Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-01-12

Golden Lion to the widow Melnotte's
cottage, the pretended accident having
occurred. Claude suggested that they
should seek private roof for shelter,
rather than the tavern, and also that he
knew of an honest one near by where
they might rest in safety. They passed
the little path towards the cottage, and
soon entered under its lonely roof. The
mother rushes to clasp her son in her
arms, who has necessarily been long
absent from her; she calls him by name,
and presses him to her heart---a strange
thought enters the head Of Pauline.
Does the old woman know thee,
prince? Oh, | see you have done her
some kindness another evidence of thy
good lreart-is itnot SOP
p" Would that the earth might swallow
me-" said the guilty, half-distracted
Claude.
" Madame said the widow Meluotto
to Pauline, " L fear ii is you who know
him not"
The truth broke upon Pauline, and
she was driven, in her broken-heartcd
passion, almost to madness. She could
hardly believe it was not all a dream,
and begged of Claude to undceeive her,
to say it was but trick to try her, jest,
anything; but no, it was truth stern
reality, and Pauline Dcschapelles was
the wife Of scrf!
There stood Claude, no less miserable
than she whom he had so deeply wronged
He told her all--how the tempters found
him a willing tool for their purposes !;
how she had trod upon the worm and it
had turned and stung her. He told her
at the altar his guilty oath expired, that
there his vengeance ceased, and from
that moment she was sacred that on the
morrow, pure and virgin as when she
left her fathers house, she should return
to it; then committing her to the care Of
his mother, he seated himself at the
table and drew up a full confession OF
the fraud, which might serve as sufficient
evidence for a divorce. With this, he
despatched a messenger to 60 to Lyons
to NJ Dcschapelles, ihat he could come
for his child!
How could he meet that girls father
the parent Of her he had so deoplJ
wrongcd. There was to be scene en-,
acted in that humble cottage, on th,
morrow, which wouldpfoyo every power
Of the heart.
The day came, and with it Monsieur
and Madame Dcschapcllas, accompa
MED by Colonel Dumas. There wcrt
angry words there, but none from Claude
he bore every rcproach, every censure
in silence, for he was brokon-henrted
his spirit was completely subdued Die
Pauline, too, censure him then no! =
She looked about the neat, but humble
apartment, and saw the accomplishment;
that each instrument aud ornament be-
spoke its owner to have acquired and al
too, for the love of her! She saw too a
portrait of herself, drawn from memory,
and by his hands, u mastery piece.
What though he had done wrong in tbi,
; one matter, tempted by the witty tongue
and ready wit of avillian! What though
he was a peasant, (pcrhaps the hardest
thought for her to conquer yet still she
loved him with all the devotion Of hel
woman's heart.
The heat Of resentment was passed
the angry words had been spoken, and
they we're about to part, when Pauline
rushed into thc arms Of Claude and told
him she forgayehim all, all was forgotten
but the stern voice of her father re.
called her, threatening to disinherit hel
and disown her forever, if she Glove 4
that wretchcd man Again did she seel
his breast, telling him she would resign
wealth, title, state, all that she would
work for him, tend him, and never re-
preach him for the past.
AT this scene even Col. Dumas, will
all his sternness, was moved to tears
These last words were the hardest stroke
Of all to Claude, for they showed hin
what a heart he had wronged.
Pauline" said he, " the husband 0
; being so beautiful in her noble and sub
, lime tenderness, may be poor, may be low
born, (thcre is no guilt in the DEGREES o
, Providence but he should be one wiz
can look thee in the face without blush
, to show thy love does not bring remorse
who can fold thee to his breast and say
Here there is no deceitv ! am not tha
man.
Col @mas, who had come to censurc
was struck with noble spirit of Claude
and giving Him his hand, told him h
would make an excellent soldier, and Of
fored him a place in his own regiment
E This was accepted upon the spot, anC
Claude, bidding them farewell, told then
, he would either never return, or else h
, would come back with his honor redeem
cd, and as some one worthy the love 0
, Pauline. lie tore himself from the las
/, embrace Of her he loved, pressed hi
mother to his heart, and rushed from I'll
cottage. He joined the regiment Of Col
Dumas, and on. the next day marche
with the grand army"
, Months rolled on and Claude was en-
gagged in the wars, rising gradually iron
, rank to rank, until he was high in com
maud Az the celebrated battle of Iod
+ he was declared by Napoleon to be on
, of the heroes Of the day, and publicl.
heralded as such The booty, too, tba
. fell to his share from many well Tough
battle, had rendered bin rich.
After the expiration Of little NOR
than two years from the time Of his sep
, aration from Pauline, his regimen
returned To Lyons Hardly had !