Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-21
DAILY SHORT STORY
Brief but Stirring courtship.
IOriginarl

IdSC uayS anu 10 DeAduCC III lhS
slightest infraction of church rules.
Henry Soulard, the son of neigh
boring planter, met Elise one evening
at party and was captivated by her
oval face, olive complexion, black eyes
and the long cable of hair reaching
nearly to her heels. He was Il manly
young fellow, without anything mean
or 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
would have to suffer. Henry looked
disappointed, but declared that he
would not bring trouble upon her for
world. Whereupon Elise was seized
with a desire to suffer for his pleasure
and insisted on dancing with him.
When he found it impossible to dis
Suade her, he consented, and they
danced together often during the rest
of the evening. When Elise went
home, she told her mother what she
had done. Instead of making her do
the usual penances Nine. Marcel
simply forbade her ever again to speak
word with Henry Soulard.
The next time Henry saw Elise he
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 that Elise was offended, for
she answered never a word. When
Henry drew near, he saw that the Of
fender was Jean Gaspard, Il young
man who had lately inherited a planta-
ton, on which he lived by no means
exemplary life. AS soon as Henry came
up Elise. with flashing eyes and burn
ing cheeks, told him she desired that
NJ 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, q
high melted beast, it shot on, carrying
the rider far away.
That afternoon n friend of Gaspard's
waited on Henry bearing u challenge.
In that day dueling was common in
the south, and Henry could not have
declined to fight without meeting con-
sequences as serious as fighting. The
next morning the two men met with
sharp pointed foils. Though Henry was
the better fencer he was so indignant
with his antagonist that he was under
cautious. He received a flesh wound
in 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 Mime. Marcel
not only heard of the affair, but of its
cause. Elise, learning that Henry had
been wounded, took her pony cart and
drove to her fathers plantation. She
1t,
the veranda. Though they had seen
each other but twice before. the episode
| in which Henry had defended her and
afterward risked his life and was
wounded on her account was quite
enough to draw them to Il climax. Not
word was spoken before Henry had
clasped her and she had wound her
arms about his neck. When they sepa-
rated, they were betrothed.
1t was n great shock to Nine. Marcel
when Elise drove home and told her
that she was engaged to the man with
whom she had danced and who had
fought a duel for her.
Mon Dieu," exclaimed the mother
that l should have n child to love one
| who has tried to kill anotheri Our pro-
tecting saints surely will leave us
prey to the devil. Go to your room,
wicked child, and if you ever again
meet or speak to this would be muir
derer you must leave this house and
| your poor father and me that you may
not jeopardize our immortal souls"
Elises love and respect for her moth
er forbade her disobeying, and she
went to her room, where her meals
were sent to her for three days. Then
she was told to go to confession. She
promised her mother that she would
speak to no one but the priest. The
promise was sacredly kept, and when
she returned she went at once to her
room. For a week she remained day
and night there, seeing no one, her
meals brought to her. Then one morn
ing she was called down into the great
! hall which served as q living room.
There stood Father De Bleek, the par
ish priest, and there sat her mother on
the old mahogany and haircloth sofa.
Embrace your daughter" said the
old man kindly.
Are you sure, father, that there will
be no contamination?
'"rhere is no sin to contamination.
Whatever of sin there may be, if any,
would pertain to the young man. But
there is no sin in defense. Has not our
church found her defender in all gen.
erations since she was planted on
earth? Are you not presumptuous to set
up your interpretations of our doc
| trines."
Forgive me, father"
Elise stood over her mother and at
this point bent down and the two We're
clasped in each others arms. Wher
they looked up the priest had with
| drawn.
Elise in a fiutter of excitement and
joy wrote the words, "Come when you
are able" and sent them to Henry. He
had been forbidden by his surgeon to
walk or drive for another week, but he
had no sooner read Elise's note than he
/ hor.cn n1nd w 70 no got