The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1849-09-08
THRILLING TALE
II IG II AND LOW LIFE
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many n fruiless effort 10 raise himself nboy,
Indulgence Ills last rasourse IN his old age
arose from TIN exercise Of TALENT which hs
had acquired IA his youth, lhhI Of bellows
mending This 100, was tho humble PRO,
Fusion which whs destined 10 follow. fjg,
ing endowed by nature viii quick aud live,
" faculties, both Of mind aud body, soon
grew skilliul IN my trade, aud having an an.
bilious spirit, sel OF for Lyona 10 prosecute
my calling there. | was 30 for succesHfil
that became fhyorIe with the chamber.
maids, who were ny chief employers, aud
Twhuntfn5 good looks and youth Interested in
my favor.
One evening, however, 40 whs returning
home hher my days round, ! wac ,aseos,e,l
by four 'well-dresSed young men, Who threw
Out Tow plenHaulrrB on NY profession,
which answered IN a style good humored
raillory that seemed 20 SURPRISE aud please
ham. snw lheJ looked significantly ~ QUE
another, aud heard one Of llcm suy, This
IN our man" Tho words Alarmed me, but
tIy IsaF- wsFs speedily dispsed "Perouron,"
said one, yan shall hup will u.s. We have a
scheme which may do you good. II you do
not agree To u We shall not harm YOU, bul Ou-
" ask you to keep our secret. DO not ba
afraid, hut come with u.s. Seeing all of
lhem 10 bo gentlemen 10 appearance,
did not hesitate To accept lie oilar. They
conducted me through number Of cross
streets, aud NJ laAt entered lnndsuur house
~ an apartment of which wt luuud ~ OTHER
young men, who appeared ID have been wait.
ing iUpntigntly for my conductors .;,,,t
explanatory words passed respecting me, aud
soon afterwards NO snt down 10 supuer.-
"v."s yo;;"s, ,houghtless, aud lighI.henrted,
J gave way To tho enjoymcnl Of the hour,nnd
vented succession of pltnsnnirios which
seemed highly 10 plenso my chance compnn-
ions. but They all grew silent md thouglt-
l,il ere long, and finally ono of them address
ed iiie ihnA: -"Ihe zen persons whom you
see before you said he, "Hro all cugrnvcrs
aud citizens of Lyons. We are all IN good
circumstances aud making very hnndsome
living 10y our 0csuTdtiUu- VIZ ur,- nh -utt,r,l,--
ed to one another, aud formed n happy sOci.
ely, AL love stepped ~ to disturb ~. Ia
the street OF 81. Dominie there lives picture
merchant, mun of respectable station but
otherwise an ordinary pertonhge. lie has,
however, a daughter, n croaluer Possessed
OF every oHplishmcnt, md endowed with
every grace. but all whose nmiable qualities
nre shaded by one defeci,--prido, insupport-
ble pride. As an example of tho way la
which this feeling led her 10 treat others, I
viii own that myself paid my addresses to-
her, mud wns approved by her father, as one
10y birth and circumstances much their supo-
rlor. But what was tho answer which the
insolent girl herself gave 10 my sditY do
you think, sir, thai young woman like me
was born for nothing better than To be tho
wife of an engrnverY"
'ller great chnrms aud her pride have
been equally felt by us am continued the !
speaker, land we hold that she has Gust n
slur both on Us Ond our profession. We, |
therefore, have resolved to show this disdain- |
20 IluI hua V.nY tst.I
he honor Of being the wife of an ongraver-
Now, will you Undressing mel venture to |
become the husband ofa charming woman,
who, 10 attain perfection, only wants to have
her pride mortified mud hdr pride punished"
YES" answered !, spurrdd on by the excite
mcnt ofIhe moment; ~ comprehend what
you would have INC do, ] Will fulfil IL Ia
such manner that you shall have no rsa-
sou TO blush for your pupil.
The three months that followed this
strange scsEe were wholly occupied with
preparations for the part | was TO perform.
Preserving the s,riclest possible secrecy, my
did their best to transform n
plain belows-nender into fine gentleman.
Bathing, huir-dressers, &c, brought my per-
son to fitting degree OF refinement, while
svery day one or the other of tho engravers
devoted himself 10 the task of teaching INC
music drawing, and other accomplishments;
aud nature hn1 furnished me disposition
20 study and memory 10 releniive that my
Irlenua, were nsionishod at the progress OF
ffetr dee1t'e, Ihou hllGkR of all else felt The
deepest delight In acquiring these new rudl-
neDis OF education. But The lime came
when sensible, for the first time, of the true
nature Of the task had entered upon. The
;oufederates at length thought me perfect,
md in the character Of the rich Marquis OF ,
ioupeon, proprietor Of large estates in .Dau-
'hiny, was installed in tho first hotel in Ly- Z
ms. II was under this title That presented
myself to the picture dealer in st. Dominic
treet. made few purchases from him. /
nd seemed anxious to purchase more. Al. |
Or little intercourse of this kind, he sent &
ne word one morning That he had just re- I
eiVed a superb collection ofcngravings from q
Tome, and begged me 10 call and see them. \
did so, and was received not by him. but 4
y Aurora This was jhe"first sight | had .
OF Of lha. lovely girl, aud. for the first time
my life my young aud papi,nlng heart "
Ell the power of beauty. A new world I'M /,
olded itself before my Dyes; ! soon forgot my /,
borrowed parts one sentiment absorbed my :.
oul, one lden enchanted my faculties. The II
ilr Aurora perceived her triumph, and seeaI- ;,
d TO listen with complacency to the lncohe. ;;
ent exressons OF passion which escaped my n
ps. The interview fixed my destiny for !,
yer! The intoxication ofenjoying her pres
nee hurried the on, blind to everything else.
or several months saw her every dny, aud y
njoyed a state Of happiness only dumped 10y y
Ie seli-Sccusing tornGnts of solitary hours, :.
nd 10y tho necessity was under of regularly "
Ieeting my employers, who furnished me "
ith money, jewels, every thing could :.
'quire. Al length Anrora's gave little lete :, -
the country, III which was evidently the
sro. moment occurred,ih which, thought = =
81 of all hut my love ihreM mYsnlf a nifiI. "