The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-11-10
The Owner of
The Beatrice

- SAS AS~" POAS >>NolAo S"V AAAlCS,
mother and daughter. were lounging.
making remarks about those sitting
near or passing.
''Oh, heavens, Beatrice" said the
mother. there's Walter Wells. If he
sees US 1t will spoil everything. Just
think of his telling people that we came
from Mississippi river town.
The daughter bit her lip. How un-
fortunate" she said.
And just as we have been taken up
by the BIS. Here he comes. We
mustn't see him on any account"
The mother turned her head squarely
on the man who was approaching; the
daughter, after hesitating, suddenly
became interested in a group which
called her gaze to another part of the
room. The man walked by, his eyes
fixed on the two women. He had start
ed forward with an expectant look on
his face, which turned into bitterly
disappointed, then a severe, one. In
stead of going up to them, as he had at
first plainly intended, he passed on.
"Oh, mother" said the girl Il won
der IL he saw U.S."
Saw US! OF course he did and knew
we didn't want to be bothered with
him. l wonder what he is doing here.
He was as poor as church mouse
when we left G. ten years ago"
That night there was ball at BIS,
and Mrs. and Miss De Lano-it was
TOnlo oin 11v 10
were there. They knew a few Of
those they met there, but as they had
not yet effected an entree into the
creme de la creme of the worlds COM
mercial aristocracy scarcely any Of
those they called acquaintances paid
any attention to them.
Mamma" said the daughter, what
can it mean? There's Walter Wells.''
You don't say so. Where?'
''Over there with-why, that's the
man who was pointed out to me this
afternoon as Lord Donegan, the Irish
nobleman, who has been over here
shooting"
Half an hour later the daughter was
standing near Lord Donegan, and. see
| ing that she was beautiful girl, he
asked to be presented to her. During
their conversation Lord Donegan spoke
of hunting in the west and incidentally
mentioned his friend Walter Wells,
The lady led him to talk Of his friend
| without mentioning her former ac-
| Quaintance with him.
Il was in Colorado" he said, start
ing for the Yellowstone park when
met Wells. l took fancy to him and
succeeded in persuading him to go
with me. We were on stagecoach
one day when the driver was drunk.
dropped the reins, and the horses
dashed down steep road. Wells went
| out on the tongue and checked the
horses just as they were about to
swing US around curve and over a
much difference II Donegan with bare
five thousand year had gone over, but
the owner of the Beatrice mine would
have been a very different thing.
'The Beatrice?'
Yes; named for a sweetheart,
fancy, though Wells never gave me his
| confidence"
lis the mine valuableT
Produces a couple Of hundred thou
sand a year, and Wells owned It Gil TIL
he sold it recently for $1O,OOOOOO.
think"
The lady turned her head aside, and
the lord went on.
wells came back with me, and
when some Of my New York friends
were good enough to ask me to New
port told them I couldn't come with
out Wells. They didn't seem to think
he'd have a pleasant visit here-New
port is exclusive, you know-but whel
the ladies found he was bachelor anl
worth $1O.OOO.OOO they kindly accepted
my introduction, and he became quite
the rage.
"Since you are 50 intimate with Mr.
Wells" said Miss De Lano. perhaps
you will bear a message from me Il
him."
with pleasure
"Tell him that Miss-Miss De Lano
q friend Of his. is here and would be
pleased to see him"
Lord Donegan went of to find Mr.
Wells.
Il soy, old man." he said, there's :
Miss De Lano here-a beauty-an ole
friend Of yours. who wants to NEE
you"
What did you tell her about me?"
"Why, told her all about you O
course
TELL Beatrice De Lano that l passet
her this evening, and 50 great has beel
the change in me during the past tel
years that she failed to recognize me
I have been SO shocked at my altere,
appearance that haven't the heart t
meet her"
"Beatricew repeated Donegan. look
ing at his friend searchingly.
"Yes. named the mine for her.
came east expecting to find sweet
heart found stone"
Lord Donegan did not carry the mes
sage. and Miss De I.ano knew that b
had no message that would be accepta
bic That night after her return hom
she threw herself on a sofa despair
ingly.
why. my DEAR" said her mothe