Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-12-20
SELECT TALE.
IEEE TOES. EpAsGEs-
TER.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

In the year II, there dwelt in the city
OF New York then by no means the mighty
| place 1t has now grown to be, Il little old
Frenchman, Jean Matthew by name, who
kept small cigar shop in a narrow and
crooked street not far from what was then
the fashionable part of the town. 1t was
tiny shop, but not without some idea of
taste in its arrangements, for there were
white curtains fcstooned about the door OF
the little back room, where customers some
times sat and smolled an oval looking
! glass behind the counter, and the pictures
Of simpcring ladies with powdered heads
suspended by crimson cord from the brightly
| papercd walls, and glittering in their Grim
son frames in the warm sunlight. Altogether
it was as bright and trim place as could
be found, and greatly favored by the beaux
of that past day, when our great-grand-
mothers grandmothcrs were budding bellies.
Truth to tell, the shining little store and
the wonderful tobacco and fine snuff, Noung
and elegant gentlemen took snuff III those
days,) were not the chief attractions 10 those
gay fellows, who crowded about the counter
at the twilight hour or after the candles
SIaffieu's pretty dalghte ,ron.,at %hGnn9ttH h;ai
his custom, and the old man being shrsWd,
knew this, and kept her in the shop the
1t was truly beautiful face, and modest
! one, though it did belong to Frenchwoman
and shop girl. The coarsest minded dandy
who frequented the store knew this, and
would almost as soon have uttered insult to
n lady Of his own set as to Mannctte. Even
in the late hours Of the evening, after the
theatre was out, and they were flushed with
wine, though they vcntured sentimental
glances and whispered compliments, they
never ogled her so broadly and insOlcntly as
they did Mademoiselle Coralie, who, in
another tobacconist's hard by, dispensed
| cigars and smiles together, and who could
return such looks with as broad stare. and
! bOldcr coming from wOmGn's eye. Man
nette looked as she was-a pure woman,
and, though virtue and modesty in girl
| behind Il tobacconist's counter were anoma
| lies, the young blOods could not help belle
wing in them when they thought of her
Old Mathieu kept a jealous watch upon
| his daughter, and never left her alone. Du
I ring his brief absences, their old woman
| servant brought her knitting into the shop
and obedient to her masters commands,
observed every action of her young mistress.
| Had Mannettc been so disposed, there could
| have been no stolen interviews or hidden
| 6UetdoLC exchanged between herself and
any admrcr The only day on which the
young girl was her own mittress was the
Sabbath. Then the shop was closed, ana
Manette went morning and evening to
church. while her father, thorough Ffen1n
skcptic, remained at home to eyalnihe ms
accounts, read novels, or SUPP Ai'eho 'ne
soup nD0igree, as best suited Aml.
One of these Sundats brought Mannette
an adventure If .as a clear autumn eve
ninn inst cool enough to be pleasant, and
Nannctte lad been listening to sermon in
the cLprch which she frequented. Whether
II ras longer and more tedious than usual
land caused her to grow sleepy, or whether
some of those little demons who delight in
leading us astray fingered about the porch,
enyious of the good maXims being uttered
within, and anxious TO play their pranks
upon the congregation, can never be known.
Certain it is, however, that in coming out
Mannette turned the wrong way, and lost
herself She had been hundreds Of times
to church alone, and knew the fact perfectly,
and great was her surprise when she found
herself in an unknown locality. 3ewildcred
and alarmed, she turned first in one direction
and then in another, involving herself more
completely in O. maze OF i'll lighted and
wretchedly paved streets, and at last found
herself before broad door the entrance to
some 5amOllnS anu uII eslapllsHhch'
which, Sunday thouG,,, was, was wide
open. Three young mz,i Nere just emerging
from the door with jovlal, care-for nothing
air, humming the tune of fashionable song
and laughipS every now and then as though
at the psemory of some very brilliant exploit
: Tho lamp above the arch flung its red glare
lull upbn the shrinking figure of Manette
Q and in moment she was surrounded by the
trio.
Beautiful evening for walk" said one
p Offering his arW with grotesque afrectatior
of respect. I'm going your way wen en-
"Shan't allow Kim to monopolize your
sr society. / ulue pretty women too much fol
that" sai5 the second, attempting to put
his srn bout her waist.
oNo no; we're devoted to the tall sex,
said tie third with naudiin laugh, bend
= @ inc iown to peep under her bonnet
DS1sndid eyes1 adore black eyes espe
ciiy when they have such lashes
ns Mannette strove to release herself. "Gen
" tlemen,n she said, 81 have lost my way, an
am unprotected. Surely you viii direct m
. in the path ought to take, and leave me
She spoke in vain. Wine was IN, and NJ
only wit, but all the better feelings ot IA