The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-04-21
}
( Abducted by {
John the Baptist
! se~ @sas -<
} By Ward Ries !
MISS STELLA RESOLVES.
coPyRlcHTED BY THE c. p. A.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The family of Captain Zenith con-
visited. beside himself and wife, of Ave
daughters. Miss Stella, the fourth of
the sisters, is the heroine OF my story.
She was charming. All who knew her
avowed that fact, which needed no
avowal. None averred that she was
beautiful. The charm that she exert
ed over all her friends was not easily
explained. It was an effect; felt, adj
mitted-enjoyed, too-but difficult to
define.
It was her nose that prevented her
from being beautiful. Upon the brink
OF decision 1t hesitated to assume all
the characteristics of pug. Had it
been less a pug she would have more
nearly attained beauty. Had it been
more pug she would more nearly
have attained beauty. But it hesitate
ed. Fatal indecision! Harmless indie
cision! Then her lips: Let us quote
Anacreon:
Then her lips, so rich in blisses;
Sweet petitioners for kisses;
Pouting nest of bland persuasion,
Ripely suing loves invasion!"
Her eyes midnight mirrors, under
brow that art could not initiate nor
nature surpass. A ravens plumage
was paler than her hair which, uncoil-
I'd swept about her feet when she stood
erect.
By her Yankee friends she was call
ID cute. Some people described her as
Z young lady of strong mind, great or
iginality, strong individuality and rug
ged independence
All the Zenith girls were unmarried
and severally appeared to have reason
able chances OF graduating in the
high school of society as old maids and
carrying the honorable title Miss" to
their respective tombstones. They
were all popular in their set and there
were none in their set who was more
in demand socially; yet no eligible
party had manifested a determined de-
sire to relieve the captain of any item
Of his family millinery and dressmak-
ing bills.
Miss Stella regarded it as daughter
" duty to wed. That is, she
thought that every daughter owed a
son-in-law to her parents when she be-
came manageable. She therefore de-
termined to set good example for her
sisters and as they delayed she resolv-
ed that she herself would be the first
bride plucked from the family matri-
monial tree. Notwithstanding her
childish years-for she was not yet six
teen-she was very womanly in the
strength of that resolution.
Miss Stella was strong. determined,
tenacious and persistent in carrying
any purpose into execution and she
never abandoned a purpose; she de-
vised effective means to accomplish 1t.
Having resolved to marry she next
considered the coming man. Many
Usues she went over the roll of mar
riageable males of her acquaintance.
Carefully she conned and canvassed
them. one after another, time and
Ha85 ti'a.; Each was cast into the
scales and weighed against her ideal.
Unfortunately for them they severaily
Invariably went up.
Unfortunately for them, because. had
one Of them fully satisfied her. there
can be no doubt whatever that he
would have become her husband. In
such a case he would have been for
tunate, because she was kind of heart
and having captured him she would
have rendered his captivity blissful.