The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1852-07-31
A SELECT TED TALE
The Stolen Rose.

Geraldine Delisle was, the year pre-.
vious to the late revolution. which in
one day shattered one of the great
monarchies of the earth, the rel gnine
belle in her circle. Lovely in form and
face, she wanted but to correct some
trifing defects in character to be per-
feet. But if she had large black eyes
and massive brow, and beautiful hail
and white teeth-if she had lily-white
hand and tiny feet she knew it too we'll
and knew the power of her charms over
man. She loved admiration, and never
was so happy as when in ballroom
all the men were almost disputing for
the honor of her hand. But Geraldine
had no declared saitor; she never gave
the slightest encouragement to any
one. Many offered themselves, but
they were invariably rejected, until at
twenty her parents began to be alarmed
at the prospect of her never marrying.
Mons. and Madam Delisle had found SO
much genuine happiness in marriage
the only natural state for adult human
beings-that they had promoted the
early marriage of two sons and an elder
daughter, and now that Geraldine alone
remained, they earnestly desired to see
her well and happily married before
they died. They received numerous
offers, but the young girl had such
winning ways with her parents, when
she declared that she did not like the
proposeF, they never had the courage
TO insist.
During the season of 1s47, Geraldine
never missed party or ball. She never
tired as long as there was music TO listen
to, and it was generally very nearly
morning before she gained her home
About the middle of the season she was
sitting by her mothers side in the
splendid saloons of the Princess Menzi-
kof She had been dancing, and her
late partner was saying a few words,
to which she scarcely made any reply.
Her eyes were fixed upon a gentleman
who, after observing her for some time,
had turned away in search Of some one.
He was the handsomest man she had
ever seen in her life, and she was
curious to know who he was. A little
above the middle height, slight, pale,
with large eyes, soft in repose like those
of a woman, he had at once interested
EGeraldine, who, like most women, could
excuse every bad feature in man
save insipd or unmeaning eyes, and
she asked her mother who he was.
"He.is very bad man." said Madam
Delisle. '"Qf noble family, rich, titled,
young and handsome, he is celebrated
only for his felIies. He throws away
on every questionable plea
sure, ard has the objectionable fault,
in my eyes, of always ridiculing mar
riage."
Il cannot forgive him for ridiculing
mamma, but | can excuse
him for not wishing to marry"
"My dear, man who dlslikes mar
riage is never good man. A woman
may from caprice, or from any motive,
object to marrying; but man, except
when under the influence of hopeless
men have rarely feeling
enough for this-always must be a hus-
band to be good citizen"
"Ah! mamma, you 'have been so
happy that you think all must De so, but
you see many who are not"
Madam Delisle," said the Princess
who unperceived had come
round to her, "allow me TO introduce
to you nay friend Alfred de Rougement
must not call him Count he being
what we call democrat, with clean
face and white kid gloves"
The princess is always satirical,"
replied NJ. de Rougement, smiling,
I" and my harmless opposition to the
now in power, and which
she honors with her patronage, is all
her grounds for so terrible an announce
ment.a
Madam Delisle and Geraldine both
started and colored, and when Alfred
de Rougement proposed for the next
dance he was accepted; the next min
ute the mother would gladly have found
some excuse to have prevented her
daughter from dancing. Alfred de
was the very bad man"
whom she had the instant before been
But it was now too late.
From that evening Geraldine never
went to q ball without meeting Alfred.
She received many invitations from
most unexpected quarters, but as surely
as she went she found her new admirer,
who insited her to dance as often as he
could without breaking tae rules of
And yet he rarely spoke
The dance once over, he brought her
back to her mothers side, and left her
without saying a word; coming back
when his tarn again came with clock
work regularity. In their drives they
were sure to meet him. Scarcely was
the carriage rolling up the Champs
Elysees before he was on horseback
within sight. He merely bowed as he
passed, however, keeping constantly
in view, without endeavoring to join
them.
One evening, though invited to an
early soiree and to a late ball, during
dinaer they changed their minds, and
decided on going TO the opera at the
very opening, to hear some favorite
music which Geraldine very much
admired. They had not yet risen from
dessert, when note came from Albert
In pnruA1ant afTario0 them his h0Y