The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-10-26
MISCELLANEOUS.



The adventure we are about to narrats
could never have been possible in quiet Eng
land; but it is by no means one of the un
common character for the gay France Of
the days Of Henry iii. -a ..ay
On bright summer noon, ever so many
years ago. Claude di Savclli, the painter, a
pupil Of the famous Pri,naticcio, was dream
ing of all sorts of beautiful things under the
green leaves Of the woods Of Rambouillct
The sound Of u horses feet aroused him
and, looking up, he saw at some slight dis.
tance, a lady guiding snow white palfrey
richly enough caparisoned through theleafy
glades-now jumping him over the trunk
Of a PROSTATE tree, now leaping him over a
tiny rivulet. She would pass in and out Of
the green whirring copses with admirable
skill, and rapidly approached tho messy
knoll whcreon our friend Claude reposed. =
1t was the most natural thing in the world
that just as they reached his impromptu
couch, the palfrey should take fright at a
sudden tapping of wings in an adjoining
thicket. 1t was equally natural that the
lady should be taken by surprise, and, losing
her seat, should be flung rudely to the
ground. And, certainly, it was natural
enough that Claude should speed to her aid,
should raise her up with the most delicate
courtesy, should scize the bride Of the er-
ring pony, and assist its mistress to remount.
Then the palfrey ambled edaway in a steady,
quiet manner, as if ashamed of his recent
misadventure, and the lady waved her hand
to the young painter with charming air OF
grateful modesty. Claude threw himself
again beneath the beach tree, and dreamed
more vigorously than ever, but to see only
in his dreams that wonderful pair Of dark
blue eyes, and that crown of glossy tresscs
which, beheld but for moment, were new
ertheless not to be forgotten? .anf -f
The next DAY, about the same hour,
Claude found it very pleasant thing to Sc
lect the same knoll under the same beech
tree for another ncon-tide dream. And, by
q singular coincidence again, the palfrey
trottcd into the shadows Of the wood: am
bled round tho gnarled trunks, and lcaped
over the winding rills which laced the sward
witha network Of silver. He came, at last,
to Claudes sequestered couch, but not to
misbehavc himself, for his mistress reined
him in SO tightly that Claude found time to
present, and the lady to accept, one Of the
daintiest roses that ever symbolled Loves
homage to Beauty. And we are by no
means prepared to say that Claude did not
accompany it with few words of delicate
thankfulness; or how, we beg leave to in
quire, could Claude have known-as he did
know, for that very evening he wrote score
of sonncts upon it-that her name was
Marguerite
Days rolled by, sweet summer days! and
still the palfrey visited the greenwood, and
Claude dreamed Of nothing but fair wo-
mans graces, and spent his evenings in
composing very bad verses, wherein clark
deep eyes," rhymed appropriately to "evc-
ming skies" Marguerite, as the lady had
named herself, was somewhat irregular in
her visits to the trysting-tree and Claude
often used very harsh language respecting
"faithlcss lovers and ''inconstant hearts, ;"
whereto she replied-as beautiful women
ever reply when accused Of such misdecds
with blush and assmile. All, the blush
All, the smile! Loves dcadliest artillery |!
What cloquence SO potcnt--what logic so
convincing? .' ...
Amystery surrounded the beauty, which
puzzled the young artist exceedingly. She
gave no name but Marguerite; she would
never suffer him to escort her homcward !;
she never told him ought Of her lineage or
position. She was older than he--older by
many summers-but her rounded form and
voluptuous loyeliness seemed only to have
ripened with her years into higher beauty,
and Claude was content to worship without
ever suspecting that the mature woman
might only be amusing herself with boys
devotioh .s.,.....t -s...u
Three months had passed-the autumn
brown was on the leaf; and Claude felt that
his holiday must needs come to an end
Love was an exquisite simmer dream, but
fame could not altogether be put out Of
sight by young, enthusiastic artist. His
long absence from Primaticcio's studio had,
he knew, excited angry comment, and the
time had come for him to surrender, at least
for time, his greenwood visions, and to
grid himself up to earnest labor. But Mar
g,,erite!
Ay, his worshipped beauty, the lady Of
his love, the star Of his brightest visions! I!
How could he leave her without some closer
knowledge of her family and herself? some
surer pledge of love than had yet passed