The native American., 1839-04-20

guests were attired with propoItionate richness I;
put murmurs of admiration echoed through the
rooms as the bridal party entered. Six brides
maids attended the stately bride. who, in her rich
robe of white velvet embroidered with silver, and
Topped with diamonds, looked " every inch 4
queen The ordinary splendor of the Dukes
attire LETT no opportunity for greater display that
evening; but the almost radiant beauty OF his
counenance, flushed as it was with triumph, was
noticed by all.
The next morning, the happy pair left the city
tor w ashlngton; but before dinner time, all the
Broadway loungers were whispering some strange
story about the Dukes cloak. II was said that it
had been worn less to produce graceful effect
than TO hide a. most ungracem deformity-in
short, the lady's femme de chambre had disco
vered that the noble bridegroom had hump-back.
A few months after, Matilda's vast property
was converted into bills of exchange, and they
departed for Europe, intending TO make the grand
tour, while the ancient palace of the Ducal terri
tory of Piombno should be newly furnished, to
receive its republican mistress.
Poor Matilda she has been for some time
boarder in convent in the south of France. Her
pride will not allow her to return to her native
land. and the remnant of her fortune has enabled
her to purchase home among strangers. The
discovery which she made of his personal detor-
nifty was the first shock she encountered; but, to
reconcile her to this, he had shown her .feuT de
lys stamped deeply on his shoulder, as with hot
iron, which he informed her, under solemn in
junction OF secrecy, an indispuable proof OF
his Bourbon blood, all members of the royal
family received that impression Immediately after
birth This served to console the ambitious wife
for many sorrows. She saw her money wasted
at the gaming table-she heard her husband spo-
ken lightly Of among his servanls-she felt his
estrangement from herself-but still she ceased
not TO pride herself in the thought that she was
the wife of prince of the blood. But the final
blow came. A party of gems d'arms one day en-
tered their magnificent hotel, and seized him
feon escaped from the galles. The ,aeur de lys,
the proof of his royal birth, was in fact the badge
Of merited nfamy.
His history may be told in few words. He
was French Jew, whose original employment
had been the never-faing resource of the poor
Israelite-dealing in old clothes Five years pre-
vious, he had been branded and condemned TO the
gales for swindling; but, having succeeded in
making his escape, he determined TO push his for
tunes in America "Ce nest que lie premier pass
qui coute." A run of luck at the gaming table
gave him funds to commence his grand expert
ncnt-an accomplice less favored by nature, as
sumed the station Of his valet, while he played to
perfection the noble Duke; and we have already
seen how he succeeded
Whether his career is yet ended, I cannot say
out my last meeting with the noble Duke del
Piombino was during visit to France, few
months since, when saw him, chained by the
neck to a fellow scoundrel, and busily employed
n mending the road near Paris.
The fate Of the lovely Matilda is a melancholy
,rle; but who of the loungers in fashionable life
,a.nnot recall similar event When we shall
cease to ape foreign foles and foreign vices
when we shall learn to respect the title of came
rican citizen' above the proudest peerage that
Europe can boast-then, and not till then, shall
we cease to hear of such things.