Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-02-11
MISCELLAN A n Y /.
Translated from a Paris jou9nC
THE Rag.Picker's Daughter.

In one of the narroweSt and dirtiest streets of
Paris, on the ground floor of a crumbling old
house, is the shop of Monsieur Thomas, rag
merchant. In the back part of this shop is sort
of glass office, in which an exceedingly pretty
girl not long since transacted the business OF the
establishment This young girl was Mademoi-
selle Julie, old Thomass daughter.
Not Il great while ago, an elegant looking
Young gentleman, CHANGING to pass through this
dirty street observed the pretty girl in her glass
cage, and iuyountary halted to admire her
The next day lie came again, but it was not
chance that brought him this time; for, after
pausinr in the street, rs before, lie entered the
shop, under pretext of asking his way, but in re-
alitv to approach nearer the object ofhiS sudden
admiration. A very few words sutficed to con-
firm and fasten first impressions, and he was a
bout to 90 away, in II dsconsolate frame OF
mind, when, amongst the old junk which the
shop contained, he observed pile OF second
hand books. Selling upon this excuse to pro-
long his stay, the young man turned over the
tattered refuse, and purchased several OF the
books promising the fair saieswoman that he
would, from time to time, replenish his libra
ry" at her establishment. lie must have been
very studious that day. for, early the next morn
inc. he returned and obtained another supply
So, too, the next. and the neXt-until, at last,
troubling himself no longer about the Old BOOKS,
he came and passed much ofhis time in soft con-
verSaton, at the window of the glass cage, ana
finally wound up by asking Monsieur Thomas to
give him his daughter in marriage. as the Old
fellow, without being seen, had witnessed all
that had transpired, and liked the youths ap-
pearanee, he at once granted his prayer, on con-
dition that the demand should be made, official
II. - u ~ How ha
Guilty. The father Of the lover, Monsieur Geor-
ges, was a dry-goods merchant, having hand
some store in Que Ot the most brilliant quarters
of the city, and looked for something better for
his son than rag-merchant's daughter. How
ever, as there was nothing else for it, the young
man broached the subject to his parents. At
first he was laughed at; but as he frequently re-
turned to the charge, the father and mother, in
the hope of divertng him by other means from
his mad project, finally invited old Thomas and
his daughter to q family dinner, i'll order so talk
the matter over 1t was hoped that the ridlcu-
lous figure che old man would cut, and his ina
bility to give his daughter respectable mar
riage portion, would put an end to the affair."
The invitation was accepted, and the parties
came. At the dessert, the merchant endeavored
to lest with old Thomas and turn him into ridl.
cule. That didn't seem to work particularly
well. and nothing remained but to try the finan-
cial question. This was Madam Georges part,
and She commenced by asking what amount he
intended to give his daughter, on the day OF her
marriage.
"Oh. pray. mother" cried young Georges, who
saw the trap, don't talk about that. Another
time
Not at all, young man." interposed NJ. Thom-
as. Let lis talk of it at once since your moth
or wishes it. A little ready money does new
" married pair no harm. If Madame will
state how much it is proposed to give her son, l
will try to furnish a like sum"
I'VE intend" observed Madam Georges, with
superb air, "to give our son fifty thousand
francs, sir"
"Wen, wel;n said old Thomas with shrug,
81 must say, | expected better than that for my
little girls husband; but, as the young people
like each other, will throw no obstacle in the
way. Julie is my only child, and, on the day
of her marriage, | shall give her four hundred
thousand francs, money down."
1t may readily be imagined that the Georges
''changed their gait, in hurry, about this time.
But now came another difficulty. Expecting to
frighten old Thomas off Madame Georges had
rather stretched the truth, in naming 10000
francs as her sons wedding present, and both
she and her husband were now very anxious to
see the son so richly married, sacrifices were
made and loans negotiated in order to get to-
cether the sum mentioned. Things went on In
this way for some time, and the day OF the cere-
mony had been several times postponed, when,
one morning, the merchant received package,
containing fifty bank notes for thousand francs
each, and these few words:-
81 see where the shoe pnches as, for a trife,
| won't have things drag on any longer send
you the aeedfnl Another time, be more candid
with your friends, and don't put on any more
airs with poor people. On the 18th Of next
month, the wedding"
PERFECTLY IMPARTIAL.--Old Judge R
,vas in some respects very remarkable man.