Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-03

There was no bombast, no fanfaronsde in
| the Baron's language; IL was the resolve of
| a man Who had made up his mind, and was
determined to succeed. But the more he urged
his suit the less he advanced in it; till at last
| the widow sgnifed to him, in duo form and
uumistakable phraseology, that he must in
stantly shift his quarters-thus giving him his
leave and iutimating to him at the same time
| that he must never think of setting foot in her
| residence again.
Every well madame, withdraw, and will
not return until you invite me to do go; the
| answer to which parting words was saucy
smile, and @ toss of the head which evidently
meant, "you have long to wait, Monsieur le
Baron, before receiving such an invitation"
However, at the end Of q few days, the in
vitation ,caS sent, and the Baron arrived just
as the widow hal completed making herself
| more charming than ever.
"What have been apprised CT, sir ?" said
Madsme de Y to him as he seated him
self in an arm chair a la VoitGtrc right oppo-
site to her During my absence you brought
my pending lawsuit to an smicable arrange
ment "
"Why, yes, madame but you must be
neither pleased nor displeased with me On that
| account, as acted only in my own interest.
How so, if you please, Baron?"
"The fact is, the lawyers clerks were calling
| here with their papers every day and owing
| to n heavy and protracted suit once had my
| self, L have an utter aversion to every limb
| Of the law as our allies, MesSEeUrS les An
gkais, have it. Being acquainted with your
| plaintiff, who is debtor Of mine, made use
| of my influence over him, and soon got him TO
| forego his unbounded claim and he made
| over to me what he called his rights. 1t is
| therefore an affair between him and me. But
| rest assured, madame, that your delicacy ard
| susceptibility shall never have to complain of
| my proceedings. Your lawsuit is forever
| quashed, and that is all!
Whereupon the Baron looked the widow
| steadfastly but respectfully in the face, and
| gave no further explanation.
Madame dc Wv was somewhat confused
| but, in spite of herself she was continually
| forced to think Of her ex-tenant In every
| room Of her apartment no had left some SOU
venir Of his sojourn-poetry, penciling, songs,
music composed by himself, thoughts and
maxims, &c. written in her albums and scrap
| books ALI these gallant attentions seemed
most charming to her, while ho piqued her
curiosity; and when that important part Of the
| female constitution is awakened other senti-
ments soon come forth and blossom.
Now, il happened that the day after the
Daron's invited visit, a poor woman the mother
| Of q family, to whome Madame de Y was
| in tho habit of giving stated pecuniary relief
called to thank her for her last muDificent do
nation, which, she said, would keep hex and
hers forever.
"You were absent, my too generous bene
| factress, but had the honor Of meeting here
with your husband"
my husband" calculated the widow.
| GAh, madame, what an excellent, what a
| kind hearted gentleman Ah, how we'll you
arc mated, for you suit each other admirably.
Yes, madame, L told him everything, and how
kind, how Providence-like, you were to me.
10 70 ror NM md hOu
could it be otherwise .GoOd woman says
your husband to me, madame, your benefsc-
| tress is absent for the time being; but ere she
went she left this with me for you and he
thereon put in my hands pocket book con
tanning bank notes-a fortune, madame.
was 10th to accept it at first, but he would
have me take it, although God knows you
have already done much for me and my poor
fatherless children. All, dear madame. how
happy you must be with such husband. But
tits only the Just reward Of your excellent
heart and Christian virtues. May heaven
bless and preserve you both for years aad years
to come"
"Strango, strange, passing strange, thought
the widow. " Settle my tedious lawsuit-pro-
vide for my poor widow and her children
leave some trace of himself every where
| around me! But men are such queer charac-
ters such originals now -a-days." Sho re-
solved, however, not to speak 10 the baron of
his generous conduct towards her prOtegees,
fearful lest she might betray her SenSt6lttte
at so noble an action. But another circum-
stance soon came to light and caused the
baron to be invited suddenly and nervously to
call second time. The Circumstance was as
| follows: a young Leopold dc R,
| imagining he had fallen in love with NJ 2dame
| de Y, because, living in the house oppo-
site to hers, he had CHANGED, now and then,
| to see her at the balcony before missing her
all on n sudden at her departure from her
apartment. After many days anxiety, he
determined upon writing her a inlet d0ur,
| informing her OF his love, and stating that he
would call that evening for an answer. Hav-
| ing written his note, no wrapped it up in a
small paper parcel, and jerked it over the bal
| cony into the window. 1t happened that the
| baron had just finished the second breakfast
ho had taken in the house, and was psrng
! over the newspaper, when the parcel dropped
into the room. He took it up, and, finding
no superscriptiOn, he opened it and read the
following:
Charming neighbOr, for weeks and weeks
have / admired you frem my window-se
| opposite o, how superlatively happy should
be were you to do me the honor of admit
ting me to your presence, and allowing me to
declare myself and crave pardon for my pre-
sumption. At eight this evening 1 will call,
then, minutes will glide away like years from
my impatient heart. Farewell till then, god
dess Of my alteration. LEOPOLD
lie came, and the DIOR was opened to him
by the baron in prOprtG persona.
" is Madame de y ut home
"She is not at homo for you"
"And pray, by what right do you refuse me
admission"
Methinks that right is very evident. -
And you are here in her apartment" 2"
"True; but for tho time being it is my
own
The dialogue went rapidly on from cross
words to challenge; and On the morrow a
duel took place in one of the coppice woods of
the Bois de Boulogne.
This time, Madame de Y had every rea.
son, she thought, for blaming the baron's con
duct; so another invitation was sent to him,
which he duly attended to.
"How is this, Monsieur lie Baron p" said the
widow in tremulOus and reproachful accents,
expose your life with such a puppy-a life
so useful so precious o, L cannot but think