Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-09-24
The Fatal Clinoline.

- = the Rue st. Martin lie Grand, tber
e Ii y late, the happ;est married couple i
} al aris-M. Valdemont, chemist, an
d. hi. ,looming and beautiful wife Jeanette
! ,sadame Valdemont hal but one failing
eagerly studied the fashions; and haviD!
once seen in tie shop windows, or on tn
street, new cut of dress, a smaller ant
more modish bonnet than she poS> essed ,ha,
no peace Of mind till her graceful form OF
quee1ly bead was decked in the new style
! Va emont was too indulgent and wise
hul and to interfere with these his wile':
Pc : weaknesses, and generally procured
for ler all that she asked.
! ming to his dinner one day, he noticed
uLs. The countenance OF his Jeanette. that
expression o. faint, melancholy longing
which the indulgtnt husband will readily
recognize as the unfailing tel-tale of some
ne W. born desire.
"What is it, hearts delight" asked he,
as dinner finished, they Sat over their coffee.
Nothing, dearest Charles" was the ans
wer, in that peculiar tone fvoice which as
sures the listening husband that "nothing''
means everything
"You sem feverish, Dearest" suggested
Valdemont. "Permit me to send for the
doctor"
"No, no, pray do not" begged madame
"Indeed. feel quite we'll; but" and she
hestated
"Well but what, hearts delight" ask
ed The husband. If you have wish unful-
filled, pray tell me. You know if it is in my
power you shall have all your helrt desires
There was yet little, pretty hesitation
on Madame Jeanette's but after sundry en-
coursging requests from her husband. spoke
out
sit is wish which know you will de-
clare absurd; but will tell you since you
ask me too. You have long ridiculed the
new fashion by which the dresses of ladies
are SO beautifully distended. see plainly,
that unless one follows this fashion, she will
become the laughing stock Of her lady
friends. And, walking out this morning, |
saw in the Boulevard de Madeleine the most
beautiful crinolines! Dear Charles, feel
that the happiness of my life depends upon
the purchase of that magasin. shall not
dare to 60 out upon the Boulevard again,
without having previously my dress arrang-
ed in the new style
This said, Madame Valdemont reciined
upon the ottoman. overcome by her feelings
and castingsiooks of agonzed entreaty at
her lord, who was, meantime, with sadCened
expressions, carefully examining the flow
nnou tho ,yalI-n,por nj tba rnOn
Dearest Jeanette he said at last, you
know how gladly | have always fulfilled
your slightest wish. But this time, darling,
must remonstrate. have an unconquer-
able dislike to the crinoline.''
But shall become sick with dissppoint-
mePt, am sure urges madame.
Il trust your common sense, and your love
for your husband, will prevent such a calam-
inv, my DEAR answered Vaidemont; 'for
must assure you that this one of your wishes
must be disappointed. Crinoline you can
not have
At these cruel words, Jeanette, weeping
with disappointment, withdrew to her bed
room, and locked the door upon her hard
hearted spouse, threa ening never to emerge
from this apartment until her wish Was
granted; she preferred death by starvation 10
living without crinoline
What was VademOnt TO dol Sorrow
stricken at this sudden interruption to his
cherished bliss, but experiencing very
strong aversion to the article which was the
unfortunate cause OF the disagreement, he
retired to his laboratory to muse upon the
course of his affairs. Here musing, he final
" came upon a solution OF the difficulty
For. are not all things possible to genius?
1t was already night when he knocked at
the door of his wife's self-constituted pIis-
on.
PRAY open. 1t is /, Jeanette
without the crinoline, there is no ent-
rance here,' resounded from the chamber in
a firm yet agitated voice.
Your wishes sha be fulfilled was the
a uswer; and in the same moment the door
was opened, and Jeanette took in one arm
her husband, and ou the other the !onged for
garment.
What shameful deceit There was no
crinoline, but a simple skirt, colorleSs and
formle.s. Jeanette would have fairted,
but Valdemont begged her to restrain the
impulse and attend upon his motions; where
uuon he drew out small elastic pipe, and
through it blew with might ard main into
the shapeless garment, which shortly devel-
oped itself into the nobIest and most colos-
sal proportions.
Jeanette, as NAV be supposed, was al
most beside herself for joy at this discovery,
the size and grace of which far surpassed
the most famous crinoine. She hugge1 her
husband to her heart, and thereafter each
day walked out upon the Boulevards, the en-
w of all the ladies', who beheld in the cir
cumference of her dress their cherished
hopes excelled-
But, though the happiness his vile was
now complete there were some disagreea-
BILE circumstances attending upon this new
peace. He found himself cruelty separated
from his wife by his unrelaxing invention.
When arrayed in her new garment, no enc
could approach within less than four feet ot
her person. To kiss her was evidently i'm
practicable to the affectionate husband
To walk out, as OF yore, arm in arm, Was
also in the catalogue of impussioiities.
But more fatal than all this to his happi- |
ness, ard even to his health, was tho dur
nal necessity of Fl ling with air the fatal
garment. The exertion was too much for |
him, and shortly his lungs became seriously
affected. But here his chemical knowledge |
came again to his aid. He constructed YES
sells in which he was able to compress, by /
mechanical proc esses, such quantities OF air
as sulliced to extend TO lis greatest latitude |
his wife's skirt, The aperature in this need !
ed only to be securely fastened to an OPEN
ing in the air vessel. and sPigot turned, |
when, in very few moments the compress
ell air rushed into and extended the loved |
garment.
One evening Valdemont had gone out on
business His wife, who desired to attend |
a party, stood ready dressed upon the floor, |
anxiously awaiting his reiurn-tor she lack |
ed yet one thing OF completeness-she was