The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-05-01


human point of view, there is in my nature
a certain stern and rugged resolution, sort
OF never give up" feeling which induces
me to hope and struggle on, and leads me
to think, with the great Napoleon, that su.
iclde is the act of coward, since it is an
attempt to fly from those evils which Goo
has laid upon US. rather than to bear them
with brave, enduring trust ih Providence
Still, as passed by the river, spanned
by Its noble bridges, and covered by those
innumerable barges, in which the washer
woman in Paris ply their unceasing trade,
eating, sleeping and living constantly in
their floating dwellings, | would think with
shudder, that unless relief soon arrived, |
must choose between its liBgerigg waters
ard lingering death Of starvation.
True, there are in Paris many employ
ments open to woman, but what was that
to me? Could stand behind a counter and
set forth, with glib tongue, the merits uf
ribbons and laces, or bend over the rich en-
broidered robe of the fashionable lady; or
even like those poor washerwoman, earn
my scanty livelihood by ar1uaus manual la
Dor; knew nothing of business; | knew
nothing of embroidery; and / had neither
the strength nor the capital necessary to set
up the establishment of bldnchisseuse
had returned home one evening after
another weary tramp. As looked from
my lofty attic, and saw Paris glittering with
her million lights, said to myself: Must
| perish of hunger in these streets? No
ssal abjure my sex, and in the semblance
of themselves, win from men that subsis.
tence which they deny to q woman"
The thought was no sooner conceived than
IT, oH -.
attire, threw around me an old cloak of
erlet to my lowly bed, and deseuded the
mined to have legal sanction for what was
ture of Police. 1t was not very late and
the Perfect was still in his bureau. enter.
cd his presence, told him my story, and de-
manded permission to put on male attire,
and assume a masculine name, In order to
me respectfully, treated me kindly, and ad.
vised me to ponder well before l took
step so unusual and unseemingly. But |
was firm. Seeing my determination, he
granted me written permission.
Early next morning | took what remain
ed of my feminine wardrobe aud FASTENED
market) which was not far from my place
OF abode. -
Built on the site of the ancient Temple,
the princely residence Of the knight Tenn
plars of old, and in later times the prison Of
Louis XVI, previous to his execution
this vast market with its eighteen hundred
and eighty-eight stalls, hung with the cast
off garments of both sexes, and Of every
age, condition and CLINE, presents the ap-
pearaucc of ;r miniature city. Mems ap-
parel, garments ror children Of all sizes,
womcns apparel, boots and shoes hats
and bonnets, tawdry fnery of every descrip.
ton, sheets and blankets, carpets. tattercd
and stained, military accoutrements, swords
and BELTS harness, old pots and kettles, and
innumerable other articles. attract attention
in the different stalls. There, on every
side, sharp-iaced and shril-voiced dealers
haggle with timid customers over garments
more or less decayed. There the adroit
thief finds ready market for the various
articles he has procured in chamber and en-
try, or puroined from the pockets OF the
unwary There the petted lady maid dis
poses of the rich robe which her careless
mistress has given her, and the Partisan
grisette, with TIE money her nimble fingers
bave earned, purchases it to adorn her neat
and pretty form for the Bal pare ct masQHe,
to which her lover takes her. at Belleville
or Montmartre. In yonder stall hangs
tattered ccat which once belorged to a mar
| auis, but has gone through so many hands
since then, and accumulated so much dirt
and grease in the process, that one wonders
how the dealer would have ventured to ad-
vance the few sous which its last wretched
owner has raised upon it.
In this place exchanged, without much
difficulty, my female hablimetts tor suit
of respectable masculine attire. | took it
home; and with feelings of shame, which |
could not get rid, but yet unfinchingly re-
solute, arrayed myself in it. As woman
[ know | am not handsome; my mouth
is large and my skin dark; but this rather
favored my disguise; had | heen very pret-
ty, my beardless face weak voice might
have awakened more suspicion, | cut ihy
hair off short, parted it on one side, brush
ed it with care, and crowned it with jaun.
ty cap, which | must say, was very becom-
ing to me. In this dress appeared tol-
erably well-looking youth OF nineteen or
thereabouts, for the change of garments
made me look younger than what was.
As surveyed myself in the little cracked
looking glass which served me as mirror
/ could not help laughing at the transfer
nation. Certainly no one would have re
cognized me, for could scarcely recognize
myself.
Folding the cd cloak around me, I sal
lied forth. With the long thick braid Of
hair had cut from my head, purchased
breakfast, the best I had eaten in long
time. ",~.....'..
Then went direct to the residence Of
the gentleman who said / would suit hin
Exactly, if | were young man. There hac
been something in the tone Of this gentle
mans letter that attracted me. / could moi
tell why. To my great joy he had no
4 found the person he wanted; and after I
! short conversation he engaged me at wha
seemed to me princely salary.
He told me laughingly that young wo
man had applied for the situation a shor
: time previous, and seemed very much anus
,, ed at the circumstance.
My employer was man already past hi
prime. His hair was slightly sprihklet
with grey, and his form showed that ten
!, dency to fullness SO frequently found in per
sons of sedentary habits. But in his fine
thoughtful eyes, ard ex pansive brow, on'
saw evidence of that noble intellect fo
: which he was distinguished, while hi
beamipg smile and pleasant voice and man
ner went straight to my lonely and desc
late heart, and affected me so much that
almost disgraced my manhood by bursting
into tears.
He occupied modest but commodiou
house in the Quarter Latin. His domes
: tic affairs were administered by respecta
BILE looking elderly man, wto performed tn
part of cook, to his own honor and the en-
tire satisfaction Of his master; while smar
but mischievous imp of boy ran Of er
rands, tended the fires, swept the rooms
and kept old Dominique in continual fret
by his tricks and SHORTCOMINGS.
Here, in the well-fhfnished library of my
new master, with every convenience for tn,