Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-06-08
MISC ELL AN Y.
From the Iadependsnt.
THE FRENCH TEACHERS.

eign population. Natives OF distant lands
meet you at every turn Of the wsy.-Chi.
ne.o with braided hair-Italian organ
grinders. with their cleaning eyes-fair-
haired. hones.-.faccd Germaus--swarthy
Spaniards and MeIican'-gay French
Turks, Hungarians, and Russians-Engll'h
Irish, Scotch. aud Jews. All these you
may sec in q stroll mp Broadway, and II
you will lend your ears as well as your eyes
you can hear the Language Of almo,, every
civilized nation /. you pass along. Among
these may be found oil ranks aud conditions
OF society, from the European noble. driv.
en- from his native land by misfortune or
persecution. and forced to labor for hi, dali
" bread, and the sister OF Kossuth. keep.
ins little store and sewing to support her
children, to the ragged Irish boy who
sweeps the crossings, and the Italian girl
with her tamborine. America 10 the sane.
tuary to which all eye, look aero. the sea
when tyranny or trouble makes home to Be
home no longer. Here they como to repair
their fortunes and forge, their sorrows.
The world has never read moro thrilling
and romantic stories than some OF these
dwellers m almost every stree, in the city
could tell II they chose 10 reveal tho history
Of their lives. Many OF the refined aud ac-
compli.he ed among the French, Germans,
and Italians support themselves by teach.
ins their native language TO private pupil.
and in the variou. schools Of the city. !
have been thinking this morning Of a
French teacher Of my own who was always
very charming person TO me. AM will be
90 to you, arn sure, II tell you about
her. was seeking an instructor in French
aud l. wa. at Madame D.. boal ding-.chool
in Fourteenth street that fret heard Of
Marie De vIllarsSnns. she !, young"
said Madame, only nineteen, but ] think
her a very good teacher. | don't know the
history Of her family, bot | believe they
have s"cn better days. The mother is dead
and the father Is a proud, hish.brsd, ner.
vous old gentleman, tho author Of some
French text books, which his daughter uses.
He !. IN feeble health. and gives lessons at
his lodgings, and she ha. pupils here. and
in several other schools in this par, Of the
city. have partly promised her all my
classes for mex, year, and should isel no
he.i,Aney about il. IL It were no, for her
youth and ineIperiencs. will giyo her
your address, aud have no doub. she will
please you"
The next morning she came TO see me
pune,ually a, nine o'clock. had thought
10 meet dark.haired. blaek.eysd girl Of
the usual type Of French women, and was
surprised to find her delieaiely fair. with
brown eyes and light, waving hair. Her
face was no, striking enough 10 DO hand.
some. nor regular enough in its features to
be called pretty, bu, there was something
beautiful in il better than either. She wore
a straw bonnO, tied with blue ribbon. and
a dress Of some plain gray material, with
a mantle Of the sano thrown over her
shoulders. But the richest broeade could
no, have seen more gracefully worn. There
was thorough ladylikeness and elegance
about her that princess might have en-.
We'd. Her voice had rar, sweetness. and
her pronunciation Of Eusl,h was jus,
Rcnci enough to be piquan,. | resolved
n, once to engage her, let her "ms,hod I"
be wha, IL might. She told me OF her faith.
er's declining health. and her lit.lo sisters
confinement, 20 their two rooms at the
boarding.house. and said |, was her grea,
desire TO obtain scholars enough TO enable
them TO take small house by themselves.
90 tina, they could feel moro a, home. She
became ngita,ed ne shO talked, and uneon-
,ciou.ly threw back her bonnet and drew OF
her glove, revealing a bi, Of dainty lace
abou, her neck, and glimpse OF a curious
ly woven gold chain, and, on her slender
hand, q ring with clear emerald, set in
antique fashion.
I've have been nearlya year in New
York" said she; "my father has very lit
tie property lei, to depend upon, and 1t is
only within the past few weeks that have
been able to earn sufficient to pay tho ex.
penses Of my little sister and myself. My
father Is not strong enough to have many
pupils"
promised to DO al. could for her. Ny
lesson. were soon arranged, and, as she had
an engagement, at ten, che bade mo good
morning.
1, was wonderful how suddenly became
interested in French. which had always
seemed TO the the most stupid Of languages.
MatamOis,lc came to me every other morn.
ing, aud the charm Of her first impression
WAS doepened rather than removed with ey.
cry lesson. So graceful, so exquisiloly re-
fined, and so nervously anxious to succeed
for her fa,her's sake-l was more and more
drawn to her perpc,ually, and would have
supported her claims against the world.
The number OF her private pupils increased,
and with the prospect Of large classes in
the schools the coming year, sho became
hOpefal and happy. Every afternoon
when school hours were over she wen, to
walk with her father and sister. and I used
often to meet them in the quiet streets near
their boardins.house. Her father seemed
very feeble. but was still cree, and digni-
fed in his carriage, and greeted any one
whom he knsr. with bow that would have
graced m court