The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-05-04
The DAILY DISPATCH.
La RosIERE.
FROM cHAMBAR's ] JouRrA1.

noM CHAMBAR' 8 JOURNAL.
About twelve miles from ps,;. i .;,u.,.a a.
pretty yernai hamlet of Maisons Laf,,es +
nangs around the Chateau. Laftte-a nr;nce.
y residence, formerly the properfv and dssI.
iing OF the well known banker of ,ha, mar.
put iof many years past in other hands. IL
'front.' OF tne chateau, broad avenue of ereen.
swaIc strikes straight away through thick
Iorest, extending many miles across the conn.
!Tyi ana parallel with the front of the building
IS an avenue still broader, but NOT so Ione5s
La Grand Allee-wherein the yariou. fefes If
tie hamlet are celebrated, and which. mora.
over, forms principal scene in the following
narrative. F.ssss ~ As
Before the Revolution Of 1898. the name of
Gostilion was familiar as daily proyerb TO the
people Of the Maisons. There were three or
tour branches ofthe family living in the neigh
borhood, and well known as industrious and
respectable members of the peasant Glass;
When the earthquake comes. however. the
cottageis as much imperilled as the palace; so
the events which brought Louis XVI. and
Marie Antoinette to the block, and sent panic
into every court in Europe,a lso broke up and
dispersed the humble house of GostiIlon, In
the awful cofusion Of the times, some were
slain upon barricades; some sent hitber and
thlther with the army, to perish in La Vendee
or elsewhere; and some fed to seek safety and
peace IN foreign landss Thus it came to pass.
that at length there were only three females il,
Maisons-a widow and her two daughters
bearing the once common name. Nine. Veuye
Gostillon managed 70 obtain living by cult
waiting small gardei,--ihe flowers and fruit Of
| which she sold in the markets of Paris--snd
by plying her needle. Her daughters were
named Julia and Cecilia, and there was the
somew hat remarkable difference of feight wears
between their ages.
Just as Julia had reached her fourteenth
year, and little Cecilia her sixth, terrible mis-
| fortune happened to the Industrious widow; q
| stroke of paralysis deprived her of the use of
| her limbs, and rendered her unasle longer to
maintain herself and little family by the labor
of her hands. A time ofsevere distress ensued
for this remnant Of the once numerous and
hearty family of the Gostillons; but it was only
for awhile. Julia-shrewd, spirited, and in
| dustrious-worked night and day to perform
| the labor heretofore the portion of her parent,
| and to liquidate the extraordinary expenses OF
| the poor Widows sad illness, and the derange-
ment consequent thereupon. Steady assiduity
seldom fails of success. 1t was not long be-
| fore she had the satisfaction of finding matters
| proceeding in somewhat straight forward
lnanner-doctor's bills paid;arrears ofrent such
as they were, made up; and the little business
of flowers, fruit and needlework proceeding
astractiyeness in the virtue and good behavior
of youth; and Julia, handsome, intelligent mo-
| dest and sweet.tempered, soon became the ia.
vorite of all who knew her.
| The peasantry of France have, from ancient
| times, maintained the custom of publicly de-
monstrating their esteem for any young female
member of community, who. in her progress
| from childhood to adolescence, or rather wo.
manhood, may have given evidence of the pos.
session of any unusual amount of amiability
and cleverness. Young girls who are deem
ed worthy OF public recognisation as examples
| ofyirtue and industry, are waited upon by the
| villagers on fete day, led forth seated ON a
| throne offiowers, crowned with roses, blessed
| by the cure, and presented with the honorable
| title of La Rossere. The custom is graceful
and poetical; and the world hardly presents a
more charming spectacle-at once SO simple
and so touching-as the installation Ofr0siere
| in some sequestered village of France. The
associations connected with ii are pure and
bright enough for Golden Age. All who
take part in the little ceremony are humble
people, living by their labor; the queen of the
day is queen by reason Of her industry and yir-
tue; they who do her such becoming and en-.
couraging homage, old and young, lead lowly
and toilsome lives, and yet have the innate
grace thus to evince their reverence for the best
qua lities of human nature. The pageantry
of courts, and pompous cr0wning OF kings and
queens, gfand and splendid as they are, have
not such spiritual fragrance as these village
queen makings; soft glimmerings and sbinings-
through of the light OF a better world-a world
with which man, let cOnyentiOnality disguise
him as it may, always has some sympathies.
For three years, the exemplary Julia had
continued to support her helpless parent and
little sister, when in accordance with this Gus
tom, the good folks Of the hamlet determined
to show their appreciation Of her estimable
Qualities at the next fete, by crowning her with
roses, and enthroning her with the usual cere-
mony in the Grande Alice. In the meantime,
Victor Coionne, son Of the steward of the
chateau, happened to pay visit to the poor
widows cottage; and thereafter ne came again,
and again, and again, cOurting Julia Gastil.
Ion.
But Victor and Julia were not made for
each other. He was thriftless, idle, dissolute
--the small roue of the neighborhood; she
was careful, industrious, virtu0us. He was
good looking-of dark, saturnine beauty, in
sidiously impressive, like the dangerous charms
of a tempter; she was radiant and lustrous
with the sweet graces of modesiy, innocence,
and intelligence. Julia. however, young and
susceptible, was for time pleased with his
attentions. Persuasive powers of considera
BILE potency, and personal attractions OF no
her feet entirely in vain. Ingenious, trustful,
and inexperienced. she listened to the chamer
with yielding and delighted ear, and was
happy as long as she perceived nothing but
| sincerity and love. 1t was but tor time,
however. The Widow Gostillon liked not
| her daughters lover. gilmore mature percep-
lion, or sharper IN reading character than b., her
child, she conceived deep dstrust OF the airy
sm;ie and studied q eallantry Of Victor Colonne.
She took counsel with matrons old and cir.
cumspect as herself; made herself acquainted
with tictor's history; watched bis looks, list.
~: and. day by day, felt more and more
strongly 81 , that she liked him no,-,hat there
was mischief in his restless eye a.d soft mus
ical voice. She communicated her erica fear: 10 e
bade her be On her guard. Julia was startled
and and distressed. m ~ These suspicious checked the
brightness and little glory Of her iiis 2. and set.
tied waay and haziiy on her sou,, lss an;n,p "im
ar Jarsrs,,rs Car many thoughts. Looks and