Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-09-16
A Man Counting his Own Wife.

told story OF domestic eccentriclties:-
Ten years ago NJ V. married in Montreal.
lie was one of the principal merchants of
the city; but by reverse Of fortune he was
compelled TO suspend payments soon after his
marriage. He loved his wife to distraction,
to use common phrase; and the idea of IN.
volving her in his disasters greatly afflicted
him. After thousand int rnal conflicts,
NJ. V. resolved to leave the city without say
ing ANYTHING about it. lie wished his de-
parture or rather his disappearance, to re-
main a mystery. But he had Il purpose. Il
will Co." he resolved, ITO Australia, and
there mend my fortune, or die without giving
any account Of myself"
This resolution taken, our tradesman em-
barked clandestiney, and eight days after
his flight he was not thought of. Madame
Y. wept, We are fain 10 suppose; more than
this, we will believe she shed torrents Of
tears, and sought him upon rivers. and IN
woods, lakes and caverns but In vain. NJ
V. had left to his beautiful, but weeping and
forern wife, an income of a hundred louis,
and sailed for Australia. What befel him
upon those favored shores We do not well
know; but little by little he amassod wealth
At Montreal they supposed him dead.-
His wife wept bitterly; and she saw, un-
doubtedly, that sorrow jaundiced her COM
plexion and dimmed her eyes; therefore she
ceased, all sweetly, her role OF Nlobe. Our
Penelope could smile like young widow Of
eighteen: the art of needework is too perfect
now: are not men entangled with 1t! She
was faithful to her wandering husband eigh-
teen long months; but she then did what 9th
crs might have done in her place. Thinking
herself young, she lent her ear to tender pro-
posas: she reviewed her geography of love,
confessed to never having studied the map
of the tender country, and ono fine morning
contracted new marriage. But the frst
husband lie? oh. he was dead. What liv-
ing husband would stay away eighteen long
months without writing word! If ne was
not dead he ought to be; feminine logic. J
She married. Was she happy, or was she
not? (Shakespearean question:
Meantime, the first husband labored in the
mines. lie acquired, acquired-always ac-
quired. Falling upon an aurlterous vein he
suddenly obtained large sum-and had his
only motive been the love of gam, he would
have Immediately returned to Montreal.-
But his dear Louisa must eat only from sill
yer, and drink only from gold
The unfaithful Louisa, rs we have already
said was again married. Faith does not save
us; NJ Y. always labored, but an epidemic
prevailed; our hero caught the small pox and
was completely disfgured. Disguised with
Australia, he sold his property ard embarked
on an American ship.
During the voyage, the second husband of
l., e., ;n.l ,itb ha
dedat Portland, flew to Montreal, and went
to the Montreal House, without arousing any
suspicion rs to who he was. There are PEG
pie who always love to create surprise, and
he was one of them. He inquired for Madame
": mo one knew such person; NJ. Y. insist
ed Finally he was told by some one that
she was now the widow ). NJ. Y. scratched
his head. They pointed out to him Madame
widow v, afterwards Madame widow s., and
he recognized his wife, as charming as when
he left her. NJ v Immediately fell into
brown study.
His countcancc was grave, and very sad.
very gloomy; and thus he turned away. NJ.
v had more spirit than money; and he found
it very strange to pay addresses to his own
wife. But he did it; he courted his own wife
for three months. lie recognized her; did
she recognize him? 1t is more than we know;
we leave the DANES who read this to solve
the problem. lie was introduced with all
his pounds, shillings and pence. People
will admire pounds sterling, and dollars fed
eral, and women above all. Though SCARED
and pitted with the small pox, NJ. V. won the
heart of his wife. They were to exchange
the second marriage rings, when NJ. V. pre-
scented to her the same one he had given her
at their first cspousal. The woman, they
say, tainted.
Posr OFFICE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE W ASH
IxGroN NATIONAL MuNruENr-The plan for
raising funds to complete the Washington
Monument, through the agency OF postmas-
ters seems likely topruvc successful. About
four thousand circulars, we are informed,
were sent out last month by Lieutenant Ives
but it was scarcely expected that any returns
would be received before the lst Of October
They have, however, already commenced to
come in from different parts of the country.
August was n broken month, and the cost OF
putting mp boxes had Ia be deducted from
the amounts contributed, but theaverage re-
ceipts are highly encouraging The small
est amount that has been sent is % cents,
and the largest SIS, the latter from the city
Of Wheeling, Virginia. When it is recollec
ted that the former sum, insignificant as 1t
appears, is nearly double what would be re-
CURED from each place. monthly, in order to
complete the monument in a few years, the
entire practicability of the project will ap-
pear 1t only requires the universal cooper
alton of postmastcrs to ensure It's success,
and thus far all that have been heard from
have promised cordial cooperation to the
enterprise. New York city, Charleston,
Providence. X L. and the little town OF Put
man, in Ohio, have each sent more than SO.
These four returns would make up the aver
age for about $50 towns that might contrib
ute nothing at all. Two or three months
will be required to fairly test the project, but
there is little doubt that it must ultimately
succeed. The letters enclosing the remit
tance- are kept on file among the records Of
the Monument Society, and it is intended,
at stated intervals to publish complete lists of
the amounts received and the places where
they were contributed. = Wash. Star.
TuE BRITISu ROYAL FAAILY.-The ROYAL
family are all at various country retreats
The Queen is still at Osborne, in the Isle Of
Wight, where she remains till next month,
when she fayorS her Scottish seat Balmoral
with the Royal presence. The Prince of
Wales has for some time been staying at
IIolyrcod Palace, Edinburgh, where he has
10 r,.Eo -. kka a,,,h