Smyrna times., 1861-05-02
THE COUNTS WIFE AND SISTER

date, reckoning about eight hundred years of
nobility. The count, who had been but lately
married TO the object Of long and serious at
tachment, at the breaking out of the Crimean
war had left his wife in great trouble and dis
may; but, nevertheless, could not, consistently
with honor, resign his post as colonel to one
the most conspicuous regiments in the service,
| and he departed with the rest. The countess,
meanwhile. overcome by griet, had retired to
the country, resolved tc spend her time in
| prayer and gsod works until her husbands re-
turn. The correspondence between the hus-
band and wife had been for some time most af-
fectionate and regular, when some good ma
tured friend who had nothing to do CHANGED to
scratch few lines TO a comrade Of Count
-s, and mentioned that he had met the fair
countess in Paris, looking bewitchingly beauti-
full, and evidently bent upon a secret expedi-
tion, as none of the family knew of her being
in the capital.
The friends friend told the story jokingly to
another friend, and by some means or other it
got to the ears of the colonel, just at the same
time with letter from his wife, full of affec.
tion, as usual, containing the account of the
removal of his young sister from the fashion
able school at which she had been placed by
the colonel himself, in order tosecu her from
the pursuit of an objectic nal admirer. Not a
word, however, of her journey to Paris-no-
thing which could induce him TO suppose that
she wished him TO become acquainted with the
circumstance. The consequence of this con-
victon rendered the answer more stiff and
rigid than was usual, and venting the anger he
felt against his wife upon his innocent young
sister, he launched forth into the most indig.
nant expressions against the latter, with sun
dry ironcal suspicious that it was not wholly
ennui of school discipline which had induced
her to implore her sister-in-law, in the pathetic
terms reported, TO take her home. The letter
concluded almost in a threatening tone; for
the writer's wrath had grown by what it had
been feeding on, and burst forth in declarations
Of what feapfdl vengeance would be taken,
should he ever discover that any cores.
pondence was carried on between his sister
and the suitor, whom he had discarded as un-
worthy In fortune, birth, and character to pre-.
, tend to admission into the family. This nov el
tone taken by the colonel produced the usual
} impression, that of restraint on the part of his
correspondent, which, increasing on both
} sides, ended almost in eoldness--until the an
nouncement of the death of the sister, to whom
} he had shown himself unduly severe, gave q
turn to the feelings of both, and it seemed as il
: confidence would be reestabished. Mean
while the war being ended, the colonel return
f ed home, and prepared to forget all his suspi
cions in the restoration ofihis happiness. HI
, arrived, unannonnced, at his country house
and, 10 his great surprise and annoyance
8 found that his wife was absent. He learn
that she had gone to Paris, and, prompted by
8 some demon, he determined on follow
: ing her steps. He knew from the coach
e man, whose wife always accompanied madam'
I on these excursions, at what hotel madam
/ stayed during the four. .and-twenty hours sh
g remained in the city, and 10 that hotel he hed
Here he found that lady answering tn
description Of his wifi e had just arrived, an
" ordered carriage, as usual, TO take her L
s Neuilly. The colonel's mind was made up
= he secured another vehicle to follow the on
:, which contained madame and the maid all th
= way 10 NeUily. The carriage stopped at
lowly looking dwelling at the further extrem
. :. ty of the Rud d'Orleans. Here the COUNTIES
y alighted, leaving her cempapionbir the cal
:, riaee. The colonel, beside himself with jea
. Gus suspicion, took his station opposite, an
: beheld his wife in the garden, carsssing an
u tonding an infant she had taken from the arm
of it's nurse, and, after covering it with kisse
% aGd talking for a while earnestly with th
nurse, return once more, with head bent 10
- and handkerchief TO her eyes, to the carriag
and drive off with all speed back again to Pari
The colonel is a man of action and of fe
words. He went Immediately TO his notair
w related TO that worthy the facts to which
IN had been eyewitness; wrote letter full
G. lofty pride and calm resentment to his wife
es sent TO the hotel where he knew she was q
or customed to stay till the morning on the occ
or sion of these visits, and withdrew 10 his esta
as near Dion, with the determination, as expires
II ed in that letter, never to see his wife agai
20 The lady, it seems, must have been Of
pt equally proud nature, for it is not upon reco
er that she ever attempted to vindicate herself
% the eyes OF her husband. gtE.s ga.
rs The chateau in which she lived was her ov
10 and there she remained, sinking. in rapid
;. cline, until, short time ago, death terminal
~ ~ her gret, and changed the pride and vengei
u' feelings of her husband into remorse and &c
a ae row, for which no remedy will be found on Ii
~ earth. A short time since the news OF q
misfortune was conveyed to him by the notdt
:, Thescounless had bequeathed 10 him nothi
Gu but the letter which he had returned unopen
. at the very FIRST moment OF the arousing of
Oh indignant suspicious. OF necessity he op,
re ed it, and now it was his wife'syengeance viii
a'' was complete. For it related that from viii
70 nothing could be added nor taken away in
'o- those years--the confession of the birth of
child hs had seen her nurse and caress wit
=, motherly affection, which time had only
,s creased since that letter was written, and VIII
20 il was evident she knew well needed no I
lu1 ther recommendation to bis own affection ll
'r1h wise. 1t was his sisters. child. The wi
ln, generous and noble, had saved the young {
leo from shame in the eyes Of the world, but
ng not been able TO rescue her from that which
70 oysrlaken her in her own opinion. She
died--leaving the care Of the infant to the o
py friend on whom she could rely--confding
'fl- her generosity and feeling the task of Imp
son ting the secretto her brotpers j hIa2q y
ers II 10 hard TO keep this SORT OF story conce
70 ed in Paris; it becomes everYbody's proper
.hn and at this momen; is the sole subject Of.
ing and comment in every club, salon, and ey
} OF back shop of the city,. 10 every one OF th
3 i the silent, solitary death Of tke proud wife,
80 - the, remorss and future sorrow of the pr
~, husband, become matters Of discussion,
'sy' child-causs of all this fatal misunderstood