The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-02
Spelling a Bachelor
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When Angelica was seventeen her
parents married her to Ezekiel Ballou
aged slxty-five and seven times a mil.
lionaire. Seven years later Ballou died
and left a widow without children
but with $10,000.000.
Now commenced Angellca's real life
She was old enough not TO need a chap.
eron, yet young enough to enjoy the
prominence given her by her wealth, a
beauty that was in It's prime and great
sprightliness. She at once became the
favorite of society and lived in some
one of her several residences In town
and country. Men hocked to her In un.
told numbers, but what is easily gain
ed is not valued, and she would have
none of them. Several of her suitors
were men OF prominence who could
have advanced the young widow in a
way not to be attained by wealth
alone, but the trouble was they were
to be had for the asking. There was no
sport in chase where hundred hunt
ers were firing at her on sight She pre-
ferred to turn hunuess and bring down
the game herself.
Among the young men of her ac.
qu0intance was Paul DebonNlr, whose
father had died and left his son sew.
eral hundred thousand dollars. Paul
spent all the income but resolutely re.
Trained from touching cent Of his
principal. Pleasure was his object
More money than he had he would not
have valued. He had enough to give
him what he wanted and not enough to
bother him by attending to 1t. He
would never marry. In short, he was
determined to get the most out of life
in the way that seemed most desirable
to him-that is, as man of the world.
One evening he went to a ball. An
gellca was there. surrounded by a
crowd of men elbowing one another to
get near her. If she moved from one
room to another, within few minutes
every one Of those men was TO he
found in the room TO which she had
gone. If she went back. they went
back. Paul Debonair looked at this
spectacle with disgust He danced in
the same set with Angelica, but every
time 1t became his part to take her
hand to swing he would pretend to
have made a mistake and swing some
one else.
Great heavens, Paul." said one OF
his friends, "do you know whom you
are snubbingl That's the young Wild
ow Ballou, worth millions"
II don't care II she Is the Widow
Croesus," said Paul in tone loud
enough TO be heard by the widow her
self ''and worth billions"
Paul Debonair had sounded the death
knell 10 his independence. Angelica
sent one of her circle OF attendants TO
bring him to ber and introduce him.
He consented, but IL his object was TO
avoid rudeness he might as we'll have
declined, for his brusqueness and in
difference were objectionable. Angelica
had noticed while he danced that Terp-
slchOre was one of his idols He aban.
doned himself 10 the motion and the
music as one in heavenly dream.
Quick to see weak point, she re-
solved to attack him through this love.
She asked him 10 dance. He had the
that he did not know how to dance.
But 1t was not long after this that
Angelica gave ball herself She had
given out through her friends that she
felt very much hurt at the treatment
Debonair had given her, that she had
been surprised that any man should
treat an unprotected woman so rudely.
but that she would give him an oppor-
tunity to redeem himself These re.
marks We're intended for Pauls ears,
ana when he received an invitation to
her ball he decided at least to accept
II.
There being no orchestra at hand ca
pable of playing dance music as An
gelica wished 1t played, she imported
one, and when Paul entered the ball
room he heard voluptuous sounds that
tlngled In the tips of his toes. He went
directly to the hostess, who smiled
upon him and said
II have been saving my FIRST dance
for you, Mr.. DebOnair | am hostess
here. and my word Is law. You are
commanded to dance with me-"
In another moment Debonalr was
gliding oy,r waxed floor with a
dream OF loveliness In his arms. Tho
soft strains, the beautiful face so near
his own, the liquid eyes fastened al.
ways upon his. we're an irresistible In.
cantation. Then. too. he was dancing
with one w was. like himself. born
dancer They passed banks of flowers
and momen lrlly caught their perfume.
They saile1 around water springlng
from a fountain. and as the tiny drops
fell they seng sohg OF love. But all
Paul Debonair saw was a beautiful
face a swelling bosom, palr OF dark
eyes.
Paul Debonalr realized that he was
being shared. Mntrlmony had been a
horror TO him, and this only possible
outcome TO the Widows wltchery ap.
palled him. lie left on the next steam
sr fuE Europe. Angelica followed him.