Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1921-03-30
An Old
| ans Bride?
,S. D-I Western Newspaper Union)
ey MURIEL BLAIR

reserVejiN. But then he was only
tWenty-oue-four years older than
Nam sellc. nevertheless. Outside the
night air VAS fragrant with the odor
of hyacinths and jonquis, and the
moon shoue as brightly as it always
shines III New Orleans in spring-that
IS to say. twice as brightly as any
where el.e.
Nam sele 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 thai hey were to play at Mann
selle's wedding on the morrow. Mon
sieur Thihoult was fifty-seven and
enormously rich, and II was to be
fashionable affair. Mamselle did not
love Monsieur Thiboult, but her pa
rents did
Poor CASTOR" she murmured, lay
ing her warm hand upon his icily cold
one. Tonight we must say good-by
forever"
ANU b'iiS ohiy cIEhtctH, tVuN'
not help but feel a thrill Of romance
in the sadness Of the separation.
"Angel, Beloved! Adored one!"
exclaimed the young man. II cannot
let you 20. Come with me now and
let us be married somewhere. You
do not love him. that old pig OF
ThihOult'
mo, poor CASTOR. love you only"
answered the little bride-to-be. But
consider Monsieur Thiboult will give
me much money and shall make NY
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 hyaclnths 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. 1t is the inspiration of
Monsieur Thihoult! 1t Is love for
him! Never was any marriage so
happy"
Mam'Selle Lisette cast a glance of
contempt ut her uncle. hut he did not
see 1t. because 1t was quite dark under
the caves Of the cottage. He followed
her indoors
The wedding was over and Monsieur
and Madame Thihoult were seated com
fortably uron the porch of their home
II 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 n
semimil!i 'naire. Madame gazed with
wonder into her new husbands face
1t was indeed wonderful to think that
two hours before she had been Made.
molselle Cuitard while now she was
Madame Thiboult. And suddenly the
serse of her inexnerience of life. tho
tragedy of Gaston's sorrow. and her
own little heeting happiness which
had been accomplished at such a cost
to him ov"rwhelWed her. She hogan
crying. and she looked at her husband
timidly. rs though she had done
something that she ought not to have
done
Monsieur Thiboult had been smokinG
in the darkness. hut now he took
her little hands in his and spoke to
her
"Do YOU love Castor very much
LiSettcf" he asked
She starred and then began sohhin"
convu'si'c'v. He knew teen He
knew, low wicked she he'd been.
"Ncs knew for n long time. my
dear" Sad Monsieur Thihout. at
must be quite two months since Won
have loved CASTOR. And before that
II was "Nn Brevet; and before that
Charles R0urget; and before that
who was Il before that?"
Liscttr was shaking with fear. He
had known all the time. then, of these
little childish love affairs
MY dear little Lisette" said mon.
sieur. cHressing her cold hands. Ills
ten to what I am going to tell you.
have never thought that YOU loved me
an old man like me, old enough to
he your fathers father. But | love
you, just rs though you might be my
own daughter, and I married you be-
cause ! knew that II did not you
would some day run away with Gas
ton or some other foolish young fellow
and live n 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, II you still love
! Caster, YOU will go to him and make
him happy, and your little head will