True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-02-01
gele1t QIul&%
40 From Bluckwood's Magazine.
THE WEES SECRET.

THE WIFE'S SECRET.
Within two hours of the birth of Paul
Vedot, his mother died; and as her hus-
band had departed this life some six months
previously, little Paul was left an orphan
almost as soon as he we'll could be; and
but for his grandame Truquet, manufactu-
rer and vender of saJots in the ancient town
of Amiens, in the department of the Som
ne, France, the little fellow must have been
conveyed to the basket of the entans-tro'c-
ves, and consigned to the pious care Of the
good nuns attached to that anti -Malthu-
sian establishment. Kind Dame Truquet
having wrapped her tiny grandson careful
ly up in her lap, carried him safely home,
and by dint of careful nursing, unstintcd
scolding, and stripes not a few, contrivcd
to bring him creditably upt young mans
estate, with only only one mishap of any
consequence. This occurred one day when
Paul was about three years Old Madame
Truquet kept a stall in the market place on
Saturday, for the more ready disposal of
her wares, and one or two likely looking
customers coming up as she was dandling
Paul afectionately in her arms, she too
hastily popped him down up a lofty and
loose heap of sabots just deposited on the
narrow stall, which, unable to support the
sudden and struggling weight, slid over,
carrying the child with it, who fell heavily
.,.updn. the pavement, and broke his right
leg. This unfortunate tumble resulted in
permanent lameness, the wounded limb
when cured being about two inches short
or than its fcllow--a calamity not without
its compensating benefit, inasmuch as it
rendered Paul forever ineligible as a can
didatc for military glory; in other words,
deprived him Of the honor of contributing
a unit to the conscription lists.
Nothing otherwise especially notc-wor-
thy is especially recorded Of Pauls boy
hood. He very early mastered the art and
mystery of the sabot manufacturing, and at
his own request, was apprcnticed to cor
donnier, so that he might thereafter be
able to combine the twin trades of wood
and leather shoe-making. Paul finished
his time at twenty, and but for mishap
which bcfcl him at that susceptible age, he
would at once have set out with light
heart, like other young men of his class,
for two or three years tour thro' France,
to acquire experience in his craft, and such
general knowledge of the ways of the world
as would qualify him to settle down quiet
ly aud comfortably at Amiens, with 'Tu-
quet and Vcrdot, boot, shoe and sabot man.
ufacturcrs, over the shop-door. This first
stumble, as it may be called, upon the
threshold of life, was caused by the bewil-
dering black eyes of Lucille Borlaso, a
young shoe-bindress employed by his mas
ter, at whose dwelling poor Paul used fire.
duently to call for the work which had
been given out to the mischievous damsel,
and he was only too happy, when OCCASION
ally asked to sit down and wait awhile till
it was finished AT those times, as Paul
subsequently confessed to his indignant
grandmother, he felt Lucille merry glance
shoot through and through his heaat and
back again, just as her bright needle pierre
ed in and out of the less tender binding
she was sewing ON, This resolution, made
on the day his apprenticeship expired,
would hardly, perhaps, then have bubbled
over his lips, but for the great additional
fervency impaired to his passion by the
numerous wine-cups he had been draining
on taking final leave of his camarades de
6Outiqae.
Lucille Borlase" exclaimed Madame
Truquet, with explosive wrath, 'why, Paul,
you must have lost your senses. The Ber-
lases have been children of the devil time
out of mind. Themen, sots, idlers, spend
thrhs; the women, two-faced, assembling
hussies, that would deceive Satan himself,
much more poor gawby like YOU -a 70
Come, come, broke in Paul, withgrcat
heat, mot such gawby as you may sup
pose, bonnie mere Besides, gi'l sn'tal-
ways saint for having been brought up
in convent as for Lucille, yarJIcu! she
is simplicity and candor itself One can
see it in her looks, O--hP e, .,