to be the
|
hamlet, this green, rustling country
this bright and quiet stream; he was
to pass into the great city; and his
dear lady mistress was to move bedi.
zened into saloons; his good, garru.
lous, kind-hearted master to become &
brawling deputy; and both be lost
forever to Jean-Marie and their better
selves. He knew his own defects; hi
knew he must sink into less and less
consideration in the turmoil of a city
life; sink more and more from the
child into the servant. And he begar
dimly to believe the doctors prophe
sizes Of evil. He could see a change in
both. His generous incredulity failed
him for this once; child must have
perceived that the Hermitage mad com
pleted what the absinthe had begun
If this were the first day, what wouls
be the last? IF necessary, wreck tn
train" thought he, remembering tn,
doctors parable. He looked round OIL
the delightful scene; he drank dee
of the charmed night air, laden witt
the scent of hay. IF necessary, wrecl
the train" he repeated. And he ros
and returned to the house.
TO RE coyrIyueup