Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-01-23
CHOICE LITERATURE.
THE LADY OF LYONS.
BULwER's CELEBRATED PLAY, IN STORY
FORM
ny MATURIN ". BALLoU.

"''Fi ~ rHVoHu' lh punt OF beauty, COM
mercc. and opulence, only to the great me-
tropulls Of France, ala belle Paris" There
are many interesting associations in relation
70 It's history and old Roman origin, its
- 80 Aau=uzzAAsde il the centre nf the
.owmsrcc OF =, ,g'nuls. In Nero's time it /
was almost totally destroyed ly fire, but
through the munifcence Of that great Roman
emperor 1t was rebuilt and there are anti |
quities still observable, telling of this an !
cicnt period. Dining the revolution. there
was no city ia France that suffered so Sc
vcrely as Lyons here tho Wild, blood thirsty
demon Of the times reigned supreme, and
the population Of the city was reduced near
ly 10000! Alas republican France thou
hast dearly bought experience and thy "cit
izen king" sits painfully on his throne.
Not long subsequent to the close Of the
bloody drama Of the French revolution,
which caused all Europe to tremble-that
period, the history Of which chills the blood
nf the modern rcader-the incidents Of the
following tale occurred:
There resided at Lyons n rich family
named DcschOpelles, Of no particular note
other than what their extensive wealth ne
cessariIy gave them. The father was still, at
the opening Of our tale, n merchant, although
advanced in years and already possessing,
this worlds wealth. Yet he still held on,
the pride Of being considered the greatest
commercial house in Lyons being too Sc
ducing to admit Of his retiring into the DO.
som Of his family to enjoy the close Of a
long, industrious, and honorable mercantile
life. lie still designed TO accumulate more
wealth, and to extend his business.
Madame Deschappelles was lady Of most
unequnlled pride, and entirely wrapped up
in the desire to form q high match for her
beautiful child, Pauline. whose extreme love
illness Of person and lady-like accomplish
ments had already, while she was yet but
eighteen, gained her the name Of the belle of
Lyons. Pauline was the constant theme and
care Of her mother, and neither care nor ex-
pense was spared to render her as accom-
plished in mind as nature had made her in
person. She was surrounded by all the lux
ury ingenuity could devise or wealth pro-
cure. The mansion Of the family was one
Of unsurpassed beauty, contiguous to which,
there were grounds and gardens of the most
enviable beauty. The DeschappelIes moved
in the first circles Of the society of Lyons,
nItuuugfi utuUsa Ur'oJ - -
deed. at the time of which we write, there
was no acknowledged nobility in France, no
lords, no marquises. but all were simple cit
izrns, for the revolution had laid the shep
herds crook beside the sceptre.
One lovely afternoon, Madame Deschap
penes and Pauline sat gossipping in thell
hnuduir, when servant announced Monsieur
Beauscant, rich and courted gentleman
and onlv son Of the late marquis, who los
his life during "thr reign Of terror" Ii
entered. aud found the mother and daughte
together Pauline admiring and dissectin
n most rare and beautiful boquet, while he
mother gosspped about the ball of the pr
vious evening.
Brauseart was an accomplished and han
some man, besides being able to boast
gentle descent, which, though it was n
openly encouraged, yet there were still mar
To- respect. nay, very few in Lyons, who d
not respect the old houses and descendan
Of the nobility. Beauseant, after complime
ting Pauline upon her app arance on t
nrpyious evening. on which occasion he h
met her mt the ball, frankly declared to
that she had conquered his heart, and end
by Offering her his baud ard fortune.
Pauline coolly rejected his offer, hut BeF
seant was not man to give up hls purpt
50 lightly. lie appealed to Madame ID
chappclles, telling her OF the advantage
such m alliance, stating thiA his fortune "
not exceeded by that Of any person in
proyinca, and indeed that he should I've
hlp. but tlIt tue ItNOlu'lbh I''h i''''Cu ~
Of his titles. The mother of Pauline h
formed brighter plans for her daughter til
that she should marry the son OF II marqr
and frankly told Beauseant So, in reply
his rsuments-saying she should MARI
prince.
Bcauseant left the house in n rage, ut
inc refused by n merchants daughter, de'
mining to hide himself in his chateau, tor
deemed Alright that the story would soon
al over Lyons, the proud Madame Desch
pelles being Il person who would make
most Of such an event. In n frame of m
which may better lie imagined than des
bed, he FASTENED from the house and on
slaX iSl iA Yiih q ,9nnG 900, ec%nC{%6,qnAGi cHn,n
-MQd upul lal, and whose prnc'pai II"
otar,cter was nm extravaganty toppish
as;,;on This mans name was GhlvlS
pLod heen refused the hand ot Pau
mott lonp prior to- the opening OF tn's III
pa,nseont confded his modification I
fr;cn1. and learned this fact in return "
anon both vowed vengeance np"@ cons
Iirl and they sought the CT" 49,,
.',,,or unnn the srjjpped ut little r
~, ,Le;r wa-hge near the city, to
-: = public house called the Go
W. .tney witnessed some games IN viii
,nung peasant Of noble bearing won
pTlZe, anu wn0m MS companions G.
prince, n familiar name they had given
rs he was the leader Of all their sports,
the avenger Of all their wrongs. lie
one who, though young in years, the
looked up to- on account of his extraordi
attainments, and the generous and
apirit that filed his breast and prompte
cry action.
Beauseant was led through curiosi
enquire relative to this young peasant C
Melnot, and learned from the landlord
he was prompted to acquire all these NJ
plishments. of which he is said to b,
master through the deep love he bo
Pauline Deschappelles, the only daugh
the rich merchant of Lyons. Beausean
learned from mine host of the Golden
that Claude's father had formerly beer
dener in the family Of the Dcschappelle
had deceased about two years since, le
to his son and widow a g0odly proper
A change then came over Claude b,
to study, to fencing, dancing, music, le
10 pninr. and in short, strove by diige
acquire every accomplishment with
mower, until be did indeed become the
der Of the village. 'Ahv said the