The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-01-25
TheMas-
terpiece
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I'm sure you will like Ella, Fred
but you must not fall in love with
her You know what mean. l want
you to like her ever SO much.
shan't be the least bit jealous All
the men fall in love with Ella, but
she never falls in love. She takes II
all as matter Of course and is
charming to them all"
If the peerless Ella falls in love
with me. and with her. whatever
are we to do. Bess? I vote we get
married before she appears on the
scene, and then suppose I'll be proof
against the charms of this mighty
charmer," and Fred Wilkinson looked
down at the girl he loved and laugh
ed mockingly.
His sweetheart's relief in the
charms of her American cousin and
her power to conquer worlds of men
amused him, and he could not resist
teasing her.
Don't be absurd, stupid boy! AS il
had the least fear Of you or you Of
yourself! l only want you to under.
stand how fascinating Ella is and
what a grand time We shall have to-
gether after the honeymoon and all
the bother of the wedding is over. l
expect Ella will stay three months at
least. She knows heaps about art
and you will find her interesting as
we'll as fascinating. OF course know
you will turn up your nose and say.
truly American, superficial, etc. You
know you don't like clever women,
Fred"
Fred made a movement which Bes-
sic OWNED and, jumping up, she up
set her chair, tiny table and a vase
Of flowers.
We'll. perhaps you've been clever
enough this time. young lady. and
will keep quiet for bit. II Elias
tongue is as sharp as yours is some
times. I should like to postpone the
wedding till she returned to Yankee.
land. can travel while you enjoy
your fascinating cousins visit
Poor old Fred. did tease and vex
him? Let's kiss and be friends. Ella
is the dearest, sweetest, prettiest girl
you ever met If I were a man l
should want to marry .her, but I'm
woman, and ! want to marry you"
And Bessie's arm stole round her
lovers neck and Fred stopped and
Ii <h1 IF
and Elias charms dropped. The
bright, winsome, supplemented Bes.
sic was Fred's ideal of womanly per-
lection. She knew nothing of art and
the beauty Of living for art, or, indeed.
the use of living for anything bu.
love. Fred was tolerably well of and
so was she. Fred was an artist by
profession and Bessie accepted this
as she accepted everything else in the
universe, as a matter of course. To
have afternoon tea in his studio and
hear all his funny. clever friends talk
was one of Bessie's greatest delights.
though often she didn't understand in
the very least what they were talking
about. The passion of Bessie's life
up to the time she met Fred was her
cousin Ella. After that her homage
was divided. Ella presented conan
ly perfection and Fred that of the
opposite sex.
Ella had arrived Hazel Lodge was
in state of congestion and suppress.
ed excitement. Bessie's presents and
belongings crowded every spare cor
ner. The best bedroom refused ad-
mittance to some of Elias huge boxes
and they stood in the hall. Mrs. Bull
len. who was housekeeper at Hazel
Lodge. and the nearest approach to a
mother Bessie had ever known. was
feeling the strain of housekeeping
fairly heavy, but her good nature was
equal to it. Mr.. Mayer went into the
city every day. His daughters marri-
age concerned him little. 1t would
be relief when it was over.
Satisfactory settlements had been
made He felt he had done his duty
as a father. Bessie was happy. Mrs.
Bullen knew how to manage things,