Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-12-10

had always some evil design,
Inc Fair of Venice Is great source
amusement to the Inhabitants of La Napoul
who, although they may not have money |
purchase much, see at great variety
merchandise.
Marriette and her mother went to the fair
and Colin was also there. He purchase
various knick-knacks and bonbons for hi
iair acquaintances, but not tie most triflin
thing for Marriette. And yet he was pei
petually at her heals. He did not speak I
her, nor she to him, and 1t was evident /
every one that he was brooding mischief.
Madame Manon, stopping suddenly at
shop, xclaimed-"Oh, Marrette, look 8
that beautiful mug! A queen would nc
disdain to put 1t to her lips. Do look til
brim IS glittering gold and the flowers, al
though they are merely painted, are NOR
beautiful than any that we have in our gar
den; and Paradise in the centfe! Only look
Marricttc, at the apples hanging from tn
trees, that almost make ones mouth water
And pretty Eve offers one to Adam, VIII,
cannot resist tasting 1t. And look hov
challningly the little lamb skips round Til,
Old tiger and how the white dove with Ill
green neck is pcrched opposite the yulture
us II they were about to bill and cool"
Marriette could not sufficiently admire it
tu.
such mug would not drink out of it; il
is too beautiful would fill it with flowers
and fix my eyes constantly on the Garden O
Eden. We are in the fair, and yet, when
look at that picture, | feel as ii were il
| Paradise"
80 saying, Marriettc called her youns
companions, others followed, and ere lonl
half OF the inhabitants of La Napoule were
standing opposite the beautiful mug. The
price was timidy asked. The shopi.,an an
swercd, hundred ivres wbcreupon they
all walked silently away.
When there were no longer any of the in.
ha6itants of In Napoule near the shop, Colin
stole up to it, threw a hundred liyres on the
counter, laid the mug in box filled with
cotton, and carried il off. His malicious
plan was unknown to any one.
I'm his way home, In the dusk of The even
ing, not far from La Napoule, he mel old
jacques, the servant of the Judge. JACQUES
was as good u fellow as ever lived, hut AS
stupid as an ass.
snail give you france, jacques said
Colin, "if you will leave this box ut Madame
Manon's house. Should any one inquire
VINO sent it, say n stranger gave it to yon.
namc." -
jacques promised to attend To his dircc-
ton, took the money and the box, ,and walk
ed towards the house surrounded hy olive
trees and African acacias
Before Jacques had reached his destination
he met his master, Judge Haulmaetip, who
said to him, "What have you got there ~
"A box for Madame Manon, but | dare
not tell you, sir, from whom 1t comes.
"Why not?"
Because NJ Colin said that .hc would
never forgive me If / betrayed him.
ut is good thing hat you can keen a
secret; but as it is SO late you had better
give me the box. am going tomorrow, at
all events, to Madame Manon, and | shall
execute the commission without betraying
M Colin. 1t will prevent your having to go
out of you way"
Jacques, accustomed TO obey his master,
implicitly delivered up the box, which the
Judge carried Immediately into his house.
and commenced examining it with t..e great
est curiosity, On the lid was nicely written
WIN req chalk-.f0r the dnatdbfe and be-
lOUe@ Mariette.'
M. Hautmartin knew well, however, that
this was only waggery on Collins part and
that there was some wicked trick in it. He
accordingly opened the box with great pre-
caution, fearing that either a rat or a mouse
might be concealed in il but when he had
caught glimpse of the beautiful aug that
he had seen that morning at Vence, he was
pctritied.
For M. Hautmartin Tas man who was
quite as well versed in justice as in Injustice
He perceived Immediately that Collins design
was to injnre Marrictte by asserting, when
the mug was in her possession, that it was
the gift of some favored lover in the town.
and thereby cause her TO be stunned by all
honest people.
m f1ra nut NIL 81
resolved to acknowledge himself as the
donor. He was in love with sIarrietle. and
would haze been VIII pleased had she acted
more in accordance with Father Jcronle's
texi-''Little children, love one anotller.'
MI Hautmartin was, to be sure, n child of
fifty, and in Mariette's opinion the text was
no longer applicable to him. Madame Ma
non, on the contrary, considered him very
sensible child, who, besides being rich. was
the most important person in La Napoulc
When the judge spoke OF marriage, and
when Maricttc ran away in horror, Madame
Manon remained quietly on her chair, and
was not in the least degree afraid of the tail
venerable gentleman. TO do him justice, he
had no personal defect and although Colin
was the handsomest man in the village, M.
Hautmarlin had the advantage OF him in two
rtlculars-namely, in years, and in the
possession of large, of an enormous nose.
This nose, which, like a courier, always pre-
ceded him, in order to announce his ap
proach, was positively an elephant amongst
the nose of mankinds.
With this elephant, his good intentions.
and the mug, the judge went the next morn
ing to the house surrounded by olive trees
and African acacias.
Nothing appears 10 me too costly for the
lovely Marielte,' said he; '.you admired
this mug yesterday at the fair. Permit me,
charming Slariette, to lay and my cnamor-
ed heart youi feet
Madame Manon aud Mariette were aston
ished and delighted when they saw the mug.
Madame Manon's eyes sparklcd with plea
sure; but Mariette, turning to The iudre.
said; II cannot accept of either your heart
or your Aug.' Her mother became furious,
and exclaimed, Il shall, however, accent OF
both. Oh you little fool for whom are
you waiting? oyon reject the Judge of La
Shpoulc in the expectation thut CuuAt Of
oi Provence will make you his bride. |
know better what is for your advantage.
NJ. Hautmartin, l shall consider it an honor
to be able to call you my soa-in-law."
Mariette walked out of the room weeping
bitterly, and dctcsting in her heart the beau
tiful mug.
The judge strosed his nose with the palm
" " me manu-, auu wisely u-'Mauame
Manon do not be too precipitate; the little
dove will acquiesce when it knows me bet
ter. | am not impatient. understand
womankind, and feel convinced that be-
fore three months have elapsed l shall have
crept into Mariette's heart
''Eis nose is much too long for that"
whispered Marielte, who stood listening at
the door. And, in fact, three months pass
ed away without NJ. Hautmartin's having
forced even the end Of his nose into her
heart.
But during these three months NIariettc
had enough to occupy her mind The mug,
and something besides, caused her great
deal of annoyance
The mug formed the subject of converse.
tion for fortnight in La Napoule. Every
one said that it was present of the Judges,
and that all things were arranged for tho
wedding, The more solcmnly Mariette as
sured her young companions thai she would
rather throw herself into the sea than marry
the judge, tho more they persisted in teasing,
by saying-"Oh. how blessed it will be to
repose under the shadow of his nose |" This
was the first annoyance.
Then Madame Manon was SO barbarous as
to force Marctte to wash the mug every
morning at the fountain, and to fiji H. with