Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-03
STAR.
LODGIN TO L EFT.
An Episode Oh the French Exhibition.

An Episode OF the French Exhlplhon'
Last year, during the Exhibition, France
was visited by the same mania for lodging let
ting which ravaged London in 1881, during
the Great Exhibition. From the middle OF
April, hanging up at the doors Of the houses
in the fashionable and central neighborhOods
of the French capital might be seen bills with
I" Joit apparteu,snt msubte k0Uer present.
ment''-" Handsome furnished apartments to
let;' and many a family, many widow,
many a bachelor or widower, emigrated to
some distant outskirt, giving up their apart
ments 10 strangers or foreigners, In consldera-
tion of receiving some thousand francs, while
they themselves nestled down, during the
great influx, in some humble locality, within
or without the walls. In letting, there was no
distinction of nation made the terms were
the same for one and all-for the native COM
patriot as well as the Milford Anglais-for the
German baron, as well as the Russian boyard,
the Polish count, the dollar laden American
for everybody, in shsrt, who could pay; that
was the one condition.
Madame de Y, young and handsome
widow Of five and twenty, who on the first of
April in that memorable year, had thrown off
the reigning epidemic One morning she rang
for the lodge keeper of the house in which
she resided in the Chaussee d'Antin, and or
dered him to nail up at the porte-cochere the
universal bill.
"Bless my soul, what running up and down
l shall have Of i'll" exclaimed, in pettO vOce,
with pitious shrug, the seemingly disconso-
late pOrler, but who inwardly rejoiced at the
circumstance; for he, also, hoped to reap a
golden harvest from the new corners.
"N'tmp0rts, Andre, " continued the charm.
ing young widow, 4" Ntmporte; let my apart
ment for 5000 francs, and you shall have your
commission Of-let Us See-hve per cent II to
a bachelor or widower, four per cent if 10 a
| married couple without any infantile encum-
brances, and three per cent. if to family
and there are FIVE francs to drink my health. +"
"Alas alas!' groaned the porte d'cherc
Cerberus as he pOcketed the silver piece, and
promised, in tone of melancholy devoted
ness, TO do his best. That eTening the widow,
accompanied by her femme de chGmbre, took
up her quarters in a small cottage near the
village of FOntenay-aux Roses, outside the
Barriere 'Enfer, and contiguous to the pretty
Bois de Meudon, where sne rustlcated IN the
full enjoyment of her independent widOwnOod
till the expiration Of the term.
On the % of August following, Madame de
Y returned to Paris, and drove to her resi-
dencc, believing that her apartment, which
had been let by the concierge, was vacated
and ready for her
Madame" said Andre, the gentleman
has not yet gone"
"W hat gentleman, Andre :"
"The lodger, madame, Monsieur de R,
! a provincial gentleman, very CONNIE IL fdUt.
Yet it is not my fault, for / informed him
three days ago, that his time was up, and that
he must go; but he said to me that it was all
right; it was his affair, and he would square
all matters with madame"
60 and inform him, Andre, that have
returned, and want my apartments immedi-
| ately."
"Useless, madame-completely useless
He's as headstrong as a donkey he wouldn' t
listen 10 me; tits with you alone he wishes to
confer.
"Be it SO, andre. Go before and announce
me-"
Madame de y was received most gra-
| ciOusly and politely by the provincial tenant,
| who thus addressed her:
You cannot conceive, madame, how COM
| Portable find myself in this pretty apart
| ment, and how much desire to spend in it
the remaining time have to spend in your
| charming capital; and fondly hope you will
have the goodness to allow me to do so. What
ever be your terms accept them beforehand" I"
To this the widow replied somewhat sur
| prised, that sho had no terms to propose To at
| she wanted her apartment and must have it.
But greater still was her surprise when she
| heard the provincial declare his determine
tiOn to keep it, even if it was necessary to
stand a regular siege. Madame y endea-
| yored, as gently as possible, to make him un-
derStand the improperly of his conduct; but
| all to no avail, for the tenant pleaded his
cause with grace, eloquence and wit The
debate became warmer and warmer, the gen
tleman losing, and the lady gaining no ground,
| while Andre slipped away to his lodge, in
forming his better half that the storm was
gathering above. At last after much speech
flying on both sides, the gentleman breaking
pause of apparently deep reflections, spoke
! again:
"Well, madame" said he, " there remains
but one way to arrange our little dispute, so
as to enable you to resume possession of your
delightful residence without ousting me from
it,
"What is your meaning, sir ?" demanded
! the bewildered young widow, looking still
more charming in her amazement.
"My meaning is this, madam my name is
Arthur-Baron Arthur dc B.. 1 belong to
| an old and honorobls famiIy-am bachelor,
| and two and thirty years Of age. My estates
| are worth five thousand francs yeaT-but
this mention out Of respect to the laws of
business; and despite the originality and
queerness of my conduct, which may perhaps
! have offended you, am considered a very
| good natured person; aud, upon the whole,
fatter myself am man fully capable of
making lady happy Will you, therefore,
| do me the honor Of accepting my heart, my
hand, and my fortune ?"
To this sudden proposal Madame de Y
| replied with dignity Your jest is not in
very good taste, sir, and al can do is to
laugh at it."
"Serious, most serious, madame, am in
| deed-and, on the faith Of gentleman, beg
you to believe it,"
"What sir! you propose marriage merely
that you may not have to give up my apart
ments?''
GA little upon that account, madame, but
still more because of more oyerpowering
reason; for among the many considerations I
have had the honor of laying before you, there
is one dared not mention, but allow me now
to confess i'll love you"
At this avowal, Madame dc Y blushed
to the eyes. What lady, young or old, would
not have done so, particularly when the avow-
al came from young, handsome and wealthy
man? However, she took it in good part, and
laughed outright at her inter!ocutor."
You are laughing, madame, and how.
| ever"
"Your folly provokes my laughter, Monsieur
| la Raron / reallv cannot helm IL -