Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1856-06-20
Nj 5 c ELL A n Y
THE CONTENTED MAN.
pr WASHINGTON IRVING.

"A range Ot benches commanding view Ol
the walks and avenues OF the garden. The
genial nook is great place Of resort in the
latter part Of autumn, and in fine days in
winter, as it seems to retain the flavor Of de-
parted summer. On calm bright morning
it is quite alive with nursery.maids and
their playful littlc charges Ili,hcrals, rc-
sort number Of ancient ladies and gentle.
men, who, with hudahlo thrift IN small
pleasures and small expense, for which the
French are 10 hc noted, como here 10 enjoy
sunshine, and save irc.wool. Hero may
often hc seen some cavalier of the old school,
when the suub'lms have warmed hi- blood
into something like a glow, luttcring about
like a fr,,tbittnn moth shaved before the
tire, putting forth a frhlc ,hov of snllantry
among the antiluatal danes, and now anil
then cygiur the buNom nur~'ry-mail., with
what might almus, be mistaken fpr an air
Of lihrr,ini.m.
Among the hahitnal frcquCntcr' of tins
place, | had often remarked m old ccutlo-
man, whosr drr., was dscilolly anti.rcyo-
lutioual. H. wore the three corncrcd cock.
cl hat Of the an1mi r,gms, HE hair wa.
rriulcl over each ear int, ale, i, pigeon, a
,tylc strongly r,yorinc Of Bourbonism, and
a gurYr stuck out l"hinI, the loyalty Of
Of which was not To BE- disputed IIi' drcs,,
though ancient, hal an air or dccaycl srtll.
i,y, and observed that hc took his snuiI
out of an elegant though Oh fashioned gold
box. H. appeared a. bo the most popular
man ou the walk. lie bad q compliment
Tor every oil lady, Dee kisscd every child,
and Tlt,rd every littlo dog on the head; Tor
children and little dogs are very important,
member. OF society in Franc, Imust oh.
serve, however. that he Seldom ki,.rla child
without, at ths same time, riuchin, The
nur- ry.maiis chcyk a Frnchmau Of the
old school never fDrs,u his dsror, to The
~N'
h'" taken a ''N'ns 70 TIE old S'n','nah'
There WI, au habitual expression on III, face,
which have very frequently rrmgrkrl 90
the, rrlic, Of the pD'i,,r LAY, OF Franc,
the constant Interchange Of those thousand
little c'urir.ic' whlehim imprrc'puhly 'wr'ien
lie, have harp' effect upon the icaiur'-'
aud 'rrcad a mellow evening charm over The
wrinkle fold ago.
Where there ia favorable Tr"li'po'ltion
one soon forms q Kind of tacit intimacy by
often meeting ON thr same walk Once or
twice accommodated him with q htnch,
az which wr touched hat, on passing each
other no length wr g,t ~ fnr a- - take %
rinrh or suuT t1-c'horout of hishuy. which
+, cguiulrnt 10 rn,in, ,ll, together in the
Fist. and from that time our acquaintance
vas established.
now hrsam, M. frequent companion in
MI, mornin. rr1mrnaic.. anl derived much
amusement from vi. c,,l mmor,l remark.
op mon and manner, One morning. rs W.
w.r, .tr,llin- through IN, alley Of the Tuil.
I,,ir. with an autnnn,l hrrrz, whirlin- the
y.lr,v leave. about ourrlth. yc,mnanion
I'm iot,a ,a,pli,r communicative vein. and
-,,. mo several r,r,i,rl,r, or nj. history.
II, L,l .r,, L,,n wealthy. anil rnssr,..l Of
, r,. ,.,,,, 3, ,lo r.pn,ry. and a noble h,.
81 q, p,-.s. Lp,,,, r.,,lyii,, which rr
c.g,,.l 81, many disastrous changes. .,rirr,I
Ii, or ,r.rytrir. II, v,, secretly de-.
o,rr.,ILy Li.ov steward during a san
.r;r,rv ,,ri,l n N, revolution. and a
number of M,,l.bopnls Of the Convention
wcr, sent 10 arrest him. H. received pri-
yata intelligence or their approach in season
{, effect his escape. II, landed in England
without money or friends, but con.idrrri
him.,lr sinsularly fortunate in having hi.
hcadupon hi, shoulders; srycralorhi. neigh
bur. having been :uillOtincl as punishment
for h,inr rich.
When he reached London he had but a
l,ui, in his pocket, and no prospect Of get
tin, another. lie ato a solitary dinner on
bcrf.,c,k. and wa, almost poisoned by port
wine which. from its color he hal mistaken
for clar,t. Tho dinsy look Of the chop
house. anil Of the little mahosany.colorcd
box In which he ate his dinner. contrastcd
sadly with the CAV saloons Of Paris. Every
thing Looked gloomy and dishcartcning.
Poverty sarcl hun in the face lac turned
over the few shiIlns' he had OF change; DID
not know what would become Of him, aud
went to the theatre
II. to,t his scat in the nit. listened at.
,,,,i,,,y :, n tr,rcjy Of which he did not