Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1921-05-11
An Old
MANS Bride?
By MURIEL. BLAIR

weeping IN the hyacinth beds, and
Monsieur CASTOR ,Drouet wept, too, un-
reservedly. But then he was only
twenty-one-four years older than
Nam selle, nevertheless. Outside the
night air was fragrant with the odor
OF hyacinths and jonquils, and the
moon shone as brightly as it always
shines in New Orleans in spring-that
Is to say, twice as brightly as any
where else.
Mam'selle had stolen out of - the
house in which her father and mother
and the two uncles and the maiden
aunt and Sister 'Toinette and Brother
Robert and the four bridesmaids and
the ushers were busily rehearsing the
part that they were to play at Mann
selle's wedding on the morrow. Mon
sieur Thiboult was ffty-seven and
enormously rich, and it was to be
fashionable affair. Nam selle did not
love Monsieur Thiboult, but her pa
rents did.
"Pocr Gaston!' she murmured, lay
Ing her warm hand upon his icily cold
one. Tonight we must say good-by
forever"
And, being only eighteen, she could
not help but feel thrill of romance
in the sadness of the separation.
"Angel! Beloved! Adored one!"
exclaimed the young man, Il cannot
let you go. Come with me now and
let Us be married somewhere. You
do not love him, that old Dig of
Thiboult.''
mo, poor CASTOR, I love you only"
answered the little bride-to-be But
consider. Monsieur Thiboult will give
me much money and shall make my
parents rich; poor parents, who have
shaved so hard for me-"
''Lisette!" cried Uncle Henri from
the door. "Where are you, little one?
Come! We are to have cakes and
Wine''
For an instant CASTOR hesitated;
then, with despairing sigh, he
plunged through the hyacinths and dis
appeared into the darkness. Uncle
henri came down the path.
"Psst! Cats!" he exclaimed, throw
ing a clod Of earth in the direction of
the retreating CASTOR. "Why do you
roam among the flowers so late. little
niece? All, it is the inspiration of
Monsieur Thiboult! 1t is love for
him! Never was any marriage so
happy!"
Mam'se1le Lisette cast a glance of
contempt at her uncle, but he did not
see it, because it was quite dark under
the caves of the cottage. He followed
her indoors.
The wedding was over and Monsieur
and Madame Thiboult were seated COM
fortably upon the porch Of their home
1t was only few steps to the cottage
next door, occupied by the brides
parents, for Monsieur Thiboult had
simply taken his bride home with him.
That was his arrangement, and his
will was law, for it was the will of
semimillionaire. Madame gazed with
wonder into her new husbands face
1t was indeed wonderful to think that
two hours before she had been Made
moiselle Guitard while now she was
Madame Thiboult And suddenly the
sense Of her inexperience of life, the
tragedy of Gaston's sorrow, and her
own little fleeing happiness which
had been accomplished at such a cost
to him overwhelmed her. She began
crying, and she looked at her husband
timidly, as though she had done
something that she ought not to have
done.
Monsieur Thiboult had been smoking
in the darkness, but now he took
her little hands in his and spoke to
her
do YOU love CASTOR very much,
Lisette?" he asked.
She started and then began sobbing
convulsively. He knew then! He
knew: How wicked she had been.
Eyes, I knew fos a long time, my
DEAR said Monsieur Thiboult. 1T
must be quite two months since YOU
have loved CASTOR. And before that
it was Leon Brevet: and before that
Charles BoUrget; and before that
who was it before that?'
Iisette was shaking with fear. He
had known all the time, then, of these
little childish love affairs!
MY dear little Lisette." said mon.
sieur, careSsing her cold hands, "lis
ten to what am going to tell you.
have never thought that you loved me
an old man like me, old enough to
be your fathers father. But I love
you, just as though you might be my
own daughter, and married you be.
cause l knew that if I did not YOU
would some day run away with Gas
ton or some other foolish young fellow
and live hard life and taste the
realities OF existence. And you are not
made for hardship, my little Lisette.'
He paused. my DEAR" he said.
shall not live very long. The doctor
told me that only last month. Per
haps one year, perhaps two-not more
than three. And then, if you still love
Castor, you will go to him and max,
him happy, and your little. head will
be filed with wisdom instead OF fool
ishneSs.'
He pressed her to him and kissed
her cheeks reverently. Goodnight
1itt1a 1s,,cbtor" cold Noneiour H.hi