The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-09-19

derstood that young Maurice would grace
the dance in the evening. You can
easily imagine that this produced quite
commotion among our village maidcns.
Each had made up her mind to conquer
the heart of the young Viscount by her
charms; and such display of velvet
waists and scarlet skirts, of long ear
rings and large breast pins, had not been
seen for many year. I, too, had caught
the general infection, and had inwardly
resolved to carry of the palm / had
never seen the young man, but report
said that he combined all the manly
graces, and was especially kind to pretty
maidens. The evening arrived at last,
and old Jean, the village musician, had
hardly begun to play the Ourenu,c, as
he called it; the village lasscs mad
scarcely had time to seat themselves on
the benches which had been arranged
along the walls of the hall, when young
Maurice de Solan made his appearance in
our midst. Imagine young man of
twenty-one, wealthy, graceful, of tall,
commanding figure, and possessed of un-
common beauty and regularity of fca-
lures. As a matter of course, the hearts
of all the maidens were carried by storm,
and mine among the rest. l had the
distinction of being selected by Maurice
for his partner in the first dance, and
what is more, retained him at my side
the entire evening. The next day he
came to see me, and was so kind, go con-
slderatc, so truly courteous, that could
not help loving him. He repeated his
visits, and one afternoon, while we were
walking together in the park which
joined the chateau, he confessed his love
to me. To say that | was happy, su-
premcly happy, would but feebly express
that heaven Of delight which | felt at
this declaration. Maurice was my first
love, and in him all my thoughts were
centered Thus passed four months,
and the time of his departure for Paris
had come. One evening,-thc last we
were to be together,-he came to the
large elm tree near the rivulet, where
we were accustomed to meet, and, fold
ing me passionately in his arms, he asked
me to become his wife, and accompany
him to Paris that very night
L shall not attempt to describe the
thrill of happiness which this sudden
announcement produced; and, ignorant
as | was, | would have hastened to ac-
quaint my parents with this consumma-
tlon of my wishes, when Maurice, divin-
ing my intention, startled me by saying
that our marriage, for obvious reasons,
must be kept strictly private, and that
no one, not even my parents, must have
the least suspicion of the fact. He en-
forced this with so many specious rea-
sons, that | at last consented The mar
riagc was to be solemnized in a small
pavilion, situated in the park, but re-
moved some distance from the chateau.
Immediately after, we were to take the
carriage and post-horses for Paris, where
| would have ample opportunity to fur
nish my wardrobe. We entered the pa
vilion, where a gentleman ia saccrdotal
robes was already awaiting us-fye mi
nutes had passed, and | was Viscountess
of Salon :
awe arrived in Paris. Maurice led
me to a small but magnifcently furnish
ed house in the Fauboury 81. Germain
Here, attended by ofiicious servants, sur,
rounded by luxury, and the man | adorcd
at my side, a year passed. During this
time | had often besought Maurice tc
write to my parents, and to announce
my marriage; but he had always given
me such weighty reasons for not doing
50, that | could not but acquiesce in thi.
silence. \ year had passed, and my
Marie was born. Oh . how ] loved her
for | had noticed that of late Maurice
had absentcd himself longer from me
and seemed lcss afectionate, and | fond
ly hoped that Marie would form an ire
sistible tie to attach him again to me
Since the birth of Marie, | had become
more importunate than ever to be openly
acknowledged the wife Of Maurice, espe
cially as could not but see that ny hus
band was becoming more cstranged from
me. One evening, while / was agair
speaking on this subject, Maurice sale
to me !.
"' 1t is useless, Jeanette, to speal
any more on this subject, for the simpl,
reason that we are not man and wife
and ncuer ucrc. The mock marriag,
which was performed by my old friend
Monsieur de --, Captain in his Ma
jesty's first regiment of Chasscurs, is 0
course a pretty piece of romance, bu
legally and morally null and void. l sin
cerely esteem you as a friend. | low
pretty Marie, and shall always be you
and her proprietor. This house, and al
it contains, is yours. | shall come to Sc
you, but rs married Mademoisellc d
V last night, YOU will see the i'm