The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-06-28

French origin. Her extreme beauty
charmed NJ. de Ia Tour, and he con-
graduated himself upon the happy
accident which had gained him such
an saequainteace.. Lady Melton load
ed him with eivilities, and he was not
iil-looking certainly; but he had not
the vanity to think his ppearance
was magnificent; and his plain and
scanty wardrobe prevented him from
doing credit to his tailor.
He accepted an invitation to the par
tyspoken of. Invitations to other par
ties followed; and, to be brief, the
young man soon found himself IAN
established visitant at tho house Of
Lady Melton. She, o rich and beau
tiful widow, was encircIed' by ,ad-
nirers.' One rbyI one they disap-
peared, giving way to the poor clerk,
who seemed to engross the lady's
whole thoughts. Finally. almost by
her own asking, they were betrothed.
Frederic used to look sometimes at
the glass which hung in his humble
lodging, and wonder to what circum-
stance he owed his happy fortune.
He used to conclude his meditations
by the reflection that assuredly the
lovely widow was fulfilling some una
voidable award of destiny. AS for
his.o feelings, the lady was lovely,
young, rich, accomplished, and noted
for her sensibility and virtue-could
he hesitate?
When the marriage contract was
signed, his astonishment was re-
doubled, for he found himself,
through the lady's love, the virtual
possessor of large property both in
England and France. The presence
Of friends had certified and sane
toned the union, yet, as has been
stated, Frederic felt some strange
fears, in spite of himself, lest all
should prove an illusion, and he
grasped his brides hand as if to pre-
vent her being spirited away from his
view.
'My dear Frederic" said the
lady. smilingly, ''sit down beside me,
and let me say something to you"
The young husband obeyed, but
did not quit her hand. She began !:
"Once on n time"-Frederic start
ed, and half seriously exclaimed,
Heavens! it is fairy tale!" ellis
ten to me. foolish boy" resumed the
lady. '"There was once young girl,
the daughter of parents well-born,
and at one time rich, but who had
declined sadly in circumstances. Un-
til her fifteenth year the family lived
in Lyons, depending entirely for sub
sistence upon the labor of her father.
Some better hopes sprung up, and
induced them to come to Paris; but
it is difficult to stop in the descent
down the path of misfortune. For
three years the father struggled hard
against poverty, and at last died in
hospital. The mother soon followed;
and the young girl was left alone, the
occupant of a garret of which the
rent was not paid. If there was any
fairy connected with the story, this
was the moment for her appearance:
but none came. The young girl re-
mained alone. without friends or pro-
tectors, harassed by debts which she
could not pay, and seeking in vain
for some species of employment.
She found none; still it was necessa-
ry for her to have food. One day
passed on which she tasted nothing.
The night that followed was sleep
less. Next day was again passed
without food, and the poor girl was
forced into the resolution of begging.
She covered her head with her
mothers veil, the only heritage she
had received, and, stopping so to
simulate age, she went out into the
street. When there, she held out her
hand. Alas! the hand was white,
and youthful, and delicate. She felt
the necessity of covering it up in the
folds of the veil, as if it had been
leprosied. Thus concealed, the poor
girl held out her hand to young
woman who passed-one more happy
than herself-and asked, "A sou.a
single sou-to get bread!" The Pc
tition was unheeded. An old man
passed. The mendicant thought that
experience of the distresses of life
might have softened one like him,
but she was in error. Experience had
only hardened, not softened his heart.
."The night was cold and rainy,
and the hour had come when the
night police appeared to keep the
streets clear of all mendicants and
suspicious characters. Atthat period