The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-05-23
The Sha dOWs.

gal family, presided with exquisite graceI a
consulted rather my tastes and quiet habit
than MY age in seeking an introduction amongs
the grave spirits and solemn characters whic
composed this society. You met there very fe,
young people OF of the world rarely any fc
males who had not accomplished their fort
4, years Ii accident brought one of less certaiI
, date, they never returned a second time. The
carried away with them the recollection of lon,
yellow candles, shedding yellow light owe
yellow figures of sofas on the backs of whicI
the hands of Justice were embroidered in blac]
and white silks; of tapestry of ''Aubussion,
apple green, and upon which might be distin
gulshed, in faint marked squares first, the ia
tai duel of the Baron de Bouteville with tn
| Marquis de Bouveron, in the centre of the Pal
ace Royale Further on, you saw the Baron d.
Boutevile arrested by the Provost and his off
GERS at Vitry-le-Brule. Further still, upon
square which marked door, assisted at tn
Baron's execution upon the Place de Greye.
NO one could ever forget the high, gray win
dows ; the pictures, out Of all proportion, from
which frowned fearfully the dark portraits O
Judges, land Presidents Morter, 'all surmount
ed by wigs ola size which gave them the ap
pearance of black lions growing beneath thei
mighty names.
After a few months however you began t,
grow familiar with these terrois Gradually
dared to look upon the portrait of the great an
ceStor OF the family, standing upright in hi
frame, which was at least foot thick and dress
ed IN the costume of Judge of the 'Chambe
ATdente. l even dared to touch it.
! The mistress Of the mansion had described
to NE the characters and habits of the few per
sons who made up her Wednesday evenings
They were the remains of old families, who
We're unreproached by even the slightest con
descension toward the Empire with all its Sc
| 0uctI0ua pn Iph had Jof+ Al
ration nothing more than the privilege ofresum-
ing their early habits.
Madame de Hacquevile permitted me to
come early in order to introduce me one by one
to the persons who honored her mansion with
their presence.
One evening, as usual, l took my place near
her and opposite large fire place, in which the
1ames, lighting up the back, played a figure of
Louis XII metamorphosed into Pluto.
Pointing to the clock, she showed the exact
minute at which each ofthe habitual frequenters
OF her saon made their appearance.
! At three minutes after nine o'clock said
She you will see NJ. de Guemarac make his ap-
pearance He is descendant ofthat magistrate
who, forced by his father and the traditions Of
! his family to assume the robe for which he had
the most profound distaste vowed 10 decide al
ways against his conscience Faithful to his
tacit engagement, he dismissed three times an
| accusation against three men whose guilt was
proved to him and whose crime carried with it
the punishment Of death. Six years after, the
innocence of the three was fully estabGsled.-
M. dc Guemarac had been ,ight i'll violating
as judge both his reason aud his conscience
The father of the young magistrate insisted no
longer and the place was sold
At three minutes past nine Nj de Guemarec
entered.
| At twenty minutes past nine will push up
the ia tel for NJ, the Baron de Griguoes, CON
tnued Madame do Hacquerlle She was right.
| With the same exactitude she indicated the
precise moment at which Madame Casa Blanca,
the President de Page, and indeed, each one of
her guests, would appear.
l noticed that Madame Casa Blanca constant
! ly concealed her right hand. Madam de
Hacquevile was speaking in very warm
tennis of her. 'Ah Madame Casa Blanca
heart is full OF noble qualities, said she, and |
counsel YOU to appreciate them.
Bat why does she always conceal her right
hand--do you know p
| / do not know, nor have ever asked. Since
she has not forestalled my curiosity upon this
point, it is probable that it would have wound
! ed her and preferred rather to keep friend
than to learn the secret which, after all, might
but little interest me-
Excuse my indiscretion,' l replied, but you
have told me SO much concerning your friends
that was valuable here, that was emboldened
to ask this explanation Of Il fact which struck
me so much
Madame de Hacquevile leaning good humor-
edly upon my shoulder, here rose to welcome
Casa Bianca-the lady OF the hidden hand
! Whilst she was thus occupied in welcoming her
the habitues of the union We're entering group
/ after group The card tables were set out and
the players shutfied and dealt like phantoms
/ 4lo bor Oft ha
Everybody played except Madame Casa BIZ
| anca and Madame de Hacqueville. The right
hand of the former was hidden, as usual the
! left hand might be seen covered with a white
| glove, and must have once been very beautiful.
! The same remark might have been made of Mad
am Casa Bianca's foot and figure. She appeared
now to be about fifty years old, although in re-
atty much older but naturally strong consti-
! tuition and an adventurous life, following the
fortunes of her husband, soldier of the Re
public and the Empire, had firmly tempered, so
to speak, the features of Madame Casa Blanca.
| There are generations of women, as of men en-
ergetic, as the times they are called to live in.
Under the Empire, the women who, amidst
cannon, drums and banners, followed tie army,
the Grand Army, took from their associations
singularly original and military tone. With
out losing the graces Of womanhood they gain
ed much of the strength and energy of manly
character.
During these evenings, it was the custom for
| each of the 'conyives' to relate some incident
of his life.
Directly it was the turn of the President de
Page to relate. He related well, and silence
almost mournful fell upon the old room and the
strange guests as he told the story.
I'VE will go back said he, to the days OF
Louis XVI. was one of the Kings judges
But before that | was a scholar at the Univer-
sity. My road was not smooth, | had many
trials, but had counsellor. FRANCHISE, my
foster sister, came not once but often from far
away in the provinces to comfort and cheer me.
/ loved her as if she had been a sister of my
own blood. During her last visit a terrible cir
cumstance occurred. l lost valuable diamond
snuff box. spoke loudly of my loss, and eve
ry place was searched.
Il The diamond snuff box was found.
'One Of the people of the court discovered
it hidden in the paliase of the bed in which
FRANCHISE, my foster sister slept
A general movement of interest showed itsel
i'll the salon of Madam de HacqueviIle.
The President de Page paused the recita
evidently panied him.
FRANCHISE, my foster sister, the fresh cheek
ed peasant of Mnotereau; she who had trudgeC
YEARLY through the frost and snow to come ano
throw herself upon my neck on the steps of tn,
velv ct, and her eyes SO tender and loving
The Marquis took pinch of snuff but say
, the snuff fall on the floor.
They dragged her before the judges.
wished to excuse myself, but they forced m
to preside. They pretended ironically to repos
the highest confidence in my natural imparta!i
t ty. Ny enemies reJoiced, and the populac
$ threatened to stone me when it was known tina
{ had ordered
Here NJ de Page was silent. You could hea
/ nothing but the cracking of the fire and the os
cillation of the pendulum. The pictures upol
t the walls were noiser than the guests at tina
moment.
N. de Page resumed That had ordere
the rack For FRANCHISE denied everything
. the theft the circumstances of the theft-all
constantly reminding me of Montereau, of he
: mother, of the days of our childhood--of on
g relationship.
had ordered the question!
: The robe of Francois was taken off