River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-05-01

and lips red with health and spirits
Nine d'Avila, her mother. Fifty-fye; a
typical parvenue; rouged and enameled !;
commonly nicknamed Nine. Cardinal Of
the Tropics"
Marc de Sally, a good-looking young fell
low Of 30, with an engaging manner
Lynne (glancing at the sparse
promenaders on the avenue)-Well,
this is the end, and we have another
season to our credit.
Nine. d'Avila-To our debit rather.
Another failure! The third this year,
counting Spa and Houlgate.
Lynne-It isn't my fault, / am sure.
I have done the impossible, almost, to
win the prize-a husband!
Mime. d'Avila-And so have /.
Iynne-Yes. You have done too
much. Several times, when L thought
] had more than a nibble, you arrived
on the scene and pulled on the line so
hastily that the trout slipped off the
hook and got away.
Nine. d'Avila-Oh, yes! Insult your
mother after all the sacrifices
Lynne-Were they not partly for
yourself-chiefy, should say, seeing
that even if we had caught one Of your
old reprobates, it was not you, but I,
that would have had to marry him?
Nine. d'Avila-My dear, / had perfect
confidence in your ability to tame the
worst of them after marriage. But
we never got that far!
Iynne-And we never shall, with
your system. Your ideas are too
grand. You aim too high. This season
there were possibilities. I might have
succeeded, perhaps, if you had not
made me waste so much time over your
precious grand duke. You remember
how he snubbed us, finally. Poor
mamma! I cannot understand why
you should ever have thought serious
Iy of him for a minute.
Nine. d'Avila-Oh, ! admit that I
made a sad mistake, but there is no
use in quarreling about it now. 1t is
time for action. Something must be
done at once You saw our bank state
ment this morning?
Lynne-Of course. Twenty thou
sand francs. Say eight months re-
spite. Then the altar, or-Ah! There
is NJ de Sally with his hat in the air.
You don't know much about him, do
you?
Nine. d'Avila-No. I have inquired
of several people, but their answers
were contradictory and unconvincing.
Lynne-He is not bad looking, at all
events, ! could learn to love him so
much better than your old cripples.
But, perhaps, as you know nothing
definite about him, he is crippled too
financially.
Nine. d'Avila-Well, it is the last
chance and it may be worth trying.
Have you had any conversation with
him?
Lynne-Only trivialities. We have
met two or three times. He asked me
for waltz the other evening. :.
He is coming this way. You must con-
trive to leave us alone for few min
utes.
(Hat in hand, NJ. de Sally approaches
and pays his respects to the ladies.)
Nine d'Avila (after the conventional
civilities have been eXchanged)-Are
they still playing in the card room?
De SaiIly-I think so. 1t is almost
the only thing left.
Nine. d'Avila-I feel a mad longing
to hazard few louis. Allow me tC
confide my daughter to your care, NJ
de Sally.
Lynne-Oh, mamma!
Nine d'AviIa (going)-A few min
utes, only. Just long enough to lose
say 500 francs.
Lynne (aside) Neatly done! (Aloud)
What makes you smile, monsieur?
De Sailly-Your mothers words.
Lynne (uneasily)-The 500 francs
De Sailly-No, her confding you to
my care.
Lynne-You will be a faithful
guardian. I trust?
DE Sailly-Oh, the honesty of the
guardian, you know, depends upon
the value of the treasure.
Lynne should call that rather
weakened morality.
De Sailly-In the presence of a
pretty very pretty-woman, does
not morality consist in giving express
sion to temptation, rather than in re-
sisting it?
Lynne Qaughing)-You appear to
be lover of paradoxes.
De Sally see nothing paradox
zeal in being deeply moved by the
sight of remarkable beauty-or in
confessing it.
Lynne (ostentatiously changing the
subiect) Have you been here long?
De SaiIly-Let me see. Ten days
ago l had the honor OF being present
ed to you by my friend Marcellin.
had arrived the day before. Have
YOU spent the whole season here?
Lynne-Almost. My mother and
are very fond of AK, and are among
the last to leave, as you see.
De Sailly-Are you going back to
Paris?
Lynne-No. We are going first to
Touraine, for the hunting. Mamma
bought a chateau there last year.
De Sally (tentatively)-
I know the country thoroughly. What
part of Touraine?
Lynne (embarrassed)-A few miles
from Tours, near Vaiencay. Quick
Nv and gushingly) Oh, how 1 love the
grand. free, open-air country life,
with its horses, dogs, sports of all
kinds. Are you interested in the
country, monsieur?
De Sailly-Very much so. The care
of my estates occupies much of my
time.
Lynne with a good deal of curiosi-
ty)-Then your estates must be ex-