The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-08-14
The Broken Gun.

becoming to be during the first period of widowhood
Standing in the middle of the saloon, Mile Juei
holds in hand ybrush and in the other billet
doux It were useless to say which Of these two sub
Iees occupies most OF her attention The billet-doux
contains declaration that Nile Julie is reading again
for the tenth time while brandshng carelessiy the y-
brush without looking at what she is doing. Double
mprudcncc the part too much attention. on the
other too much negligence that might cause two mis-
fortunes But we think of that only when the mischief
is doue- porcelain cup falls and IS shattered to pieces
the floor. 0ne-haf of the mischief is already done
the other may perhaps happen next Sunday.
Startled from the pleasure of interesting study
Mile Juliecontemplaes hc disaster occa stoned by her
guilty inatention What will madame SAY? superb
breakfast set Of Old porcelain! The thing is 50 much
the serious that the precious set had been given to
madame Bainval by her husbaud and Mile Julie knows
how much store her mistress sets by every thing that
recalls to her, her deceased husband.
i shall be scoded may be dismissed said the lively
maid who for moment had lost her gay smile and her
sweet playfuness But nature will not away long and
body else with this awkwardnessg
The intention wasnot charitable and that was its least
fault. Yet was it necessary to know on whom to lay
the blame No one had enteredthe saIoon and no one
was expected before madame Blainvdl
tisin such dilemnlas that Imagination is @oodthug.
Nile Juliereaected dqringsao or,rqe asnttes the,s
suddenly her eye Frightened smile again parted her
lips, and she exclaimed gaily:--
i have an dea?
With Mile. Julie, execution was quick as thought To
go do"n 70 tte garden PICK up stone come up again
to the saloon break pane of glass and place the stone
in the midst Of the fragments Of the cup for her the
business of but moment
So the accident came from out of door.
Yes, but people do not break windows for nothing
and madame de Blanyal had understanding enough 20
find out the trick The idea be perfected the stone
was worth nothing if unaccompanicd with plausible
preteXt.
Here is something to dress it with pursued the in
gtfus mind who still held in her hand the fatal billet
dauX. There was neither nor direction to this
gallant epste; was passionate declaration naming
no person. Mile Julie could sacriicca tter she knew
by heart. The stone was then wrapped up in the love
breathing billet and the article thus feeitcd behind
complication that must Insure its success.
All had been disposed for about half an hour, when
madame Bainya entered the saloon slone and sad as
u.u~l She a long mourning dress that did not
spoil the elegance of her shape and he ,ccs of features
AT the first glance she perceived the mischief and
her sorrow for the broken cup was forgocnn the anger
she felt reading the bilIet-doux.
Is it possible such things can be written to me2'
cried she but cannot doubt it. the letter is certainly
for me since it's here
What particularly offended her in this declaration
was the style which to her seemed mpcrtinent in the
last degree Written in terms more suitable the billet
might have produced less effect A fashionable woman,
woocd like an intriguing cannot pass over this in
Huit Will IIuICItte anu lSlln AT any price must
know the impudcnt fellow that had JUDGED her badly
But thought madame Bainval, it can be but IL neigh
bor
The window which had given egrcss to the billet,
looked upon some gardens. Opposite, arose large
fine house the inhabitants Of which had never excited
madame Bllinvt's Idle curiosity For the fir time
the young widow took her post Of observation belinda
curtain and reviewed the dodgers in the neighborhood
Unthc first foor, dwelt an English lady and her two
lighters living alone and in absolute retirement.
On the second, an Old general who had long ubln-
doncd military service and the storms of the passions
Onthc third an honestlamily composed of the father
the mother and seven children, the Oldest eleven or
iwclyc years old.
Onthc fourth tenants it had not bcenlet for three
quarters
On tie ffh-who could reside on the fifth floor? The
eyes OF madame Bainyal had never looked 50 high.
SuddeHy at one of the windows of the fifth story
young man made lis appearance. Madame BainraI
concealed herself in the fold of the curain but the
Young man did not look towards her he leaned the
edge Of the window passed his hand through his long
fair hair unl bis eyes fixed the Of the
heavens.
lie to play tile hypocrte and conceal his game
thought the beautiful widow, but lie viii sell himself
at last
Meanwhile the young man was still looking at the sky,
and quarter Of hour WAS spent in this contempla
ton that madame Blainyal would have found natural
had she known that the ncghbor poet busy at the
time in finding rhymc>
Yes indeed poet, and nothing more; Peor poet
named Adalbert, whose the whole world was igno
rant Of. Madame Blainval had all leisure to see his
agreeable face full Of expression Then whether he had
last found his rhyme whether he dcspared of find
ing it in the ethereal spaces the poet withdrew without
casting glance on the window from which his motions
were watched
This is ST. alge,' 'tIoughtmadame RainyaI little for
getfUl of her resentment.
She waited another quarterof an hour, the young man
did not again make disappearance. Without doubt the
inspiration had come.
Yet said the beautiful widow, 1T can be but him;
have other ncighbor capable of such raslness'
She examined the broken panc it appeared to her
that the fracture had been made from above The
letter therefore did not either from the lower
stories or from the gardens
Madame Blanva had Iust reached the eleventh month
of Der widowhood. The moment was propitious In
the midst of the sorrow and the regrets that little filed
her heart little corner was opened to consolaion-
Lucky the man who should occupy it first. If he
knew how to profit by his advantage he will soon be
master of the whole place.
Chance, having done everything in this business
sent the poet Adalbert the propitious moment Every
thing was TO be passport to him. to the solcncC
OF the epistle even to his Ignorance which gave his con
duct the attraction Of problem that the young widow
would absolutely solve.
An ordinary beau advancing by the beaten tracks
would certainly have been discaded but the man who
made his declaration by throwing stones, who broke
WINDOWS ana poictIallS 10 get hearlug-that one ue
served some considerations
And then, what added piquancy to the adventure was
the contrast between the mind features of the Young
man and the cavalier style of his letters; it the
strong contradiction between his bashuI appearance
and the boldness of the proceedings Madame Blan-
vel had shown herself at the window and hardly had he
dared to east upon her a urtive glance he who sent
oyeCtters with eiraction and other aggravatng cir
Adalbert was not however so deeply absorbed in
poetry as to remain insenshle to things here below
He sometimes abandoned his celestial contcmplaons TO
reflect little what passed in the lower world Inopi
ration might be found here below quite as well as above
when he had glance of his beautiful neigh
Dor That said he that is the muse should like 10
invoke! But would She listen to me, poor unknown F
'hymcr The distance is 50 great between uSr. And
Adalbet saddencd by these reflections again took his
light towards the heavens.
Had he known how he stood withhis ncighBorl
Nine Biainval removed her piano near the window
Spring was come and the window remained opened The
,oung widow there spent long hours and sometimes in
Ter mpatience she closed the curtain, and was day
II two without showing herself. Adalbert knew not
What to think of this play, these poungs these
gemcnts.
Every time she came in the saloon madame Bialnval
ooked if there was not another broken cup Bat Julie
ook many precautions that the accident was not re-
lewed.
The romance was enghening On this first chapter
phen madame Bainva was Obliged to leave Paris to get