Bisbee daily review., 1903-04-02
4 BRIEF BUT
 STIRRING C0URTSHIP

Her father and mother were piOus peo- Die aud insisted oD Elise maintaining the same rigorous notions that gov ercped them. She was not permitted 10 dance, and she must keep all the fast days and do penance for the slightest infraction of church rules.
 Henry Soulard, the son of neigh boring planter, met Elise one evening at party and was capuvated by her oval face, olive complexion, black eyes nearly to her heels. He was a manly young fellow. without anything mean Ur selfish about him. He asked Elise to dance. but she declined, explaining that her parents forbade dancing and if she did so and they heard of it she -Ouid have to suffer. Henry looked disappointed. but declared that he would not bring trouble upon her for world WhereupOn Elise was seized with Q desire to suffer for his pleasure and insisted on dancing with him. When Le found it impossible 10 dis Suade her he consented, and they danced together often during the rest Of the evening. When Elise went home. sic told her mother what she had done. Instead of making her do the usual pcnances Mme. Marcel simply forbade Ter ever again 10 speak word with Henry Soulard.
 The next time Henry SAW Elise be was on horseback and Elise was ahead of him driving her pony. A man was riding beside her. talking To her. and it was plain th#t Elise was offended. for she answered never word When Henry drew near. he saw that the of fender was Jean Gaspard. a young man who had lately inherited planta- lion. on which he lived a by no means exemplary life. AS soon as Henry came up Elise. with flashing eyes and burn i iLg cheeks. told him she desired that M. Gaspard would ride on and leave her alone. Henry rode Up to her tor mentor and cut him with his riding whip. then cutting Gaspard's horse, a high mettied beast. il shot on, carrying ! the rider far away.
 That afternoon a friend of Gaspard' . waited on Henry bearing challenge. In that day dueling was common in the south. and Henry could not have declined 10 6Eht without meeting COB sequences as serious as fighting. The next morning The two men met with sharp pointed fOiIs. Though Henry was the better fencer be was so indignant with his antagonist that be was under cautious. He received flesh wound iD the side. This ended the combat The meeting soon became common
 talk in the neighborhOod, but as the people were not averse to dueling there were no arrests. NJ. and Mine. Marcel not only heard of the affair but of its cause. Elise. learning that Henry bad been wounded, took her pony cart and i drove 10 her fathers plantation. She | found him lying on a wicker couch on i tue yeranda. Though they Lad seen 1 each other but twice before, the episode ! in which Henry bad defended her and | a:terward risked his life and was ! wounded on her account was quite enough to draw them 10 q climax. Not
 a word was spoken before Henry had | ciasped her and she had wound her
 arms about his neck. When they sepa.
 lated. they were betrothed.
 l l. was q great shock to Mme. Marccl
 when Elise drove home and told heI
 that she was engaged 10 the man with
 whom she had danced and who had
 fought duel for her.
 Mon Dieu.' exclaimed the mother
 that should have a child 10 love one
 who has tried to kill another, Our pro
 tectiG2 saints surely will leave Us q
 prey 10 the devil. Co to yorr room
 wicked child. and if you ever agair
 meet or speak 10 this would be mur derer you must leave this house end your poor father and me that you may
 not jeopardize our immortal souls
 Elise's love and respect for her moth
 CT forbade her disobeying, and sht went to her room, where her meal: 4 were sent to her for three days. Tber she was told to go to confession. Shs
 promised her mother that she wouiC
 speak to no one but the priest. The
 promise was sacred.y kept, ard whei
 -,... --..--4--L --c .,e.. co, vi.S, tO iIri
 room. For weeI, she remained .lay
 and night there. seeing 70 one. hel
 meals brought to her. Then one morn
 ing she was called down into the grea
 hall which served as a living room
 There stood Father De Bleek. the par
 ish priest. and there sat her mother oI
 tue old mahogany and halrcloth sofa.
 Embrace your daughter" said th'
 old man kindly.
 Are you sure. father. that there vii
 be no contamination"
 There is no sin to contamination
 Whatever of sin there may be. if any
 would pertain to the young man, Bu
 there Is no sin in defense. Has not ou church fonnd her defender in all gen