Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-01-20

cOnQelnHeu fnerSell 10 perpetual WluoWuoou-
faithful 70 the memory of the dead2
Assured now of her beauty, Adolphe, pursu.
ing his researches wished to discover something
of the character and mental attainments of the
youLg unknown. The books which she habitu.
ally read occupied separate place in the library
some of them remained open upon table and
were marked at various passages. These were
precisely the books which Adolphe loved to
read his favorte authors, his poets by prefer
ence. The reader had written on their margins
notes and observations which revealed the accu-
racy and sprightliness of her mind, the nobleness
of her sentiments, the elevation OF her thoughts,
the tenderness of her heart. ''She is superior
woman !" cried the delighted Adolphe, reading
with emotion the ingenious and touching COM
mentaries. What had at first been to him only
an amusement, became soon heart-interest-
INCREASINGLY occupied with the thought of this
unknown yet imagined one, he became deeply in
love with his own ideal. Though never having
seen her, he doubted not that the portrait he had
drawn bore great resemblance. "Sheis young,
she is beautiful" said he; "she is all that love
fair hair, delicate waist, charming little foot
she is musician she is intellectual; she is amia-
BILE, good, reasonable and sprightly; our tastes
and our sentiments are the same; she is Of all,
the woman would choose. Butts she free z"
Upon this point, the enigma remained in pro,
found obscurity. Of this, the proprietor OF the
house could have given him information, but he
was absent from the city. Our lover could not
in his impatience bear the idea of waiting until
October for the return OF the lady. The uncer-
tainty and the difficulties attending it but in.
creased his passion. At length after much search
and inquiry he learned that the beautiful un-
| ho1o oO6f fhot tShn w
at Bagneres One hour after having made this
discovery, he was on the way to Bsgneres The
day after his departure Mad. F. arrived in
Paris. Mad. F. was twenty y-fve-married
very Young to man unworthy of her and aban-
doned by the fathless husband, she had con-
demned herself to solitude-living apart from
the world and its pleasures in the practice OF the
purest virtue. Having become widow about
year before our story commences, and forgetting
the Injuries received from her husband, she
wished through respect for his name to discharge
the debts he had left This act of generous del
icacy cost her three -fourths of her fortune
Finding her income thus reduced, she had, on
leaving for Bagneres, rented her apartments
through motives of economy, and had now re-
turned to Paris to sell her furniture and regulate
her affairs preparatory to establishing herself in
the country. Thus it was great vexation to
her to learn that according to her orders, the a.
partments had been rented, and that the tenant
had left the day before, saying he would return
soon. "But," added the Concierge, 'f Madame
has need of her apartments, since the gentleman
is absent, Madame can remain here until he re-
turns" '"No, but shall at least visit them and
take away various things which / need" A
friend accompanied Mad. F. They went up
together to the rooms. "Alas !" said Mad F.,
siehing. sin what disorder shall | find my dear
| little nest which had arranged with so much
care, and which I was obliged to deliver up to
the profane before leaving it forever !"
''My poor Elise who is this lodger?"
ga traveller, they tell me, who will use no
more ceremony than if in a hotel-who has
probably smoked every day in my petit salon
and my chamber-we shall be stifed with the
odor of cigars" 81 am accustomed to that-my
husband smokes" replied the friend laughing
They entered the saionzall was in perfect order.
"But see, Henriette' said Elise, "nothing is dis
arranged. One might think had not been a.
way" 1t doesn't smell at all of cigars. The
gentleman doesn't smoke, but he plays the piano
and sings Lucia"
eyes, it is he who has opened the piano and
placed the music there" Sand he has put
flowers everywhere too-he must be q young
man." ''Do you think so2" suppose we in
ouire2" "But, would that be proper Henri
ette9" "Leaye it to me, will accomplish it a
drotly, so that it cannot compromise US" AT
this moment the wife Of the Concierge entered,
bringing some flowers. "Pardon ladies, if dis
turb you" said she, "but the gentleman order.
ed me to renew the boquets every day." Ali
it is then the old gentlenan's order" "What !
old indeed Ma Fol, he is young enough!" 81
thought you had called him old, but what mat
ter it whether he is all ugly, old man, or hand
some young one" "Handsome9 that he is-a
beautiful brun." 81 did not ask you if he was
into these details" "Excuse me madam" said
the woman retiring. swell, my dear Elise, )" said
Henriette, gaily, "he is yonng, he is Jrun. A
charming fellow, | am sure. This is nothing 10
me. ] am married, and adore my husband, but
to YOU. who are widow, and "silly girl that
YOU are!n "Not so silly after after all. But what
are you loookiug at now2" "My BOOKS, which
he has read had forgotten the key CT the
book-cas And these notes which l had writ
ten for my eye alone, lie must have read them
too |" Still more he has written others under
yours" "Indeed let me see." 'Stop, look E.
ise, he writes beautifully. He must be in love
know" "You are always jesting Henriette, :"
replied Mad. F., blushing. The two friends re-
turned the following day. The notes written
by the young unknown, interested them much,
but they had made another discovery still more
interesting. In a secretary, Of which Mad. +.
had duplicate key, and which she opened to
see if she bad not left some papers in it, she
found thick manuscript, in the hand writing
of the traveller, and containing an account of his
adventures and impressions while abroad. These
memoirs were addressed to friend, as was in
dicated by these lines on the first page.
"To thee, my friend, my brother! this book is
for thee alone Thou wilt find here my frank
and entire confession !"
"We cannot read this" exclaimed Mad. F.
"You would be deeply distressed if thought So
Confess it now. But be assured if your scru-
pies forbid you to read it, will risk the indis,
creton. You shall content yourself in listen
! ing" The two friends read with eager curios-
ty this book, in which man of feeling shows
himself naively as he is; expressing all his
thoughts, relating all his actions without reserve
or snbterfuge. They read them with emotion,
charmed, softened, now smile upon their lips,
now in tears. "Ah this is man worthy of be-
ing beloved!" cried the one, nterrupting her
reading. The other maintained silence, more
eloquent than the exclamations of her friend.
Yes. YOU are right Henrette," said she, when
the reading was over, "he is noble character !;
man brave, good, simple and refined in taste
and feeling, tender and intellectual I shall not
return here again. shall depart without see
ing him." 'Why2" because | do not wish
to fall quite in love with him." "There is no
longer time to go perhaps" "What do you
say?" "Some one is coming" 'oh suppose it
| is he!"
It was he. Between Elise and Henriette, e.
oually young and pretty, he did not hesitate an
.t.L' tsI bo5 ,roup to sepk unu - Said Ie IN