The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1904-01-23


And she laughed merrily-indeed
adorably. thought Lord Banford.
Lady Jane thought the new groom
had been disobeying her orders, bu
it didn't matter now.
, "And where did you go to- sht
asked, while Lillian descended upoI
the toast, apparently much tickled by
this anxiety.
ITO Wormington," she said.
Lady Jane was surprised
"All that dstance:' she said. "What
did you 90 there for? It's very
dull road"'
ITO get married" replied Lillian
cheerfully. with her mouth full. Lady
Jane received rather a shock, but Lord
Banford flattered himself that he en-.
tered into the joke.
"Hee-heew he said. GLOW amusingv'
"Yes; isn't it funny" said Lillian,
wagging her head at him. Her levity
was irresistible. though Lady Jane
thought it hardly in the best Of taste
under the circumstances.
But what did you really Go there,
my dear:'
Got married." said Lillian abrupt
ly.
Lord Banford chuckled hugely-he
thought he had never met such de-
| lightfully humorous girl. And while
he. in his innocence, chuckled, hor-
rid fear began to creep over Lady
Jane. But she tried to enter into such
| joke as there appeared to be. and
| said, with weak smile: And who
| did you marry"
Williams" said Lillian, lightly, pass
ing her cup for more tea.
civilians" was the new groom's
| name! Lady Jane clutched her chair
tightly to avoid screaming Mrs Barre
look up in alarm. Lord Banford didn't
know who Williams was, but he began
to feel that there was something the
matter Lillian ratified on, uncon-
cerned:
$50 funny. it was-by special license,
you know. Have you ever been mar
ried by special license, Lord Banford?
Do, if you have not It is most in
teresting. You've got to go into a
funny little room. and everybody looks
at you with interest. as if you were
doing something awfully wrong; and
please, the toast: yes-I wonder
where my husband is? I told him til
come in and have some tea as soon as
he had given the horses bran-mash
like him awfully. if you haven't met
him already. You've always thought
him a splendid man, haven't you.
aunt? He showed me his references.
and they were simply perfect, SO I
knew it was all right
Lillian she ALMOST shrieked-when
the door opened and Williams entered.
preparing himself Nor the drawing
room by rubbing his mouth with the
back of one hand and busting bran
mash from his trousers with the other.
He grinned and pulled an oily fore
lock, while Lady Jane sank back and
moaned:
"Lord Banford-oh-turn that-that
awful creature out! l. Oh, Lillian,
Lilian!'
Lord Banford moved a step toward
the intruder. but hesitatcd when Lillian
said: "Come in, Jack, dear; the tea
is getting quite cold. Let me intro
duce you. This is Lord Banford."
How do. my boy?" said the groom,
taking a chair and beaming upon him.
Lord Banford rose and glared furi
ously, all his face turning the color of
his mustache
eco out-fellow"' he began; but Lii
ian, with an air of sweet pathos and |
reproof. checked him:
ooh. LORD Banford! My husband"
He turned in despair to Lady Jane, |
but she was beyond giving any help, |
and was staring in establishment at |
Williams, who. having drunk one cup
Of tea, carefully and deliberately re-
other. then the greasy wig. and finally |
rubbed off the healthy glow upon his |
nose and the unhealthy blueness upon |
his chin. The colors did not come off |
very successfully under the dry hand |
kerchief. but he changed himself into |
a handsome, sunburnt man of twenty |
eight. much in need of wash. and |
Lady Jane realized that this was Har- |
leigh, the undesirable young relative
of Lord Olton, whom 1t had been her
sole object to defeat. 1t was a relief,
Of course. to find that he was not a
groom. but that did little to take away
the sting. She rose with dignity.
Harleigh. as he struggled with the
paint on his chin, began to apologize:
Il am afraid, Lady Melburn. have
done rather an objectionable thing. 1
don't know what to say to excuse
myself"
II think. sir. you had better say +
You will understand, of
course. that I cannot receive you
here"
Lillian protested: "Aunt Jane. you
must not treat your nephew like that."
Lady Jane turned fiercely upon her.
"And will have nothing more to do
with you, you-disgracefu! child, You
have chosen your path and you must
expect no sympathy from me. The