The Shasta courier., 1866-10-06
SHASTA COURIER.
rue LOST PRINCESS.

many of the French noblesse to seek safety
for life and fortune in England and Ger
many. she never dreamed Of changing her
residence, persuaded that her high rank, and
the veIlk fact that she was Russian
aubiect. would secure her from being in any
vay disturbed, so long as she did not med
die with plots or politics. Robespierre had
not been long in power before she learned
to her cost how great o mistake she had
made in trusting to such protection. De-
nounced under the pretext of being spy and
q conspirator against the Republic, the
princess was summoned to appear before the
usual tribunal. was hastily tried after the
fashion Of the times, and condemned to die
When carried to prison to await the execu-
tion Of the sentence, no member of her fam
lily was allowed to accompany her except her
daughter Rosalie, child about five wears
old. On the sad day on which the poor
mother was dragged to the scafold, she com
mended her little orphan Rosalie-her only
child-to some companions in misfortune
whom she had found in the prison. 1t so
happened that each one of them, within
short period, experienced fate similar to
the tragical one of the princess; and the
poor child, adopted and bequeathed by each
victim in turn, at last came into the hands
Bertot, who, though widow, and with five
children of her own dependent upon her for
support. was so touched by the forlorn con-
dition of the little Rosalie, that she assumed
the care Of her herself
The beauty of Rosalie, her unusual in
telligence, considering her years, her gentle
temper, her winning ways and her anxious
desire to help her benefactress. quickly gain.
ed the heart Of the kindly washerwoman, so
that she adopted the orphan, and felt for her
an affection scarcely less warm than that for
her own children.
A few years after the termination of the
reign of terror, list of its victims who had
belonged to other countries was prepared
and published as widely as possible over
Europe. The brother of the princess, the
Count Rzewouski, was one day looking
somewhat careleSsly over this list, when his
eye was arrested by the sight of his sisters
name, and he then learned for the first time,
the horrible fate in which her misplaced con
fdence had involved her.
The count. of course, instantly started for
Paris, to get possession of his neice On his
arrival in that city, the authorities willingly
rendered every assistance in their power to
ascertain her whereabouts but all his and
their efforts were utterly frutless, as all
ments appeared in all the papers. offering a
large reward to any one who would give in
formation but as good Mother Bertot did
not see the papers. and probably could not
have read them if they had fallen in her
way, nothing came of them. Month after
month was spent by the count in these use
less endeavors and at last he reluctantly
prepared TO return home to Poland. On the
morning of the day fixed for his departure.
the count met a washerwoman and little
girl with basket of linen, at the entrance
of the Hotel Grand Bateliere, at which he
lodged. He was so struck with the beauty
of the little girl, and with her fancied re
semblance, in some respects, to his lost sis
ter, that he stopped to have few words with
her. 1t was the hand of kind Providence,
whose ways are so often not like our ways,
which arrested him for this washerwoman
and her young assistant were no other than
the good Mother Bertot, and her orphan
charge. Only few days befJre this, Moth
er Bertot had been engaged as washerwoman
of the Hotel Grand Bateliere, whittier she
was taking some newly washed linen, when
the count so happily met her.
What Is your name. my cbi!d?" asked
he.
Rosalie, SIR" was the answer.
''Rosalie. do you say? is Rosalie really
your name? My good woman" said the
count, turning to Mother Bertot, g is this
your child ?''
Yes, sill" said she, indeed she is my
child, tor l have supported her for three
years. But, when call her my child, l do
not mean to say that am actually her moth
er. No; she is the daughter of "a poor lady
who was in the prison to which l once be-
longed, and where / found her. She has
neither father nor mother. But m sfortune
bound me to her as closely as if we had been
glued together
:" Do you say" rejoined the count, 4" that
she is the child of one who was in prison.
Yes. of a great lady who was imprison-
ed and guillotined, with many others, in the
time of Robespierre."
The count was instantly convinced that he
had at last found his niece but, to make
assurance duubly sure, he addressed a few
words to her in Polish. The moment that
Rosalie heard the words, which recalled the
dear remembrances of her infancy, she burst
into tears, and throwing herself into the
arms Of the count, she exclaimed in joyous
manner:
.'Oh, sir, l understand what you say l
understand what you say Repeat the words
again. 1t is the language in which my dear
mother used to talk to me.'
"Rosalie! my Rosalie |" said the count,
profoundly affected. and clasping the child
in hi. arms, {" | have found you At last
Yes, you are my neice, the daughter of my
beloved sister"
Then addressing the astonished washer
woman. he said
Good woman, you shall be always her
mother. You shall never be parted while
you live. As you took the abandoned or
phan into your family, and cared for her
with mothers love, your family shall
henceforth be part of mne."i
The count was as good as his word
Mother Bertot and her children were at once
removed to handsome apartments in the
Hotel Grand Bateliere, until the count was
ready to return home. They accompanied
him and Rosalie (who subsequently married
her cousin. the young Count Rzewouski,) to
Poland. Mother Bertot's sons were educat
cd at the University of wilma, entered the
army, and we're on the staff Of Prince Pom
iatowski. Her daughters also received am
pie dowries from their grateful friend and in
due time married Polish gentlemen of high
social position.
In the great FR's frolicsome days, a
tradesman, who held bis bill for two hundred
pounds. called for payment. Fox said he
..,Ij oot thap m . him