Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-04-02
The Piece of a Hundred SOas.
FROM THE FRENCH.


A young and handsome pair had just
returned from the altar. where their desti.
nies were irrevocably united. They were
abou, to start for the country, and they
had hidden a temporary farewell TO the
friends who were present a, the ceremony.
For a shor. time, while their equipage
was preparing, they found themselves a.
lone.
The newly welded husband took one
Of his brides hands into his own. ALLOW
me-" said he. thus TO hold your hand, for
dread lest you should qai, me. trem-
BILE lest this should be an i.lusian. 1t
seems to me ,ha. l am the hero Of one Of
those fairy tales which amused my boy
hood, and in which, in the hour of happi-
ness, some malignan. fairy step. ever in
to throw the victim into grief and despair!
'Reassurs yourself, my dear Frederic
said the lady, i was yesterday the widow
Of Sir James Melton, and to-day | am
Madame dc Ia Tour, your wife. Danish
from your mind the idea Of the fairy
This is no. 6c,ion, but a history
| Frederic de Ia Tour had indeed some
reason TO suppose that his fortune was
the work Of fairy. wand; for in the
course Of one OF two short months, by a
seemingly inexplicsble stroke Of fortune,
he had been raised to happiness and to
wealth beyond his desires. A friendess
orphan. twenty five years old, he had
been the holder of clsrkship which
bruugh. him sean.y livelihood, when
one day, as he passed along the Rue ST.
Honore. a rich equipsge stop, suddenly
before him. and young and elegan, wo-
man called from i. to him. Monsieur,
Monsieur said she. A, The same time.
on given signal, the foo'man leap, down
opened the carrage-door. and invited
Frederic TO enter. He did so. though
with some hesitation and surprise. and
the carriage started of a, full speed. i
have received your note, sir, said the lady
to NJ. de Ia Tour, in \ very soft and swee,
voice; and, in spite Of your refusal. |
hope yet TO see you TO morrow evening
al my party
'Te see me, nadsme!' cried Frederic.
Yes. cir. you - All! thousand
p,rdons.' continued she.s with an air Of
confusion. | see my mistake. Forgive
me-, sir, ysu are so like il particular friend
Of mine! VIVA, can you think Of me!
Yet the resemblance is SO striking, tina,
it would have deceived any one OF
course. Frederic replied politely to these
apologies. Jus. as they were terminated,
the carriage stopt at the door of a splendid
mansion. and the young man could do no
less than offer his arm 10 Lady Melton,
as the fair stranger announced herself 10
be. Though English in name. the lady.
nevertheless. was evidently Of French or.
igin. Her extreme beauty charmed NJ.
de Ia Tour. and he congratulated himself
upon the happy accident which had gain
ed him such an Acquaintance. Lady Mel.
ton loaded him with civili.ies, and he re.
eeived and accepted an invitation for the
party spoken Of. Invitations to other
parties followed; and, 10 be brief, the
young man soon found himself an estab.
lished vs,ant a, The house Of Lady Mel.
ten. She, rich aud youthful widow,
was encircled by admirers. One by one
however, they disappeared. giving way to
the poor clerk. who seemed to engross
the lady's whole thoughts. Finally, al
most by her own asking, they were be-
irothed. Frederic used to look sometimes
at the li.1e glass which hung in his hum
BILE lodging. and wonder to wta, circum.
stance he owed his happy fortune. He
was not i'll looking. certainly. but he had
not the vanity to think his appearance
magnificent; and his plain and scanty
wardrobe prevented him from giving the
credit to his tailor. lie used to conclude
his meditations by the reflection. tina, as
suredly the lovely widow was fulfilling
some unavoidable award Of des,inv. As
for his own feelings. the lady was lovely
young, rich, accomplished, and noted 70,
her sensibili,y and virtue; could he hest
tate!
When The marriage contract was sign.
ed. his astonishment was redoubled. fol
he found himself. through the lady's lows
the virtual possessor Of large property
both in England and France. The pres
ence Of friends had certified and sanction
ed the union, yet, as has been stated
Frederic fell. some strange fears. in spite
Of himself. lest all should prove an lls
sion. and he grasped his brides hand. as
if to prevent her from being spirited away
from his view.
My dear Frederic said the LADY, smil.
ingIy. sit down beside me. and Ia, me
say something to YOU The young hus-
band obeyed. but still did not qu. her
hand. She began-'Once on a time
Frederic started. and half seriously
observation-disclosures! it is a fairy tale!
Listen to me. foolish boy resumed the
lady. There was once a young girl.
the daughter Of parents well born. and a,
one time rich, but who had declined sad
ly in circumstances. Until her fifteenth
year, the family lived in Lyons, depend.
ing entirely fer subsistence upon the Ia.
Dor OF her father. Some better hopes