St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-06-30

faith; they declared she did not look ;
day over 40.
| As yet the groom had not made hi.
/ appearance; Miss Letitia had excused
1 herself a moment or two, but as ths
minutes lengthened into an hour with
out her returning gnifeant. glance.
I were exchanged and the buzz Of many
/ voices was heard
It is astonishing how much pleasure
some people derive from the distress
or modification on their friends. Mrs
/ Ponsonby and her coterie were insin,
uating that something was wrong;
| yoieing pity which their eyes andcoun
4 tenance belied.
Thoroughly exasperated. Mrs. Jennie
! was about to give a crushing retort
| when Miss Letitia reappeared.
She was slightly pale, her demeano1
a mixture of regrefand dignity. while
4 d blending of defiafsce was depleted in
her erect attitude.
| i've had telegram from Mr.. Lang.
worthy; business of family nature,
which | shall not be at liberty to di-
vulge indiscriminately, compels him to
start for Europe as he sent the mes
sage off; consequently there win be
no wedding tonight. That need not
| interfere with our enjoyment of the
supper; the presents will be returned
to their donors tomorrow. Mr.. Alden,
will you see me to the table? The min
lister will take you, Jennie"
Her astounding revelations called
forth a chorus Of obs and abs, and a
dozen excited women began TO ply her
with questions, protesting against her
returning the presents, but she waved
them aside.
She gave her guests no time to dis
euss her affairs in groups. but marched
them into the dining some wear
ing from the undiminished panrs OF
curiosity an expression as il they were
being led to instant execution.
Miss Letitia was the life OF the party.
and the theory that she had been
Tilted did not gain ground; her ex-
planation was accepted as true-as far
as it went. More than one face be-
came blank when Miss Letitia said:
Jennie, be sure to come around to-
morrow and help me pack those pres
ents; some are so-valuable will not
be satisfied until they are returned;
fortunately all are labeled ''tsesasz
I will come, with pleasure, Letitia, :.
replied Mrs. Alden, while Mrs. Ponson-
by whispered dolefully: IF she would
ask me-
Early next morning Mrs. Jennie ac-.
cordingE put in her appearance. find
ing her friend in exceedingly good
spirits.
While tying up gaudy plated cake
stand, a gift from Mrs. Ponsonby, Mrs.
Alden said:
'.Letitia, why return the presents?
We're you in earnest when you said
there was not much likelihood of there
being a marriage? ;.
Miss Letitia was bending over the
bed. replacing a handsome silver ladle
in its velvet box.
The constrained position may have
been the cause of her heightened color.
Her face, as she turned toward Mrs.
Alden, wore conflicting expressions;
triumph, shame, and over all a half
sad, half defiant look. Her first words
were apparently irrelevant:
I've learned much, Jennie she
said, as she folded dozen fine thread
cambria handkerehiefs and placed them
with lingering regret in the costly box
they came in; how exquisite these
are, and Like the donor! @, yes, was
saying how much | had learned since
] had sent out those tickets. I've al
ways had too-confding disposition,
and, while I'm not now a eynic, I've
had eye-openers, plenty of them.
Going about to different stores, rid
ing windy days, yeiled, on the cars,
have given me an insight into peoples
character that has been both painful
and profitable; I needn't tell you whom
I mean, for i see you know. Il m moi, a
fool; the only regret is self
contempt that I've been taken in
them so long, but I've never outgrown
a girlish pleasure in being liked.
You had your husband and chill
dren, and ! never begrudged wives and
mothers their happiness, for my life
had been Healthy, happy one, and so
completely am spinster that 1 be-
lieve I was born one; I've never seen the
man have ever imagined | could |
fancy. but there was one thing | did
want
Mrs Alden had listened sympathet-
ica1ly; as Miss Letitia paused for
breath she yentured to speak. ''What /
was that, Letitia?''
You may laugh, Jennie, If you wish,
but that was no more nor less than o
What? Do you mean that
Il mean, and know it will go no |
further, that couldn't have trous-
Seau without a marriage, and that was |
Why I sent out cards. Don't you un-
derstand, Jennie? The marriage could
not take pIace-because there was no |
bridegroom at all; now it's OUT /
For once Mrs. Alden was surprised
beyond the power of expression, but
when she did recover her merry laugh
ter was delightful to hear and was
Joined by Letitia.
What a good joke!" gasped Mrs
Jennie. Wouldn't it make the Rich
nond danes open their eyes2 1t shall
20 no further, though would like Allyn
o know, if you have no objection.
What would Mrs. Ponsonby say 2"
Embellish it until we wouldn'ts
Snow it; but there's one thing she