Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1856-01-05
RUPERON, the BELLOWS MEMBER,
OR. THE
MARRIAGE CRTCIBLE,


acted, or have read, the beautiful tnoder,
drama Of Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer, Tn,
| Lady of Lyons" will find in the folIowin.
thrilling sketch, the foundation Of that popu.
lar play,
] was born in one OF those little hamlet,
situated in the neighborhood of Mentemart
in the South of France. Ny father had made
many frulttess effort to raise himself above
indgeRce His last resource in his old age
arose from the exercise Of talent which he
had acquired in his youth. that of bellows
mendine This. too, was the humble profess.
ion which | desired to follow Being en-
dowed by nature with quick and with livelv
faculties of both mind and body. | soon grew
skiiliui in my trade, and having an ambitious
spirit, set off for Lyons to prosecute my calf
| ing there. | was so far successful that I be-
came great favorite with chambermaids
who were my chief employers, and whom
my good looks aud youth interested In nv
/ favor.
/ One evening however, as was returning
| home after my days round, was accosted
! by four well-dressed young men, who threw
! out few pieasantries on my profession
! which answered IN style of good humored
| railerY that seemed 10 surprise and please
| them. ] saw them looE significantly at one
another and heard them say, this is our
man The words alarmed me, but nv fears
were speedily di<slpated
"RHperon," said one, "you shall sup with
us We have a scheme which may DO you
; good II YOU do not agree to it We Shall not
harm you, but ask You to keep our secret
Do not be afraid but come with u.s.
Seeing all of them to be gentlemen in ap-
pearance, | did not hesitate TO accept the Of
fer: they conducted me through number ii
cross streets, and at last entered handsome
house, ia all apartment of which we found
SIX other Young men. who appeared to have
been ting impatientIy for my conduc-
tors, A lew explanatory words passed res
pec<Eg me, and soon afterwards we sat down
to supper. Being young, thoughtiess and
tghr~hearted. gave way 10 the enjoyment of
the hours and vented succession Of pleasan-
tries, which seemed highly to please nv
chaHce companions. But they all grew
thoughtful and silent ere long, and finally
one of them addressed ne thus
= The tea, persons whom Won see before
YOU said he ARE all citizens Of LYONS -
We are all in good circumstances, and make
a good living by Cur occupation. We nre all
attached to one another. and iormed happy
society, till love stepped in TO disturb us. In
the street of St. Dominic. there lives pie
tgTe merchant, man OF respectable station,
bat otherwise all ordinary parsonage. He
has. however daughter. a creature possessed
Of every accomplishment and endowed with
every grace, but wi hose amiabie qualities are
shaded by one defect-pride, insupportable
pride. As an example of the way IN which
this feeling has led her to treat others will
own that I myself paid my addresses to her
and was approved by her father as one by
birth and circumstances much her superior. /
Bat what was the answer which the nsolcnt !
girl gave to my suit. Do you think. g.
that young woman like me was born for |
nothing better than to be the wife Of All en-
gravefn
Her great pride and charms have been !
equally felt by us ALL" continued the speaker, !
we hold that she has cast a slur both on us
and on our profession. We, therefore, have |
resolved to show this disdainf0i girl that she |
has not indeed been born to the honor Of |
being the wife Of an engrayer. Now. will |
YOU addressing mel venture to become the |
husband of a charming woman, who, 10 at
tain perfection. wants only her pride n1orti-
fed, and her vanity punished !''
Yes" answered, spurred on by the eX-
citement Of the moment: Il comprehend
what you would have me do. and ! will ful-
fill it in such a manner that you will have no
reason TO blush for your pupil
The three months which followed this
strange scene, were wholly occupied with
PREPARATION for the part | was to perform.
the strictest possible secrecy, the
did their best to transform me
from plain bellows mender into a fine gen
tieman Bathing hair dressers, &c, brought
my peron to a fitting degree of refinement
while every day one or the other Of the en-
sfa gers devoted himself to the task Of teach
ing me music, drawing and other accomplish
nentx which nature bad furnished me with /
disposition to study, and memory SO Feten~
tive that my friends were astonlshed at the
progress of their dicipine. {
Thoughtless of all else, / felt the deepest
delight in acquiring these new Tud!ments OF ;
education. But the time came when ] was
10 be made sensible tor the first time, of the
ask had entered upon, The coniedeTates
At length thought me perfect and IN the
character OF the rich Marquis of Rouperon,
of the large estates in Dauphiny, /
was installed in the first hotel in Lyons /
It was under this title presented myself to
she picture dealer i'll St. Dominic street ! :
nade few pure bases from MIN, and seemed {
anxious to purchase more. After little in- s
.ercoufse OF this kind, he sent me word one !
morning that he had just received a superb
Of engravlngs from Rome. and
begged me to call and see ahem. | did so,
md was received, not by him, but by Aurora.
This was the first sight had got of that !
oveIy girl, and tor the GrSt time in my life c
ny young and palpitatlng heart felt the !
power of beauty. . !
4 rev world unfolded itself before my
eyes; | soon forgot my borrowed part one J
sentiment absorbed my souls one idea en-
,hained my faculties. The fair Aura per- I
:eived her triumph. and seemed to listen c
With eompIacency to the incoherent express q
ons of passion which escaped nay lips That a
interview fixed my destiny forever. The t