The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-09-08
FROM THE FRENCH.

dy Of the stricest character and of a heart proof
| against all aIlurement. She prided herself upon
her great nsensbility, and her profound ndIfffr.
ence had repulsed all those gallants who had ven
| tured to offer their addresses. The country was
for her verltabe retreat, she Stunned reunions.
and was only happy in solitude. The charms Of
a chosen circle, the pleasures oil the world had for
her no attraction, and her fayoriie recreation was
that OF anglng-an amusement worthy OF an un
| feeling woman. @=" "a
She was accustomed every pleasant day to sta
ton herself at the extremity of the lonely island
| Of ChaiOn, and there with book in hand and
| her line in the other, her time passed in fish
| ing, reading dreaming.
lover who had always been inundated by her
| coldness, and who had never veniured on spoken
or written declaration, surprised her at her favor.
! Ite pursuit, one day hen he had come 10 the
island for the purpose Of enjoying a swimming
| bath. He observed her for long time without
discovery, and busted himself with thinking how
he might turn TO advantage this lonely amuse.
ment of angling. His reveries were deep and
SO fortunate that he at last hit upon the desired
plan, novel expedient indeed-yet they are al.
ways most successful with such women as pretend
10 be invunerable.
| The next day our amorous hero returned TO the
island, studded the ground, made his arrange.
| mens, and when Nine. D. had resumed her
accustomed place he slipped away 10 remote and
retired shelter, and after having dves;ed himself
of his clothing he entered the stream. An excel
lent swimmer and skillul diver, he trusted to his
aquatic talents for the Of his enterprise.
He swan to the end of the island with the great.
est precaution favored by The chances of the bank
and the bushes which hung their dense foliage
above the walers. In his lips note folded
and sealed, and on arriving near the spot where
Nine. ID. was sitting he made dive, and lightly
seizing he hook he attached TO it the letter.
n Iho IF hor
line, supposed that fish wss biting.
The young man had returned he came he
had doubled the cape which extended into
the water separating them from each other, and
had reganed 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 dangling upon the barb
of her hook, mot the expected sinner but an un.
expected letter
This was, however, tri6ing, and her surprise
became superstition when, on detaching the trans
fixed billet, she read upon the envelope-her
name
So then, this letter which she had fshed up was
addressed 10 her!
This somewhat miraculous. She was
afraid. Her troubled glance scrulinized the sur.
rounding space, but there was nothing 10 be seen.
or heard all was still and lonely both on land and
water.
She quilted her seat, but took away the letter.
IS soon she was alone, and cloiseted with her.
sife, and as soon as the paper dry-a paper
perfectly waterproof, and written upon with IN
delible ink-she unsealed the letter and commen-
ced lis perusal.
A declaration Of love! cried she at the frs:
words What insuence
Still the insolence had came TO her in such
extraordinary manner that her curiosity would not
suffer her TO treat this letter as she had so many
orhers-Ptilessly burning without reading.
No, she read it quite through. The lover, who
dated his notes from The bottom Of the river, had
skIlully adopted the allegory, and introduced him
self as a grotesque nhabi,ant of the waiers.-
The fable was gracefully managed, and with The
ipsng tone which he had adopted was mingled
true, serious, ardent sentiment, expressed with
beauty and eloquence.
The mex. day Nine. D-reurned to the island,
not without emotion and some trace of fear. She
threw her line with a trembling hand, and shud-
dered as, moment after, she perceived the move
ment of the hook.
Is it a fish? Is il a letter?
II was letter.
Mme D. was no believer in magic, still
there was something strange and supernatural in
all this. Pr
She had an idea of throwing back the letter in.
TO the stream, but relinquished 1t. The most stub
born and naughty woman IS always disarmed in
ina gination.
This second letter more tender, more pas.
sionaie, more charming than the first, Mme ID.
re.read il several times, and could not help think.
ing about the delightful norman who wrote such
bewitchiDg letters
On The subsequent day she attached her line to
the bank, and left it swimming in the stream,
while she withdrew to hiding place upon the ex.
tremity Of the island. She watched for long
time, but nothing. She returned to the place,
withdrew the line-and there the letter !
This time answer was requested. Ii was, per.
haps premature, yet the audacious request obtain
ed full success. The reply was written otter
some hesitation, and the hook dropped into the
stream charged with letter which was Intended
to say nothing, and affected sort of badinage.
which was nevertheless a bulletin of victory gain
ed over the harsh severity Of woman until then
- Mime. D. had too much shrewdness no: 10 !
guess that her mysterious correspondent employed,
instead OF magic, the art Of sklful diver. Scru-
Pies easily understood RESTRAINED her from that /
portion of the bank wklte she was that the
DIVER would emerge from the wafer.
But this game. Of le,fers amused her. First 1t
pleased her intellect, and then her heart was in
finally her feel s"s, and her curiosity |
became so lively that 81 wrote:
Let US give up this jesing, which has plrased
me for the moment. bun WHICH should coninus no |
longer, and come with your apologies to Chator.