Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-09-15
EVENING STAR.
ANGLING FOR A HUSBAND.
FROM THE FRENca.


of heart proof against all allurement.
She prided herself upon her great insen-
sibility, and her profound indifference had
repulsed all those gallants who had ven-
tured to offer their addresses. The coun.
try was for her veritable retreat; she
Stunned reunions, and was only happy
in solitude. The charms of q chosen cir
Gle, the pleasures of the world had for
her no attraction, and her favorite recre-
alton was that of angling-an amusement
worthy Of an unfeeling woman.
She was accustomed every pleasant day
to station herself at the extremity of the
lonely island of Chaton, and there, with
q hook in one hand and her line in the
other, her time was passed in fishing,
reading OF. dreaming.
Alover who had always been intinidated
by her coldness, and who had never ven-
tured on a spoken or written declaration,
surprised her at her favorite pursuit, one
day when he had come to the island for
the purpose of enjoying . swimming
bath. He observed her for long time
without discovery, and busted himself
with thinking how he might turn to his
advantage this lonely amusement of an
Cling. His reveries were so deep and SO
fortunate that he at last hit upon the de.
sired plan, novel expedient, indeed
yet they are always most successful with
such women as pretend to be invulnera-
BILE.
The next day our amorous hero re-
turned to the island, studied the ground,
made his arrangements, and when Mime.
D-had resumed her accustomed place,
he slipped away to remote and retired
shelter, and after having divested himself
of his clothing, he entered the stream.
An excellent swimmer and skilful diver,
he trusted to his aquatic talents for the
success of his enterprise. He swan to
the end of the island with the greatest
precaution, favored by the chances of the
bank and the bushes which hung their
dense foliage above the waters. In his
lips was note folded and sealed, and on
arriving near the spot where Nine. D.
was sitting, he made dive, and lightly
seizing the hook, he attached it to bis
letter.
Nine. -, perceiving the movement
Of her line, supposed that fish was
biting.
The young man returned as be came
he had doubled the cape which extended
out into the water separating them from
each other, and had regained his post
without the least noise in hiS passage
under the willows. The deed was done
Nine. D. pulled in her line, and
what was her surprise to observe dang
ling upon the barb of her hook, not the
expected sinner, but an unexpected let
ter!
This was, however, trifing, and her
surprise became stupefaction when, on
detaching the transfixed billet, she read
upon the envelope-her name!
So, then, this letter which she had
ished up was addressed to her
This was somewhat miraculous. She
was afraid. Her troubled glance scruti-
nized the surrounding space, but there
was nothing to be seen or heard; all was
still and lonely both upon the land and
water.
She Quilted her seat, but took away the
letter. As soon as she was alone and
closeted with herself, and as soon as the
paper was dry-a paper perfectly water.
proof, and written upon with indellible
ink-she unsealed the letter, and COM
menced its perusal.
A declaration of love! she cried at the
first words. What insolence!
Still, the insolence had come to her in
such an extraordinary manner that her
curiosity would not suffer her to treat
this letter as she had so many others
pitilessly burn it without reading.
No, she read it quite through. The
lover, who dated his note from the bot
tom of the river, had skilfully adopted
the allegory, and introduced himself as
a grotesque inhabitant of the waters.
The fable was gracefully managed, and
with the jesting tone which he had adop-
ted was mingled true, serious, ardent
sentiment, expressed with beauty and
elOquence.
The next day Nine. D. returned to
the island, not without emotion and some
traces of tear. She threw her line with
trembling hand, and shuddered as,
moment after, she perceived the move
ment of the hook.
Is it a fish ? Is it letter!
1t was letter.
Nine. D was no believer in magic,
still there was something strange and su.
pernatural in all this.
She had an idea of throwing back the
letter into the stream, but relinauished
it. The most stubborn and naughty wo-
man is always disarned in face of that
strange mystery which captivates her
imagination.
This second letter was more tender,
more passionate, more charming than the
first, Mime. D. read it several times,
and could not help thinking about the
delightful norman who wrote such be-
witching letters. 4 @ se-a.
On the subsequent day she attached
her line to the bank, and left it swimming
in the stream, while she withdrew to q
hiding place upon the extremity of the
island. She watched for long time, but
saw nothing. She returned to the place,
withdrew the line-and there was the
letter!
This time an answer was requested.
1t was, perhaps, premature, yet the au-
dacious request obtained full success.
The renlv WAS written after aome hec;te