Washington telegraph., 1854-10-04
Translated from tie French
Angling for q Husband.


ded herself upon her great insensibility.
and her profound Indifference had repulsed
all those gallants who had ventured to offer
their addresses. The country was for her a
veritable retreat; she Stunned reunions. and
was only happy in solitude. The cllayns of
a chosen circle. the pleasures of the world
had for her no attraction. and her favorite
recreation was that of angling-an amusc-
ment worthy Of an unfeeling woman.
She was accustomed every pleasant day to
station herself at the extremity Of the lone
ly island OF Chaton, and there, with book
in one hand and her line in the other, her
time was passed in fishing, reading or dream
ing.
A lover who had always been intimidated
by her colGness, and who had never ventur-
ed on a spoken or written declaration, sur
prised her at her favorite pursuit, one day
when he had come to the island for the pur-
pose of enjoying swimming bath. He OBJ
served her for a long time without discovery.
and busted himself with thinking how he
might turn to his advantage this lonely
amusement of angling. His reveries were
so deep and so fortunate that he at last bit
upon the desired plan. a novel expedient in
deed-yet they are always most successful
with such women as pretend to be invuiner-
able.
The next day our amorous hero returned
to the island, studied the ground, made his
arrangements, and when Nine D had
resumed her accustomed place, he slipped
away to remote and retired shelter. and
having divested himself of his clothing, en-
tered the s;rean. An excellent swimmer
and skillful 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 AID 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 seiz-
ing the hook he attached to it his letter
Nine. --, perceiving the move
ment of her line, supposed that fish was
biting.
The young man had returned as he came;
be had doubled the cape which extending
out into the water separated 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 dangling upon
the barb of her hook not the expected sinner
but an unexpected letter,
This was, however, trifinc. and her sur
prise became stupetaction, wher on detach-
ing the transfxed billet, she read upon the
envelope-her name.
So then, this letter which she had fished
up was addressed to her.
This was somewhat miraculous She was
afraid. Her troubled glance scrutinized
the surrounding place, but there was moth
ing to be seen, or heard all was still and
lonely both on land and water.
She quilted her seat, but took away the
letter. AS soon as she was alone, and clos
eted by herself. and as soon as the paper was
dry-a paper perfectly waterproof, and writ
ten upon with indelible ink-she unsealed
the letter, and commenced its perusal
\ declaration Of love cried she at fac
first words. What insoence
Still, the inSolence had come to her in
such an extraordinary manner that her Gu
riosity would not suffer her to treat this let
ter as she had so many -piteously
burn it without a reading.
No, she read it quite through. The lover,
who dated his note from the bottom of the
river, had skillfully adopted the allegory,
and introduced himself as grotesque in
habitant OF the waters. The fable was
gracefully managed, and with the testing
tone which he had adopted was mingled
true, serious, ardent sentiment, expressed
Ina npHI day 1iIBe- D. returned to
the island, not without emotion and some
trace of fear. She threw her line with
trembling hand and shuddcred as. a moment
after, she perceived the movement Of the
hook.
1t is fish? 1t is letter?
1t is letter
Nine. D was no believer in magic,
still there was something strange and super
natural in all this.
She had an IDEA Of throwing back the
letter into the stream, but relinduished it.
The most stubborn and naughty woman is
always disarmed in face of that strange
mystery which captivates her Imagination.
This second letter was more tender. more
passionate, more charming than the first
Nine. D. read it several times, and
could not help thinking about the delight
ful norman who wrote such bewitching let
ters.
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 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