Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-02-23
Curious French Story.


A week or ten days ago, says q Paris
letter writer, young mao, originally irom
the country, became engaged to marry lady
equal to him in age and fortune. She was a
Partisan. lie occupies a lucrative place in
one Of the railway companies Offices here
His father lives on the old family estate
which is situated in one Of the mountain
gorges near the Franco Spanish frontier, and
separated almost completely from the world
He had passed for a widower above twenty
years. The young man paid visit to the
old family seat, where indeed he was accus.
toned TO spend bis summer vacations, TO
collect the innumerabe documents the French
law requires the officer who performs maria.
ges to have in his hands before he stamps the
civil contract made before him With its Me.
dean aud Persian character. He asked his
father for his mothers burial certificate
The father was extremely embarrassed by
this appeal, but as no bans could be published
until the burial certificate had been lodged at
the Mayors Office where the marriage was to
be contracted, the father at last broke silence,
saying: "My dear boy. have for n great
many years concealed secret from you,
because its possession would prove painful
burthen to you, and because the honor of our
house is interested 10 its maintenance, and
your tender years have hitherto rendered you
incapable Of preserving it. Your mother
lives. She is luuatic. Come with me- and
I'll 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, aud
they went to the top Of it. The chamber on
the last floor was the luDatc's cell lie
opened the door, the son entered il, and
kneeling at the poor womaD's feet, sobbed,
Mother Mother !" in a most heart.rending
manner. These touching appeals, which
would have moved stone idols almost, made
no impression on the poor lunatic. Her
stare continued as vacant and her lips AS
speechless as ever. The son. bis soul sick at
the sad spectacle, then gently upbraided his
father for denying him the melancholy solace
Of sharing the attentions he, the father, had
bestowed upon his wifes wreck for so many
years. The father repeated the excuse be
had first given of bis sons youth and the
importance Of the secret to the family's hap.
piness. 1t became necessary 20 evow this
misfortune to the brides family, and they
naturally desired to zee for themselves, as the
story that the wife was dead and the story
that she was crazy, seemed something awk.
ward, which needed explanation. Several
members of the family went down to the
distant chateau, and the poor lunatc wns
introduced AS soon as she saw herself sur
rounded by witnesses, she said in a calm
tone 81 an not mad. My husband becom.
ing the prey of most npreasoning jealousy,
and being alone in this secluded mansion,
to escape bis continual scenes Of violence,
and to avoid the fear ] was continually under
OF being assassinated by him, (he threatened
more than once to kill me,) say | feigned
madness in the hope Of enjoying something
like quiet. preferred languishing in prison
all my life 20 being hourly harassed by these
dreadful scenes Of jealousy"
You may imagine the effect this declara.
tion made. The persons assembled thought
at first this accusation was but an additional
evidence OF the distracted state Of her mind,
for madness often borrows reasons mask
and wears it so well as to deceive even the
most practised physicians of the mind. The
Faculty were appealed to. Before it could
decide, her husband who had been in state
of great agitation ever since bis wife charged
BIN with her sequestration, became reving
mad His papers were inspected, aud it ap.
peared that he had for years been crazy-a
monomnUisc-hist frenzy arising from jealousy.
lie was carried to a mad.house, and his wife
signed the marriage contract OF her son
Isn't that Venetian enough for ye To think
it occurred in France in this year Of grace.