Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-12-14
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LOVES STRATAGEM.


.-F q Z d D.
"You ask why 1 married Edward
Bracken. Clara p / said, as took q
more comfortable position upon the
lounge, on which we sat, and looked
smilingly into my friends face. d I"
will tell you. To begin, / was, as you
know. the daughter of a French refngie
who during the troublous times o.
France, came over, here with me, his
only child. His estates being confs
Gated, our poverty was extreme but al
French people, however high may b
their rank, when their, poverty arises
from dishonarable action on, their part
will do anything not derogatory, to gair
an honest living, my father became :
teacher in a school. ,sg ,,..i,.,-,.91a.,i |
:, so we lived until, when / was about
| fourteen, my father died, leaving me to
the guardianship of his only sister. who
had married an American. My griet
was Bitter !, but my position was i'm.
proved, and. I managed to get on very
well. 1t was, however, when 1 wal
some seven years older that the. great
change in my life came. Peace had
been restored to France; and the friends
| in my family having interceded in my
behalf, the whole Of my fathers estates
were returned, SO that from poverty and
dependence, / became rich and my own
mistress. sA.i 'i-1e ~ ''C'' -
II had always a liking for wealth.
that is, for the enjoyments it brings; S,
Immediately taking my aunt. to liv.
with me, l rented a house in Bre oklyr
for, brought up in America from child
hood. had grown to regard it as m,
home Need I say that, seeking amuss
ment with the lavish hand of youth,
did not lack society. My abreakfast-ta
Bile was filled with notes of Invitation
my rooms were well filled when l re
ceived, while my admirers increase
daily. '@'i ga "a '-e' -cF
[ u was as9happy as the day was long
till my heart began to interfere then
4 took toreasoning # L'.iDE i-, % Aae
81 had, as 7 have said, numerous ad
mirers at my feet; and while oril
/ I pleased with their batteries, 1 let ther
! remain there; but when in my own min
L commenced selecting one or two VIII
were far from Indifferent to me, I bega
to consider the sincereity of their lov,
l was good looking, yet that had &C
t me no suffers in poverty; but now ] wa
! rich l had many. L could not be bin
: to the real truth How could i prove it
at was puzzling question, and
would not let my heart answer it, as
. speedily would have done. No; Ir
$ solved TO put these ardent admirers
r test For this purpose gave out inv
i tstions for "a large evening party.
/ was very gay, and 7 determined to {
!; my best to make there appear no lack
u money, nor willingness to spendit. Nee
I say that my suitors were more 'ths
o usually attentive, especially iHerbe
Colbert, while Edward Braeken renal
Fed much about the same. It was b
tween these two that my feelings wave
4 led, thou gh even then they leaned rath
d to the latter. believed theyat lea
would come scathless through the order
- "W ell, it was Just in the middle Z
the evening when the lights, the flo,
ers, and the company seemed at the
brightest, that servant, entering,h han
ed me a letter on a salver. i was speal
: ing to Herbert Colbert at the.time, ar
4 l said to the man: ss2d d Sc. 1i ut
J.. "Have 1 not told you, Johnson,
y keep all letters till the morning, or aft
!. the guests departure ?''f 90 a33a=1 9
l-"Yes, madam, but this was marke
Immediate ." '4' T0hi9HI .f5tta iyoE
i-"Ah, that alters the case,"s p said
then, turning with a laugh to thol
about me, added :i"I see it is from m
lawyer; such missives always receiS
immediate attention. With your lea,
n | will read it." F"I .sJfVuHa hHu1l ui
,. Hastily 1 perused tie lines, the
staggering, sunk into "a chair, coverin
my face with my handkerchief q
"The company gathered about m
trusting there was no bad news; and
few moments, rising, said: $500
d"Pardon my sudden emotion, m
friends, but the news this letter contair
is most startling-most terrible to m
As l should desire all here to knoy
with your consent / will read it: 7sssl
.
? inform yCu that information. the truth of viii
9 cannot he doubted, hiss reached me to-day that t
son nf your fathers der brother, supposed to ha
di d in England. lives, and is. indeed, in France +
specting the recovery Uft estate he,d by you.
appears of most arbi rsry La, ure and talks !
, claiming all moneys expended. Will consult wi
/ you Tomorrow. I ill then, = Es 2s., s1
-. remain. ETC."
"You see, my friends" said smiling
but minutely scanning every face, Q
: many of which l could already reaa
e change, 81 may once more become pei
niless-nay, worse, may, be in, deb
But this evening, at any rate, is m
own, and l particularly request that yo
will not let this intelligence affect il
gaiety; it may be the last time we sha
all meet together. sn haH'a .s2 sai
"As natural consequence, ali offere
their sympathy. Herbert Colbert's wa
most warmly expressed, while Edwar
Bracken stammered, blushed, and finall
retreated, as if glad the etiquette of tn
thing was over. On perceiving it,
pang shot through my heart, and
smiled more kindly on Herbert COLDER
"For some time the party went on a