The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-29
; ANTED; A ROMEO"

ual afternoon nap, and banging the door
behind her.
What is 1T? FIRE." her husband cried.
sitting up suddenly and staring at her
What is it? Success! Victory at last,
I've got him. But why do you start al
me IN that Dewildered fashion? One
would imagine that you did not under
stand
mo more I do rejoined Cesar, with
some heat. You have a delightful way
of waking a man up and firing conun-
drums at him"
Il woke you up to- l really beg Mon
sieur's pardon, but I was in haste to tell
him the great news"
land what is your g-r-reat news?"
The little woman stood stifly erect
and said with great dignity: " Ihave the
honor to announce the approaching mar
rage of Mile Juliette your daughter, to
NJ. Albert Liredoux, of the Department
Of Public Works"
''Ah, So you have rented the room"
exclaimed Juliettes father. with a grin
Of amusement
This may seem incoherent. and a brief
explanation is in order. Cesar Chante?
fortune. highly esteemed by all who knew
him, and even by his concierge, which is
much rarer thing. He was devoted to
his good wife. Hortense as she was to
him. and both were to their only child
Juliette, a pretty and otherwise attrac-
tive girl of nineteen. Nine Hortense was
woman of good sense and good heart
She had materially aided her husband in
business, and was now the joy of her
small family-and even of her one SER
want. At fifty-two she was still good to
look upon, and in her youth she must
have been remarkably pretty.
Now this excellent woman il might be
supposed would have been perfectly hap
ny in the companionship of her beloved
husband and daughter. But she was
not She was tormented by one great
never-ceasing anxiety-to marry off her
daughter. advantageously of course. but
above ali expeditiously.
II would seem also that there ought to
have been little difficulty in disposing Of
a bred, and who pretty. intelligent. and
well-bred. and who would have a dowry
Of twenty-five thousand francs. Yet
though her mother had been working
hard for the last three years. she had
not unearthed a possible husband, and
was now reduced almost to despair. But,
IT may be objected. as the girl was only
nineteen. why this frantic haste to get
rid of her?
This is why: Her mother. Uortense Mig
nolies, had possessed similar personal
and financial attractions. yet she had re-
manned uawedded until the more than
ripe age of thiry-two. The daughter of
a retired veterinary surgeon in easy cir
cumstances, she had nevertheless lived
q dismal youth with an invalid. selfish,
and ill-humored father. and a spiritless
mother absolutely submissive to her hus-
bands viii
When Hortense was twenty her mother
timidly suggested that it was time TO en-
large the circle Of their acquaintances
and to 90 into society Il bit if Hortense
We're ever to be married. but her father
replied sharply that he had no intention
of changing his habits and that closed
the discussion
Ten years passed, and Hortense was
still unmarried.
Il shall live and die an old maid" she
said to her mother
But She was mistaken, for old Mignoiles
had one delicate attention in reserve for
his womcnkind. He died. Within a year
Hortense. accompanied by her mother.
was announcing her approaching mar
riage TO NJ. Chantelpoulet The first per
son on whom they called was an acidu-
lous old aunt. who exclaimed: I'm glad
to hear it. II is high time"
n L eli
ide's heart like a cold douche. She
never forgot it. It became nightmare
10 her. and when Ju'iette was born she
vowed that at her ma rriaEe ii should not
be said: AT last, 1t Is nigh time" bat
rather: What So soon?'' SO when Juli-
cite was sixteen her mother began her
campaign. She cultivated new acquaint-
ances, and her days, aud even gave
little dinners. But by mockery Of fate,
1t happened that none Of her new ac-
quaintances and manageable sons
Isn't it just my luck?" moaned the un-
happy woman MY poor Juliette will be
an old maid Ike her mother"
This dreadful though so excited ,ha
poor lady that she plunged headlong into
the most fantastic schemes.
1t is very simple" she said to her hus-
band. I'VE viii rent The spare room to
a young. good-looking. ana prosperous
bachelor. No others need apply"
a good idea Cesar admitted Il
have no other kind. Madame proudly re
sponded.
She did not advertise in the papers. but
told Some business men. and thereby
secured several ineligible applicants.
whom s'he politely and cleverly ei.nifat-
ed. At last appeared NJ. Albert Lircdoux
a handsome and alert young man from
Pontarlier. who had Just been appointed
10 a government clerkship. He success
'ullyS passed Nine. Chanjepoule;'s inspec-
ion. and. as he was pleased with The az
offered and amazed toy
thes- cheapness. the bargain was soon
completed.
This was The great news that had IN
errupted the ex-op,ician siesta
Dent be too sansuine. ma bonre /
tnnie.' he said, noting his wife's enthu-
siasm. 1t remains To be seen whether +.
the young peorl viii like each other -
They are made for each other" Ma
dame asserted. with conviction.
He may be engaged already" said /
the good man, who was not easily ex-
cited.
Engaged, Nonsense, He Is only n
boy"
Very wei, my dear. only don't count I
your chickens-you know the maxim" /
There is another which says. God +
helps them that help themselves help I
ID myself and Providence has come TO (
my aid
But the ingenious Nine Hortensa was f
'oreed TO admit TO herself that the we'd +
ling was a long way OF Fortunately.