Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-05-16
A FRENCH STORY

A FRENCH STORY
At Court ball, some twenty years since, a
Young officer of the French cavalry met and
was charmed by beautiful English girl. He
obtained an introduction, and danced with her
as often as he could, without challenging the
remark of his Grace, the young lady's papa.
Our hero was handsome, amiable, witty, and
in every way a person to win the good will of
the fair sex He was of good family, and had
the aristocratic dc affixed to his name, although
he could boast no patrimonial estate.
The young lady was of England's privileged
class-both noble and wealthy This,
however, our lover did not know when first he
bowed before the charms of her beauty. Love
begets love, and women arc grateful; aud the
fair girlreturncd the young soldiers devotion.
They met often-how or where we cannot say !;
but Paris is large, and English customs are
convenient for young people. This was all
charmingly agreeable. but unsatisfactory; for
affixed to marriage
At length our heroitse <lissloses her wishes
to her parents They so hozxifed; their
daughter rasrrv aFrenehnaaas sszsEeIv slieusen-
ant, a man without estafej Il IS not 10 Be
thought of She listens 70 this teaieion IN
tears A first weakness passed, however, she
feels natures dictate and the strength which
love gives. She next boldly and firmly de-
clares to her parents that she loves the young
officer with her whole heart, and hins alone
viii she marry, That if they will mot permit
her to judge Of her own happiness, she can
wait until she is of age, when the clergyman
may marry them without parental leave.
My Lord and My Lady are made conscious
that their fair and gentle daughter has will OF
her own. and also patient determination to
crafty that will They come to party, and
enter into negotiations with the young people
The lovers are to be separated for two years
lit shall not be considered an engagement
and the young lady shall receive the addresses
of other suitors.
On the other hand, the lovers are to be pes-
mitted to correspond. and if they remain low
ers at the end oftwo years, they shall marry
with full consent and appreciation
The young lady consoles her anxious lover
with assurance that her love is unchanged and
that the two years absence will only serve to
prove their affection for each other and endear
them to one another still more
They part! The English party return home.
During month they exchange letters daily
and such letters Of what length, and how
full of terms of endearmentl How poor Ian
guage seemedto them!
But one day our heroine listened in vain for
the postman's knock. SO well known to every
Londoner. He came not. The next day pas
sed, and the next-and no tidings; and thus
many days passed, and brought disappointment
only, Weeks lengthed into months, and no
letter cheered the sick heart of the poor girl
The third month came round, and her hopes
became faint. Then My Lady condoled with
her daughter, upbraided the young soldier,
and urged the acceptance of LORDS a sui
tor for her hand. 1T was thus that true
English heart should resent an insult Three
months pass. Meanwhile the unhappy dam
sci writes letters and sends them in every pos
sible way in the hope of obtaining an explana-
ton of this long silence None come; doubts
becomes conyiction-she is deserted. She
stiles the love in her heart, and pride comes to
strengthen her selfrespect Having no lon
ger desire of her own, she yields to that of
her mother. My Lady will marry Lord
but since have SO decided. let us be married
quickly.
1t was done. Fifteen years pass by. Our
heroine is widow Five years more, and
Ny lady" lies i'll until death.
She calls her daughter to her bedside. and
confesses that she had detained the letters of
the young officer-that he had been faithful
The proofs of it were by the hundred in such
desk ssMv Lady, dies. Our heroine seeks
these letters of the lover of her youthful days,
and finds heaps of his, and also those she had
written, in the vain hope of obtaining explain
alton of his silence.
Twenty years of disappointment were for
gotten in reading the ardent expressions of af-
lection and devotion which they breathed.
She was young again. and her heart had known
no care-it was again the spring-time of her
life. She took these letters with her, and