The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-03-14
The Broken Gun.

humOr playful. very Inherent IN this 1rOm
Nine Blainval, her mistress who is silent,
melancholy and gloomy, as it is becoming to
be during the first period of widowhood
Standing in the middle. of the saloon, Mile.
Julie holds in one hand fly brush and in the
other billet-doux. 1t were useless to say
which of these two subjects occupies most of
her attention. The billet-doux contains de-
caration that Mile. Julie is reading again for
the tenth time, while brandishing carelessly the
f1y-brush without looking at what she is doing.
Double imprudence! on one part too much
attention, on the other too much negligence;
that might cause two misfortunes. But we
think of that only when the mischief is DONE
porcelain cup falls and is shattered to pieces
ces on the floor. One half Of the mischief is
already done, the other may perhaps happen
next Sunday.
Startled from the pleasure of an interesting
study, Nile. Julie contemplates the disaster oc-
casioned by her guilty inattenton. What will
Madame say? A superb breakfast set of old
porcelain! The thing is SO much the more
serious, that the precious set had been given to
Madame Blainyal by her husband, and Mile
Julie knows how much store her mistress sets
BY every thing that recalls to her. her deceased
husband.
I shall be seolded, may be dismissed said
the lively maid, who for moment had lost her
gay smile and her sweet playfuness. But
ture will not stray long, and Mile. Julie adds
maliciously What if I charge somebody else
with this awkwardness?'
The intention was not charitable, and that
was its least fault. Yet was it necessary to
know on whom to lay the blame No one had
entered the saloon and no one was expected
before Madame Bainyal
It is in such dilemmas that imagination is a
good thing. Mile Julie reflected during two
or three minutes, then suddenly her eye bright
ened, a smile again parted her lips, and she
exclaimed gailv:-
i have an idea!
With Mile. Julie, execution was quick as
thought. 10 go down TO the garden. pick up
a stone, come up again to the saloon, break a
pane of glass and place the stone in the midst
Of the fragments Of the cup was for her the
business Of but moment.
So the accident came out of door.
Yes, but people do not break windows for
nothing, and Madame de Blanval had under
standing enough to find out the trick. The
idea must be perfected, the stone was worth
text
Here is something to dress it with, pursued
| the ingenious mind, who still held in her hand
the fatal billet doux. There was neither name
nor direction to this gallant epistle, it was a
passionate declaration, naming no person.
| Mile Julie could sacrifice letter she knew by
heart. The stone was then wrapped up in
the love breathing billet. and the article was
| thus fortified behind a complication that must
insure its success.
| All had been disposed for about half ar
hour, when Madame Blainval entered the saloon
alone and sad as usual. She wore long mourn
ing dress that did not spoil the elegance of he1
shape and the graces of features. At the frs
glance she perceived the mischief, and soon hel
sorrow for the broken cup was forgotten in the
anger she felt on reading the bilet-doux.
1t is possible such things can be written te
me?' cried she, but [ cannot doubt it, the let
ter is certainly for me, since it is here
| What particularly offended her in this de.
claration, was the style, which to her seemed
impertinent in the last degree, Written in
terms more suitable, the billet might have pro
duced less effect. A fashionable woman, woed
like an intriguing maid, cannot pass over this
insult with Indifference and disdain at any
price, she must know the impudent fellow that
| had Judged her SO badly.
But, thought Madame Blainval, it can be but
neighbor.
The window which had given egress to the
billet, looked upon some gardens. Opposite,
arose fine large house, the inhabitants Of
which had never excited Madame Blainvals
idle curiosity. For the first time, the young
widow took her post of observation, behind a
curtain, and reviewed the lodgers in the neigh
| borhood.
On the first door, dwelt an English lady and
her two daughters, living alone and in absolute
retirement.
| On the second, an old general who had long
abandoned military service, and the storms OF
the passions.
On the third, an honest family composed OF
the father the mother, and seven children, the
oldest, eleven or twelve years old.
On the fourth, no tenants, it had been to LET
for three quarters.
| On the ffth-who could reside on the fifth
floor? The eyes of Madame Bainval had never
looked so high.
Suddenly at one of the windows of this fftl,
story, young man made his appearance
DidlIN dl COuCtdiSu uCiSSlA III eilS ieiN
of the curtain, but the young man did not look
towards her, he leaned on the edge of the win
dow, passed, his hand through his long fair hai1
and his eyes were fixed on the azure Of the hea-
vens.
He wants to play the Hypocrite and con
ceal his game, thought the beautiful widow,
/ but he will sell himself at last
Meanwhile the young man was still looking
at the sky, and a quarter of an hour was spent
in this contemplation that Madame Blainva]
would have found natural, had she known that
the neighbor was poet busy at the time in
finding rebellious rhyme.
Yes indeed, poet, and nothing more, apool
poet named Adalbert, whose name the whele
world was ignorant Of Madame Blainval had
all leisure to see his agreeable face full Of ex
preston Then whether he had at last found
his rhyme or whether he despaired of finding i
in the etheral spaces, the poet withdrew with
out casting glance on the window from which
| his motions were watched.
This is strange thought Madame Blainva
d little forgetful of her resentment.
I j H.