Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-11-14
THE PROMIssORY NOTE.

A German Baron, VOn D., at
present residing at Paris, was some few
years since living in bnronial ease at his
castle Of F., situated in a somewhat
secluded, but romantic district of his ma
tive land. On the score of worldly pos
sessions, fortune had smiled most favora~
bly, on the hero OF our narrative but, by
way Of amends. Nature had been proper
tionally inauspiciOus as regarded his per-
sonal appearance, and the adOrnments
Of the outward man. In sober truth, the
Baron Won D. was the ugliest man
that Germany had produced for the last
century and a half at least so ungainly,
indeed was his appearance, that with the
full consciousness Of his infcrinrity in this
respect, he lived in manner secluded
from society, TO mix in which his rank
and station otherwise fully Untitled him.
Like his storied prototype. Prince Ric-
quct with the Tut. however our baron's
rude c,'erior was but the husk that COW
cred tender heart, sensitivcly alive to
he bewitching influence of the fairer
sex. In plain English. the Baron Won
D. fell over head and ears in love
"A predicament from which even the
potcntates Of this. our neither world, to
pay nothing Of Teutonic barons, are occa
sionaIly not exempt. A young and beau
tilul, girl, daughter Of goodly pedi-
gree, but of slender fortune, living in his
Immediate neighborhood, was the object
Of his adoraton-the cynosure Of his rev.
cries. Thenceforth, his mind. his every
thought, became fixed, absorbed-as it
were equally divided between her sylph.
like image and his beloved "mecrschaum''
nor is this, by the way, by any means,
disparaging compliment to the lady, when
speaking Of q German lover. Having by
a mighty effort Of resolution, such as only
the tender passion can inspire, surmount-
ed the bashful diflidcnce to which we
have before alluded, the baron made his
proposals in form, which on the part Of
the parents of the young lady, were most
favorabIy and gladly received. With the
lady herself, however, matters fell out far
less prosPerously ; q cold reception of his
proposals and chilling dcmeanor afford
ed but TOO certain an indication that his
suit was disagreeabie and his attention
irksome. Still haunted by the painful
consciousness of his personal defects, the
baron was very naturally led to attribute
his failure to that cause. A fnr different
motive, however, lurkcd at the bottom Of
the young lady's conduct. A cousin,
(oh! these cousins!) had long been, in Sc
cret, the suitor; but the narrowness Of his
prospects, in life had hitherto precluded all
hope of his wishes meeting with the paren-
tai sanction.
The Baron Won D. was one even
ing, seated as was his wont, in his antique
chair, in the spacious hall of his ances>
tral dwelling, in one of the wide recesses
of the huge gothic chimney, before the
dull embers Of wood fire, smouldering,
like his own ill-starred love, in a shape
less heap, in sole cOmpanionship, with his
beloved and inseparRble "meerschaum,"
his second passion-musing in sad and
melancholy reverie on the unstable COM
position and thoughtless vanity of the fe-
male heart when half mentally he e. ac-
ulated his willingness to sacrifice the bet
ter portion of his fortune in exchange, if
that we're possible, for the boon of per-
sonal attraction and exterior endowment.
Suddenly, in the dim twilight, and through
the dense volumes of smoke, curling in
rapid succession from the vocano OF his
pipe.bowl, he perceived a tall and singu-
Iarly accoutred figure standing erect be-
side him, as though it had issued from
the huge gothic mouldings. Somewhat
startled ct the appearance Of the unex-
pected visitor, he was about to call for his
attendants, when the stranger. with a po-
lite bow, and in voice which, although
of peculiar tone, yet betokened no hostile
purpose, thus addressed him:
"My visit. Herr Baron, is perhaps
somewhat unceremonious but come
with friendly intent, am aware oi
the subject of your present thoughts; are
you willing to abide by them 90
My present thoughts ! who in the
| DEVILS name"