The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-05-19

gratiiy that will. They come to parley, ar,l
enter into negotiations with the young people
The lovers arc to be separated for two years
1t shall not be considered an engagement-anc
the young lady shall receive the addresses q
other suitors
On the other hand, the lovers are to be per
mitted to correspond, and if they remain lovers
at the end Of two years, they shall marry witt
full consent and appreciation.
The young lady consoles her anxious lovel
with assurance that her love is unchanged, and
that the two years absence will only serve to
prove their affection for each other and endeal
them to one another still more.
They part. The English party return home
During a month they exchange letters daily
and such letters! Of what length, and how
full OF terms of endearment! How poor Ian.
guage seemed to them!
But one day our fair heroine listened in vain
for the postman's knock SO well known to
every Londoner. He came not. The next
day passed, and the next-and no tidings :and
thus many days passed, and brought disappoint-
ment only. Weeks heightened 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 the daughter, upbraided the young soldier,
and urged the acceptance Of Lord--as d
.sultor for her hand "It was thus that true
English heart should resent an insult" Three
months more pass. Mean while the unhappy
danlsel writes letters and sends them in every
possible way, in the hope Of obtaining an ex-
PLANTATION Of this long silence. None comes !;
doubt becomes conviction--slle is deserted.
She STILES the love in her heart, and pride
comes to strengthen her selfrespect. Having
no longer 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
It was done. Fifteen years pass by. Our
heroine is widow! Five Years more, and
My Lady" lies ill unto death.
She calls her daughter to her bepsidc, and
confesses that she had detained the letters Of
the young otficer-tlat he had been faithful.
The proofs Of it were by the hundred in such
desk "My Lady" dies. Our heroine seeks
these letters of the lover of her youthful davs.
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
fection 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 Ler, and went to
Paris.
She sought information from the Minister of
War, OF him who was Lieutenant in the cavalry
OF 1884. The authorities replied that the
lieutenant of that time was now Commanding
General, and that he was stationed in one Of
the Southern Departments. The widow wrote
to the General that she was at Paris and de-
sired to see him. He obtained ]cave of oh
scence, and hastened to meet the lady. All is
explained, and our lovers are married. 10 be
sure, the General is 10 longer young but his
manners have the same CHARM and his elegance
and style lessen his apparent age. The lady
carries her inadmissible forty years as if they
numbered but thirty. The latter twenty years
Of their lives are likely to be happier than either
Of the first.
And so ends a real-life romance, that is very
like one in a story-book.