Middletown transcript., 1868-06-13

have ailments which require degree of
kindly care that is. not to be bought from
servants. I have heard your story, and
believe you to be one who will support pros
perity as well as you have adversely. 1
make my proposal sincerely, and hope that
you will agree to it." -.4 T
eat that time, Frederic" continued the
lady, | loved you; had seen you but
| once, but that once was too memorable for
me ever to forget it, and something always
insinuated tome that we were destined to
pass through life together. Atthe bottom
of my soul, | believed this Yet every one
around me pressed me to accept of the Of
fer made me, and the thought struck me
that I might one day make you wealthy.
Atlength my main objections to Sir james
Melton's proposal lay in disinclination to
make myself the instrument. vengeance
in Sir James's hands against relatives
whom he might dislike without good
grounds. The objection, when stated, on
ly increased his anxiety for my consent,
and finally, under the impression that it
would be, after all, carrying romance the
length of folly to reject the advantageous
settlement offered to me, consented to
Sir James's proposal.
"This part of the story, Frederic, is re-
ally like a fairy tale. 1, poor orphan,
penniless, became the wife of one of the
richest baronets of England. Dressed in
silks, and sparkling with jewels, could
now pass in my carriage through the very
streets where, a few months before, had
stood in the rain and darkness mendi-
| cant?" s,t
Happy Sir James!" cried NJ. de la
Tour, at this part of the story; che could
prove his love by enriching you."
"He was happy resumed the lady.
"Our marriage, so strangely assorted,
proved much more conducive, it is proba-
BILE, to his own comfort than if he had we'd
ded one with whom all the parade of settle
ments, ofpin money, would have been nee
ccssary.
"Never, believe, did he for an instant
repent of our union. l, on My part, con-
ceived myself bound to do my best for the
solace of his declining years and he, on
bis part, thought it incumbent on him to
provide for my future welfare. He died,
leaving me large part of his substance
as much, indeed, as could prevail upon
myself to accept. was now widow, and
from the hour in which became so, 1
vowed never again to give my hand to man,
excepting to him who had succored me in
my hour of distress, and whose remem-
brance had ever been preserved in the re-
cess of my heart. But how to discover
that man? All, unconscious migrate! to
make no endeavor to come in the way of
one who sought to love and enrich you l
knew not your name. In vain I looked
for yon at balls, assemblies, and theatres.
You went not there. All, howl longed.
to meet you !" re.
AS the lady spoke she took from her
neck riband, to which was attached a
piece of hundred sous. "It is the same
the very same which you gave me, said
she, presenting it to Frederic; "by pied
ging it got little bread from a neigh
Dor, andI earned enough afterward in time
to permit me to recover it. / vowed new
er to part from it. rt.-.H
"Ah how happy l was, Frederic, when
l saw you in the street, The excuse
"hiOh h"uO Aol ouopPihS YOU was tne
first that rose to my mind. But what tre-
mors 1 felt even afterward, lest you should
have been already married! In that case
you would never have heard aught of this |
fairy tale, though would have taken some
means to serve and enrich you. 1 would
have gone to England, and there passed my
days in regret, perhaps, but still in peace.
But, happily, it was to be otherwise. You
were SINGLE"
Frederic de la Tour was now awakened,
as it were, to the full certainty of his hap
piness What he could not but before
look upon as sort of freak of fancy in
young and wealthy woman, was now proved
to be the result of deep and kindly feeling,
most honorable to her who entertained it.
The heart of the young husband overfowed
with gratitude and affection to the lovely
and noble-hearted being who had given
herself to him. He was too happy for
some time to speak. His wife first broke
silence.
$50, Frederic" said she gayly, ''you
see that if / am a fairy it is you who has
given me the wand-the talisman-that
has effected all?"