The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-02-26
The Five Franc Piece.
Translated from the French for the Journal OF
Commerce.


Translated from the French for the Journal of
+ Commerce
1t was past midnight, and the bride had been
long in her bridal chamber, when the BRIDE
groom escaped from his friends, and found his
way TO private staircase where a confidential
maid awaited his coming, in a corridor near
the door which was to open for him alone
"Go in" said Dorine, in low whisper, "my
lady is waiting for you." The husband of an
hour tapped at the door, opened it, and threw
himself at the feet of young and beautiful
woman. She was seated before cheerful fire,
in the elegant undress offs rich widow, to whom
q second marriage had given rise to new hopes
and fears. 81 beg you will rise," said she,
ame," said the young man grasping firmly her
extended hand and carrying il to his lips, no,
let me remain at your feet, and do not, do not.
withdraw this little hand. for l fear you will
vanish and leave me; fear it is all dream;
it appears to me I am the hero of fairy tale
such as / remember in my childhood, and
that OF the moment of possessing all in the
world wish to possess, the deceitful fairy will
fly away with my happiness to laugh with her
companions at my regret and despair" ,"Ban-
ish your fears my dear Frederick yesterday
l was the eido,O of Lord Melville; to-day /
am Madame de la Tour your tcife; dismiss
from your Imagination this fairy image of YOUR
childhood, for there is no fairy tale to relate,
but true story" eE
Frederick de la Tour had every reason to
believe that supernatural being had taken his
fortunes into keeping; for during the last month,
either by accident, chance or destiny, an mex
plcable success had made him rich and happy
beyon his most sanguine wishes. He was
young, not more than twenty-five, alone in the
world, and living with the most self fdenying
and rigid economy, when one day, as he was
walking in the street of Saint Honore, splen-
did equpage was suddenly drawn up opposite
to him, lovely woman, leaning out of the
coach-window and seemingly much agitated,
The footman descended from his station, OPEN
ed the door, let down the steps, and with his
plumed hat in hand, respectfully invited the
astonished Frederick to enter the carriager.-
He did so, and thus. as if by magic, beheld
himself seated beside woman both young and
beautiful, and dressed with great elegance and
richness. He had hardly time to look around
him before the horses were again at full speed.
"My dear sir" (said the lady, who was thus
running away with him, and in the sweetest
tone fvoice imaginable 81 have received your
note. but Notwithstanding your refusal, hope
shall see you again at my little sOiree to-
morrow evening" "Me madame" said Fred.
erick. 'Yes, you, sir;-oh! l beg thousand
pardons, bope you will forgive me the mis-
take l have made. said the lady, with an ap-
pearance of much SURPRISE" "but YOU resem-
BILE SO perfectly one ofmy most intimate friends,
that mstook you for him. Oh. excuse me-
sir; what must you think of me; but the like
ness is SO striking-it would have deceived any
person." By the time this explanation was at
an end, the equipage entered the courtyard of
q splendid mansion, and Frederick could do no
less than hand Lady Melville from her car
riage.
Frederick de la Tour, dazzled as well he
mig be, by so many charms, had no difficult.
ty in believing that Lady Melville had mista-
ken him for some less happy mortal, and he
thanked his stars for it, as the error enabled
him to become favorably known to my lady
whose obliging and very flattering invitations
he eagerly accepted-and strange to tell, soon
b. came not only a marked favorite but among
her most constant and welcome guests. The
rich widow was surrounded by suitors for the
honor of her hand, who were dismissed one by
one, and it was somehow so brought about,
that before the end Of short month, the young
clerk had an interview by her Lady ships own
appointment-marriage was proposed by her,
and of course accepted by him. in deiirium
of love and astonishment.
The bewlldered young gentleman stood be-
fore the small looking. glass in his modesty
furnished attic, and surveyed himself from head
TO foot. He was by no means an ugly man,
handsome; his dress was such as became a
clerk with salary of as many hundred francs
per annum as there are months in the wear, and
having praiseworthy aversion to running in
debt, he could not therefore attribute his good
fortune TO his tailor. He made up his mind
that he must be loved for himself alone, and
his early novel reading favored this romantic
conclusion, but being naturally OF a modest
turn of mind, this solution on second thoughts
appeared improbable, and he then determined
that Lady Melville must be laborng under
some strange and unnatural delusion.
When the wedding day arrived and the future
husband listened to the sitUer or rather golden
tones of the notary's voice, his ostonishment
redoubled. He would have, ESQ said the mar
rage contractl country seat in Burgundy,
a domain in Normandy, a house in the street
Saint Honere in Paris, and numerous other
goods and chattels, of which until that day
he had never heard syllable. Lady Melville
had riches a"ross the channel, also, coal mines
IN Wales, and grazing lands in Devonshire.-
Ii was TO the young man golden dream from
which he dreaded 10 awake. The Mayor
mad sanctioned, and the priest had solennly
blessed their union, yet with the rites of the
church and the forms of law to aid his reason,
the conviction that il was all but a splendid
and unsubstantial vision wonld not leave him.
even at the feet of his lawful wife IN the bridal
chamber-he pressed her hand to his lips, he
grasped convusiyely the embroidered night
dress, in his fear that she might suddenly van
ish into the nir.
"Rise, my dear Frederick again said his
wife, "draw that easy chair close TO mine, and
lei me talk TO yon." The young man did so,
but without releasing the hand Of his wife, and