Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-07
STRANGE STORY.

Some week OF ten udy5 dSo JOuuS hdu
originally from the country, became engaged
to marry a ysung lady equal to him in rank an
fortlrs. she was Parisian. He occupies a
lucrative place in one Of our railway com
pspv 4 Offices hero. Her father lives on the
family estate, which is situated in one Of tht
mountain gorges near the FCancUTspanist
frontier, and separated almost entirely from
the world. He had passed for a WidOwel
about twenty years. The young man paid a
visit to the old family seat, where, indeed be
was accustomed to spend his GUNNER vaca-
tiOns, to collect the inAumer7 bic documents the
French law requires the officer who performs
the marTiages 70 Bave IN bis hands sefoFe Dc
stamDs the civil contract made before hin
with it's Mpdesn sDd Persian character
He asked his father for his motber's burial
certificate. The father was extremely en-
barrass4d BY this appeal but no bands could
he published uutil the burial certificate had
been lodged at the mayors Office, where the
marriage was to be contracted. The father at
last broke the silence, saying:
"My dear boy, I have for a great many
veqrs concealed a secret from you, because its
possession would prove paiuful burrhen TO
YOU, because the honor Of our house Is inter
ested in its maintenance, and your tender
vears have hitherto rendered you incsrable oi
preserving it. Your mother lives. She is A
lunatic. Come with ne and Pli let you see
her."
He carried his son, who was trembling with
emotion. into an old tower which formed part
Of the architecture of the chateau, and they
went TO the top ef 1t. The chamber on the
last floor was the iunatic's cell. He opened
the door, the son entered, aud knseling at the
poor woman's feet, sobbed:
"Mother mother - in a most heart rend-
Ing manner. These touching appeals; which
would have novel stone idols almost, made
no impression on the poor lunatic. Her stare
continued as vacant and her lips as sPeechIess
an ever. The SCH, his soul sick at the sad
spectacle, there gently upbraided his father
for DENYING him the melancholy solsce II shar-
ing the attention be, bis IA a.her, had bestowed
on bis wreck for so many years. The father
repeated the excuse he had given OF bis sons
youth and the importance Of the secret to the
family happiness.
It became necessary to aVow this misfortune
to the BRIDES family, aud they naturally de-
sired to see for themselves, as The story that
the-wife was dead, and the story that she was
crazy, seemed something awkward, which
needed explanation. Several members OF the
family went down to the distant chateau, aad
the poor unatic was introduced. AS soon as
she saw herself surrounded by witnesses, she
said t. a ralm touea
'I am not mad. Ny husband becoming the
prey Of unreasonable JEALOUSY, and being
helpless and alone in this secluded mansion,
to escape his continual scenes Of violence, and
TO avoid TIE fear that was continually under
Of being assassiuated BY him, (he tbreatene
more thsn once TO kill me) say, | feiCned
madness in the hope Of enjoying something
like quiet | preferred languishiDg in Frison
all my life, to being hourly harassed b. these
dreadful scenes Of jealousy"
You m y imagine the effect Of this declara-
ton. The persons asse nbled thought at first
this accusation was but an additional evidence
Of the distracted state Of her mind, for mad
ness often borrows reasons mask, and wears
it SO we'll as even to deceive the most practiced
physicians Of the mind. The faculty was ap-
peaIed TO. Before they could decide, hsr
husband, who bad been in state Of agitation
ever since bis wife charged him with Der
seQuestTatioD, became ravIBg mad. HIS papers
were inspected, end it appeared that he had
been crsZy--a mOnUnaniac-hi5 phrenZy
arising from jealousy. He was carried to a
mad house, and bis wife signed the marriage
contract OF her SON .. Picayans.
EXTEzA SOUP.
A young friend Of ours, who " puts up y al
4 two dollars and fry cents boarding house
relates the following incident, which may
afford a useful hint t. those ladies who under
take to provide nutriment for boarders with
strong stomachs and weak purses.
One day last week, says our friend, tht
soup produced for our noon-tide meal wai
unusually rich and unctuous, possessing a
favor which proved cOnclusively that an ex
ira quantity Of meat had been used in tht
preparation.
The bosrders wers all very much surprised
and delighted, but the landlady seemed to bt
less pleased with th cir frequent draughts upOI
the turseH.
A short time after dinner, our friend, nap
pening to pass by the kitchen, overheard BIZ
hostess rating the cook for having put toe
much Of the shin Of the beef in the souI
kettle:
"Harf of it, sad the economical provider
would have been quite enough for eigh
bOaTders, that pay no more than they d. TO
their .vctuals.3
al didn't put half the shin in, ma'am, says
ths COOKE
''Ye needn't tell me that story,' cried the ex
/ cited old lady. at know you've been wasting
the meat; go just axe the ladle and dip up th
| bones, and then wen see whether Pm a ar o
you're mistaken"
The cook obeyed, and after diving the ladI
down two or three times in the kettle, sh
| brought up somtthing which explained th
mystery.
"Lor ma'am, see how tits, :" she said; ''kit
| ten has been in nDing bout the kettle an
! dropped in, an IT'S all boiled up in the broth
"Bless me / " cried the hostess, $50 it is
Then, sfter a cor siderable pause, che added
! "COok, have yOu any more kittens? w
| might drop one N, YOU know, every time "
! have soup dinner. You would't believe hoy
! the boardeTs seeIled to like it.o
| Our friend paused to hear no more, bu. start
! ed out to seek aHOther boarding house.