Smyrna times., 1900-04-25
Aunt Roses Secret
When It Came Out, 1t Had Proved Of
Great Benefit to Others.
~o~o4o~o~o~~o~o~o>o>o>


NJ. Delvalley rose, furious, his eye
brows contracted, his mouth drawn.
81 tell you this marriage shall not
take placer he said.
"And 1 swear it shallI'' cried Andre
with only a shade less of determina-
tion in his face and voice.
But the old man paid no attention to
his sons words and continued:
ut is the most outrageous thing 1
ever heard of! A boy whose education
has been what yours has, upon whom
no expense has been spared, who for
20 years has been my constant thought,
to be so utterly lacking in every feel
ing of gratitude! Just at the very mo-
ment when have made plans for your
future you announce to me that you in
tend to marry the girl of your choice!
And what a choice! A girl without a
pennyw
But you 90 not believe money to be
the only consideration in marriage, do
your said Andre, striving to be calm.
ut seems to me that happiness enters
in somewhere, and if 1 can be happy
with no one but Noemie''-
NJ. Delvalley burst into a loud, exas-
perating laugh.
''That is too good! He can be happy
with no one but his Noemie, a person
of whose existence he was ignorant
month before lastw
"But. father
Enough
The tone in which this word was pro-
nounced convinced Andre that his ia
TIERS decision was infleXible. He was
accustomed to bow to the will of n
despotic father, just as he had seen his
mother yield until her death. In his
childhood he and his mother had been
companions, and often together they
had bent their heads to the fury of a
domestic occurrence; not that NJ. Del
valley was a bad man. He was quick
tempered, but usually repented his out
bursts and tried to make amends when
he saw the effect of his hard words.
Before he was very old Andre had seen
that the family life of his mother and
father was not happy one, though he
did not know to what to attribute the
state of affairs. Since his mothers
death he had simply given in to his ia
ther when any question of disagree
ment had come between them, and un-
til now they had lived comfortably to-
gether.
The next day Andre returned to the
charge.
81 believe If you knew what an un-
happy night passed. father
Enough, | sayw cried the old man,
not allowing him to complete his SEN
tence. IL tell you | will never give my
consent to the marriage! A girl with
out a pennyw
81 would not ask for your consent at
all if she had not refused to marry me
without it!' exclaimed Andre hOtly.
"Oh, you would notv' NJ. Delvalley
laughed "And, pray. where would you
live and what would you do to support
your wife,?
81 could find something" replied the
young man in a tone which made his
father say more gently than he had yet
spoken:
81 am convinced that this girl and
her relations are after your fortune
You met them at a summer hotel
They found out who you were and
thought you would be a good catch
and have proceeded to catch you"
"If you would only listen to me, ia
ther. could convince you Of Noemie'S
sincerity"
Without replying to his son M. Del
valley went on: "As you can't take
care Of yourself, I must take care Of
you. Where do these Durands liver
"At 81 Rue Nollet"
"Rue Nollet! And you say they arr
not after your money!" M. Delvalle!
said as he left his son. He returned IL
few moments, a paper In his hand
which he read In loud voice:
''Sfme Durand, 27 Rue Nollet:
81 formally refuse my consent to the marrlag
Of my son Andre and your daughter and inforr
you that IL the event takes place shall aosc
lutely disinherit my DELVALLEf'l
He rang the bell, and a servant ap
peared.
"Send this telegram at once" he said
Andre made a move to follow the serV
ant from the room, but after glanc
at his father he restrained himself. IN
old man waited until the servant ma
had time to leave the house and the
retired to his study, leaving Andr
alone.
The unhappy young man sat tnint
ing of his misery for some time: IN
words of Noemie spoken the night D'
fore came back to him. She had pee
10 full of confidence, while he wa