Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-02-01
The COquette Of ArlOn.

In times long back. the inhabitants
of Arlon WOrshiped the moon, and
learned men say that the name of the
place CArx lun8) sprang from that
circumstance. 1t is from the same
circumstance, it is added, that the
young ladies of this ancient town have
sometimes a way of their own.
About hundred years ago, no one
was so much talked about as a young
girl who was in possession of eighteen
years, good, lively, frank, always smll
ing, always happy, but whose affections
no one could -monoplize, she was SO
volatile and independent. Her name
was Gertrude, and she was the only
daughter of Charles Stock, a well-tO-
do inhabitant of Arlon, and who was
generally known as Stock fils, to dis
tinguish him from his father and
grandfather, who were both alive
"On dur8it vieUx they lived to a
good old age, in that family, according
to a local expression. ArlOu had not
at that time suffered from the terrible
fire which ravaged the little town in
1875.
All the young men of the town, we
have said, sought to win the affections
of the beauty Of the place, but no one
seemed TO meet with success. 1t was
| for this reason, and on account of her
apparently fiightY manners, that she
/ was called the s'coquette d'ArlOu- J"
1 The epithet must not be taken, how
/ ever in a reprOaehful sense, for her IA
! ther and mother had perfect confidence
/ in her, and let her laugh and do just
\ as she pleased.
-Four young gentlemen of the town
were particularly distinguished by the
assiduity with which they piled their
suit to the coquette. They were known
as Sigismond de Vietter, GILES Colin,
/ Wenceslas Stroobant, and Lambert
van Moll. The first was so quiet that
he inspired no appFehensiOns to the
three others; and the three others
were so ardent that each only awaited
his selection by the maiden. As they
became urgent in insisting that she
should make a choice the sprightly
damseI in question resolved at last up
on a stratagem by which she should
put each to the proof. This was IL
the month of September IN the yeal
! 1743.
Gertrude was aware Of the existence
in field belonging to her father, no
far from ArlOn, of an old Roman tomk
/. which was looked upon with awe OF
account of many superstitious stories
connected with it. She made this thl
centre of her batteries.
GILES Colin came first, according t,
his daily custom, protesting that b.
would walk on burning Goals to pleas
her.
II am not so exaeting, she replied
> II do not even say that | will not tax
you for my husband but l must hav
: a mark of devotion and courage ol
your part. .
Now you speak to the point r. sal
GILES. ] will give you plenty 0
marks, only say what you wish.
. on know" she replied, the oil
e tomb that lies there, on a noun
/ about a quarter of league from th
town p
e Il know it, said the Arlonnais-''
+ know it from afar. l never cared to g
4 near it. There are strange tales cur
9 rent about that nasty place.
9 We'll, it IS my wish that, wlthoU
. telling any one of the understandin
2 between US, you should 60 to-nlgh
at nine o'clock, and that you shoul
lie in that sepulchre."
Nv hat, in that den of witchcraft
What fancy
J. And that you should remain ther
- motionless until midnight"
But, Gertrude, what are you think
ing OFF For what object ?'
- why, you show the white feathe
9 already You say it is a Whim, fame,
: well, let it be 50. I have my idea
and wish to prove you. Ifyou do .
? I bid you, I shall be satisfied and
) you remain from nine till twelve, Id