The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-07-06
The Good Wife Of Great Poet.

: You have ali heard OF the French poe, Lama,
tine. II is not ofhim, but Of bis wife, Of whom
now wish 10 speak. For a wonder, Ia this ID
; stance, poet chose wisely. Miss Birch was ID
LADY omious namo she wns very pretty, mil
mess OF several fotign languages, aud execlle
Doth IN music and painting. While yet q giI
sue was much struck with Laulainc's verses, an,
Illustrated Them 10y drawings worthy VI their ex
tfcine beauty. II was In France whittier sh
was ,aken 10 perfect her education. that she fifs
met the poet. Love at hrst sight Was the come
quence but when proposals of marriage follow.
60, mamma, who was Protestant refused he.
daughter to- Roman Catholic, alihough The la.
ter was quite willing 10 embrace tho Romau
Catholic Church, as well ss her chosen husband
But, time out Of mind, love snaps his fngers al
mammas. so II proved Ia this case.
IAmaFtine's landlord was q Iious old mau
who though be thought himself not good enough
10 be priest, passed much of his time 10 the gar
ret OF his small house Ia prayer After he had
said morning mass he would CLINT the mountain
| 70 pursue bis favonriie study ~ botany, return.
inR at evening laden with herbs aud dead butter.
hies. lie was very fond Of bis lodger, LAmaFline
because the latter liked TO look at bis herbal. ani
hesides listened habitualiy 10 his talk about
plants and insects. Some one 10 the house 10.
formed him Of Latpsriines love affair. sud the
obstacles that the mother or his !ady-inve threw
10 bis way lie immediately - abou; brinRing
the lovers together, thinking 'ha, by marriage,
80 be said, 'he might save = soul which would
otherwise Le Lost, Mics Birch, IN. young lads
10 question. With her mother. lived pesr the poef
The good landlord proposed 70 L-nAriins 70 keep
watch, aud whenever be s,E ibs vigilani mother
90 out without her daughter. b. would play 90
the nuts 70 apprise LAfasf,ine " the fact Ths
poets window being near snosgk .fsr him to
catch the sharp SQUAD % the Instrument, be lad
20 diniesl'y 10 iinisg bis visits. The ol: Land
lord vas delighted ~ the .gccss, Of his s,raiazenn
for be really believed that ir serving = ,ouihfsl
affection be served Heavea.
Lanssiines father fsilet to &c the connection
between poetry and bread std butter Lnd there.
fore. through influential iriends, solicited and
obtsned for bis son the situation - third secre-
tar! " the embassy a. Naples Shortly afies this
The poet again formally asked tor the hand "
Niss Birch, uho bad ln-aniims declared himself
Catholic. The obdurAie fDaiGfna ~ last Welded
the marriage VAS consumrns'ed, aud the happy
young couple started tot Italy Here I.anAriine
wrote many VI his most exquisite poeuss iiers
was born his lovel, little daughter JsliA who Al
six could read her father verses huenily snd at
twelve US proficient 10 drawing and music,
inheriting eli her mother ; ialen; W these bran
ebes bu, prrcociiy like this. the world orer 10
doomed TO early extinguisrneui These gifted
parents' Whose happ! married life vas hitherto
without haw, laid this beautiful snd wonderful
child, who absorbed them utterly. 10 her little
conn toon after her twelfth birthday.
The father. longing for reliei from bis great
anguish, plugged into The greatest mental activity
lie likes iss tnieft5 Into political life iha, there
might b no unoecupied moments When he should
cit listening for the light tread o, the little .fee,
which be should never more hear. Nov II was
that Lamariines wife devoted her-.lf Wholiy 10
bin attending mnsieiy ~ every household de-
tail copying his poems and saving. unknown
10 bin. every seraE Of his writings Tor posieriy,
% that no, one has been lost She-herself %
gifted. 90 hrilliAn; q wriier-magnAll mously and
conienisdly watched and waited upon lie iuiel-
leet q herhusbasd. Her goodness of heart was
most re@afkaele. She had always g,ntle word
10 let down sofily the disappointed Young authors
uho seni goo3-for-noihing. trashy verses for Ter
husbands Q inspection. In hes own bone che was
always graciousan gbarming for idle people
she bad always anuseraenis in the garden, add
lively conversation With deep thinkers she
could qnias - readily engage 10 philosophical
discussions. The very type VI activity, she also
climbed inio gsrrets, And visited hospitals and
carried medicine and food wherever most needed
By means osa secret dispensarr which she estAb-
lished.
Amer a while i.Auar,ine retired from political
life and devoted himself wholly 10 iiierAiare (:
retired 10 their own pretty little house Ai ST. Poini
the walls Of which bis artisi-wife bad decorated
With her own fingers. He.e. during the stormy
days Of, se, her husband wrote diligently 10 free
himself from debt. His good viie suaered aestely
fos him, whose honour aud fortune thea seemed
trembling IN the balance Her delicate face D.
came wrinkled. and Der swee, voice was osten
tremulous with anxiety. when Lamsrtipe was
isishing Al article on Berasger ai . time Of
great political excitement iu Paris, she was neat
ly beside herself lest By any verbal impruderct
be should get himself into iruble Her husband
printer was also greatly alarmed ., the political
.lls.ioes 10 eisariieie bn, LanaE'ins, obstinate
deaf 10 all their enireaiies, vowed that ever,
line Of bis should 90 20 the public just a. /; Was
written, or no, at all. Madame Lamartinc ~as
at her wits ends. Finally, gentleman. mu.
tual friend got leave from her husband to rad
over the proofs and modify the oftnsive expfes-
sions. AL the long nigh; ;ha; this gsnilemand
wa thus occupied Madame LamAriine sat Up So
ding in 70 the library, 10 him, little suggestive
notes Of her own. At last, the poor, weary frisni
vas 20 overpowed with fatigue and sleep tbs, he
vas obliged 10 desisi and 80 TO bed bu; vaen
be woke up the next morning be found a ta.all
paper pushed through the keyhole Of bis doo.--
last idea from the indefaiigAble Madame La
MARITIME, who had not herself Slep; . wins I'll
night. This seaiienss friend took all the o:cdi;
ofihe alterations while the good wife KEEP; siicncr
and sent her husbands article 10 ,hopress
Soon after this, Madame Lamarsne was taken
very saddenly III, and died. Such hsd beSa the
elasticity Of Der constitution, 90 ohsn had .hs
like ell such women, rallied from severe s',Ssks
Of disease, more By spiritual than physical force
that this sad bsreavement which left that hesa.
tifnl home % desolate. was quite unlooksa for
She was followed 70 the grave not oaly B.! ben
own personal friend. snd admirers, hot by .1.s.
copeourr Of ihosc whom she hsd benefited snd
blessed
Let Il - rsmsnh.rtd ;ha, ihis ~onHn. her.
self 40 artist, musician, and bsillisri writer.
patiently and eheosfally sPen, her time IL attain
ding 10 the little wsAring frciiing. exhaGs;ine
details Of household economy besides be;ng 10
tbp intervals the amanuensis aud prOof-rcadef Of
her husband between whom aud every pe,,y
carr, hindrance, and annoyance she interpossd
from the day of her marriage 10 her death. a
constant shield.
lie, Us hope tha, be knew as well how TO inea-
sure and appreciate her heroic self-abuegAlion as
10 ,oscceptu. FANNY FEnS