Show r A MARRIAGE o BY PROXY on n y OTTO orro ElWAlD Well rol olI I must say y It lt I. I I Is rather t a a i task tal m my may father has haa given me toe exclaimed Andre dOrnay lOrnay when ho Ito had hal finished reading his fathers father's letter He lie expects me rue to find him hima him hima a young lad lady to net act as companion anti and she ho must possess so man many virtues virtues vir vir- tues tiles that heaven would be the only place to look tot for fOI her but I suppose I will wi have to tr try an anyway DOrnay lit Ht a n and amid sat down downIn In iii his most comfortable chair to glance over ovel the columns of oC Situation Wanted Female anted Female In iii Le Lc Matin He lie had almost finished when whelm his eye vas wa caught by the tho following advertisement advertise advertise- ment meat A young youn lath lad lady of twenty four amiable an and a a cheerful disposition disposition tion ton would for Cor her hiet fathers father's sake gake marry mat a rich gentleman even If he lie heIs heIs lieis Is old un and sickly no objection to leaving lea leav ing lug Paris Ad Address ess res Mile S. S A A. Rue Ruedes Ruedes des No 7 7 les The wording of the advertisement od made a ii deep Impression upon dOrnay lOrnay who thought that hint a girl who was rca ready cad to lo bring such a s must indeed possess a heart of ot gold golt It l recalled to memory a poor young girl l he Ito ha had once a met met-a a teacher of music who gave lessons three times a week eek to children in an nn upper sto story of If tho lie house where he lie lived He lie had repeatedly met lice her on the stairs ani un amid had Ud been leen struck by her beauty an anthe and amid the angelic expression of or her bet face Suddenly she had ceased to come at ata ata a n time when wen ho ha had Just confes confessed ell to himself that lie ho was very much h In danger anger of oC falling In love with wih her but bUl butas bUlas as as he did lid not know her hem address he had lost host sight of her Now ow the lie advertisement ml he ha had just rea read had kindled tio tto ol old feeling Well ehl eB 1 am sure lure she would just suit stilt my father Let me mae think tho the matler over o er Evidently Mile S. S A. A has th thought of this marriage as aM a last refuge and she would woul surely sum be delighted de de- de- de lighted to be able to avoid old o It f. f And Andt It t would woul not bo ho a Vet very vel hard hamd hall position just to up UI an ol old rheumatic sl soldier l She might take her hem father father along and amid find him quarters quartets somewhere somewhere some some- where near the chateau and could see him every overy day I will wi go o and have havea haea ha e a talk with Item her tomorrow Fit First t door doom OO on omi tho time left lef on the fifth nUh floor Hoor the janitor had hind sul said Two car cards s were tack tacked cd on this door one reading Captain Felix Saint Saint-Aubin Saint Saint-Aubin music the other teacher Mile le lemele mele I. I DOrnay DOrna tang rang the bell bel and arid almost I Immediately the thc door doo was opened I by bya bya a young girl You You she exclaimed blushing blushing to tolie the lie roots moots of her hem hair hah nay DOt also gave a cry ory of joyouS surprise when he I saw before him tho the Omit only girl he hind had ever o thought It possible pos pos- slide sible to loeThe love lo The dim light from the gas ES jet fell fol foi upon a face of or unusual purity crowned crown crown- crowl- crowl cd ed with wih a mass mas of auburn hal hair You ho repeated you ou are alo Miho Mio S. S A A. Ahen hen When he asked her to allow alow him him a afew afew a few Cew words with her S she sho 10 said ald that sh she must first Inform her father ana ano shortly afterwards came back and In Invited In- In vied him hini to follow Item hOI She went through h a small smal parlor the furniture of or which was scant calt but hut of or very ory ry good taste In II a a large larse armchair at a window window win win- dow an ol old man evidently a retired army was sitting My 1 dear father tho the young girl said The rhe visitor faced facell him Permit inc mo Major to Introduce m myself myself my my- self to you ou My lly name minnie I is Andre dOrna dOrI dOrnay dOr d'Or na nay auditor In the tho department of oC finance DOInay DOrnay the major exclaimed making an unsuccessful attempt to toI torise a I rise ise from his chair Oh that miserable rheu lieu I beg beJ you ou excuse me ate but aIs it a itIs t Is not m my fault Caul that I havu havo to receive you O sitting In Iii an armchair DOrnay DOrna you ou said nrc Ud are you ou perhaps related to 1 tho tIme g general of or that namo I r nm ala his hits son II Ills son on Then you ou do ho donot not n necil e t to tT Introduce yourself o l Please Ilease give ni mb your ou hand sit sir h I have served under OUt father fathel a brave soldier whom I ilove love 10 ovo and respect with all al my heart hearl Tho limo major held hell ou Ot ll ills hand and seizing that lint of oC the tho young man shook I it cordially Yes he lie knew me inc when I was wat as still stilla a second lieutenant and I was just promoted to captain when whon ho was wa put on the time retIe retired ed list J I knew that thal he Ito was as still alive alve for Cor we nave IVO been In Inthe Inthe the thai habit of exchanging New Years Year's congratulations congratulations' for years ears but I am ama exceedingly happy hoppy to tu moot meet his son How Is the thc general genet Well to tell tel the truth major majol he heIs heIs heis Is about as bad badly I oft au as you ate are ac anti ami s terribly from gout gout Yes gout sout and rheumatism m aror aro closely related elated and it Is a shame that tat men immen like your yur OUI father and antI I should shoula he bo condemned to spend our oum OU declining years caIR in an al cas easy c chair Well I suppose sup suit po pose e U it I had to tn come conic arab and ant I ought to call cal myself happy happ that lint I have loving hal hands g to take care of or me The old olt sent his daughter alook u a look full ful of love 10 and went on She snakes makes the suffering easier ler and I ea all suppose sup sup- pose that is the general hits has thought of oC when he hc made mado up his mind to marr marry again Marry Marmy a again aln dOrnay dOinay exclaimed Why h certainly the time major re re- re plied DInt you come here because of oC Lilys Lily's Liy's advertisement in Imi tho the paper papel Yes I did Well rel then heim If you OU 01 didn't come for your own sake salce you OU must of or course come for fOl the lie sal sake e of or your father fathel In the ho meantime Mile Saint Saint-Aubin had hal left lef the he room at a sign from Crom her father who hio continued I r 1 understand tho the general ras ars m sent you ou out ahead as asa asa a n scout to sec see how things look Jool and quite quie natural You Yon might as well wol ad admit admit admit ad- ad mit the whole thing I lImo know all al about It It and Immediately guessed th reason reason rea rca son for your oUr visit The rhe young oung man no nodded ed his head half mechanically without realising what he was doing Well now you have u c seen een LI Lily and amid me mae We Ve ar are honest Tl people ople but hut nothing noth noth- In lug ing else For FOI my sake Li Lily has decided de de- de- de to sacrifice herself and will wi marry mar mm r ry an any honest homiest man who iho proposes to her In earne earnest t on the condition that she be allowed to take care came of me mc but this much I can cun t tell l you that the theman theman man mami who ho gels gets her with will wJ never nc le rem regret Iet It for Lily Lib Is a dear deal sweet girl l who wio will wi pay him back hack n it times for lot what he ho now does dOCA lot for hor hair father perhaps against his Imis wi will I would woul not let her marry an anyone oie who conice comee along but I know the tho general and ant feel convinced that he will wi at leS least t never novem nevol make malie her hot unhappy That you OU OUma ma may tell tel your father Cather M. M iL dOra dOrnay un unI and It I is then lien for Cor him to decide If I he agrees I wh wish h you would bring his answer In person but If Ir he refuses a letter will ivill wi be all al that is necessary ar III II Two days later the tho young oung man again entered tho ho majors major's room thc tho ol old fellow exclaimed exclaim exclaim- ed oll In laughingly I hut but it didn't take tole your our father lon long to maJ make o up his mind for forI I suppose you OU bring me his reply You are arc 0 perfectly elfe ty right major I have ha had hall a talk milk with wih my father Cather and now hn hate o e the honor of asking you for forthe forthe forthe the hand of ot your daughter Mile le Sat n t-A t u b In I gladly consent M. M L dOrnay Orna ana amic anaI amicI I that hint will suppose you wi now how represent your 01 father In this matter Yes father has m me to make alt all al preparations and amid tal take c out alt all al the tho nece necessary ar papers and ond If IC you 01 will wi al allo allow nJ al low lo me tao to do the same sunie for you ou I shall shah consider It a n favor With time the tI greatest l of ot pleasure you see I am ama no nn heller betler lener off than the hla brave general generl an anti and I thank you ou because you Ol lLIO l I LIO willing willing- willingto to relieve mo mc of these troublesome nullities foi The Tho two men talked ed together for quite a while hile ama and It J w wu isn n that tha tho the wedding should take talc place a month later hatem in the Castle Caste of Olna As tho thio door closed behind dOrnay dOinay 11 Mile Saint Saint-Aubin was about to faint faint My h God Cod she he whispered lake alto 11 pity on alt me and give me courage give me strength to appear happy the sake of m my dent dear deal 01 old father fathel IV The of or a carriage in the Ule court courtyard ald of oC the tho old castle castlo caste announced the arrival al of or tho the major and his dan daughter gh ter On the threshold of the large reception recep recep- ion tion ton room the lie general al in full Cul dress dregs uniform his breast cre co covet covered with cr asses em-asses and stats stars stood read real ready to to tore re receive rl- rl o cel the young oun girl who was to bear beat his glorious name Next to him stood too his sort son on At last she hc eal came e. e pale a aa axa ax na a ghost but with smiling lips and anti firma firm m 1 step stel The Thc general went to meet her heras as its lS quickly as his suffering would woul a ab- ab low lov him hint Ho lie Its kissed ed hoe hor hol hand han looked looke at itt her with an expression of or admiration admira tion lon iou and said saith My I dear lear child my myson myson son did hil not exaggerate in I his Ills description ion tion lon of you Ol an and now that you ou have I come yut Sut of this trial ti-ial lial to which I 1 have ha submitted you put purposely I sea eo that you 01 are arc as brave bra o as ns you are arc beautiful and that you have a right to alt all al the tho happiness which I hope will vilh wi come core to you OU from fromn this moment I am ant very old olti and you ou are arc vcr very young oung anti and foi fot that reason I have no 10 ri right ht to expect that you 01 will wi timid find this happiness at my sl side o but I know another who will wi gladly accept the he responsibility and ond andI ondI I therefore be beg your our permission to transfer it to o him This man you too know tot for ho lie holls wits m my ambassador adol to you ou and now that hint he lie has haM already alread been your OUt our Intended husband d by hy proxy you 01 will wi allow me to give gl him the tho right to remain your our husband a anti and 11 play tho time part Part he lie can cn play pIn far better beter man fian I. I L He ic opened his arms arias an and clasped item her herto to 0 his heart then ho took tool her hand gave ga It to his son and anti said sl You will H lo lose e nothing by tho ito exchange The Tho major majot was as unable to understand anything of oC what was going on The rho general slapped him hima on tho thic shoulder li otil d e el i You old boy have absolutely I nothing to Ia say here One son-in-law son Is worth as much as a another and belice believe be be- lice lieve le 6 mo me when it I comes to marriage e ea a general Is not not worthy to tio to lie tho shoestring of u a L lieutenant of or mt h twenty twenty- so en seven But General I I- I Well Velh I let t us UR hear what you ou have o ha to suy U against this Against It I have havo nothing to s ay say U a against I It but Lut that lint the papers were nil all al made mude out under antler another tion ton Ohm Oh 01 never no mind old friend dont don't let that worry you ou You think you OU know something hut but I tell tol you ou Ut that you have fallen Into a trap with wih open eyes oye for fot CO m iii my son on has huts abused the confidence con con- you OU placed in him hint und and had all the papers papel made out In his own name If H you ou however believe o hele that you OLi Ol have o ha reason for fat dissatisfaction you ou will wi soon soomi give gl up that idea If you ou look at ot the tho young oung couple now The he g general nerl pointed toward the thai young couple who stood somewhat aside an timid and never nO had hail a young oun man inami and amid a young oung woman appeared more Inure por perfectly ct happy Well ehl el children I suppose e you ou had better I go the general gall said for lor I Iam Isun nm sun afraid that the tho major will wi otherwise otherwise otherwise other other- wise get got Impatient nt Forward march Andre bont bent his face down lo io that of or his him bride and whispered Can Cun you OU l Cor forgive Ie me the tho trick I played on ott you lIt Il could read more mor than tItan Cor forgive forgive- lones o l I nesa nes In itt II the eyes which gave o Ia time tho Omit only reply to lo the tl question 1 |