The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-05-30

to see you safely to the end of the street. Civ
ing his arm to the unfortunate girl, he then lee
her away, saying, Here is piece of hundred
sous. 1t is all have-take it, poor woman
"Ihe crown OF hundred sous passed from
your hand into mine,' continued the lady. "an6
as you walked along supporting nv steps. ther
through my vail, distinctly saw your face and
figure
"My figure " said Frederic, in amazement.
Eyes, my friend, your figure" returned his
wife.
ut was to me that you gave aims on that night
IL was my life--my honor, perhaps-that YOU
then saved!"
You mendicant-you, SO young, so beauti.
ful, and now so rich," cried Frederick.
Yes, my dearest husband" replied the lady,
II have In my life received alms-once only
ana from You; and those aims have decided my
fate for life.
"On the day following that miserable night,
an old woman in whom had inspired some sem
tlments OF pity enabled me to enter rs seamstress
In respectable house. Cheerfulness returned
to me with labor. had the COED fortune to be-
come favorite with the mistress whom served,
and indeed did my best, by unwearied diligence
and care, to merit her favor. She was often
visited by people in high life. One day Sir
James Melton, an Englishman Of great property.
came to the establishment along with party of
mistress and learnt that was of good family
in short, learnt my whole history. The result
was that he sat down by my side one day and
asked me plainly if wsuld marry him.
"'Marry you'll cried I, in surprise.
''Sir James Melton was a man of sixty, tall,
pale and feeble looking In answer to my OK
clamation OF astonishment, he said, yes, ask
it you will be my wife, am rich, but have NO
comfort-no happiness. My relatives seem to
yearn to SEQ me in the grave. have ailments
which require degree of kindly care, that is not
to be bought from servants. have heard your
story, and believe you to be one who will support
as we'll as you have adversely. make
my proposal sincerely, and hope that you will
agree to it.
"At that time, Frederic" continued the lady,
81 loved you; had seen you but once, but that
once was too memorable for me ever to forget it,
and something always insinuated to me that we
were destined to pass through life together. At
the bottom of my soul, believed this. Yet
every one around me pressed me to accept of the
offer made ia me, and the thought struck me
that might one day make ysu wealthy. At
length my main objection to Sir James Melton's
proposal lay in disinclination to make myself
the instrument of vengeance in Sir James hands
against relatives whom he might dislike without
good grounds The objection, when stated, only
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, l con-
sented to Sir James proposal
This part Of tho story, Frederic, is really like
a fairy tale. l, poor orphan, penniless, became
the wife Of one Of the richest baronets of Eng
land. Dressed in silks, and sparkling with Jew
els, could now pass in my carriage through the
very streets where, a few months before, I had
stood in the rain and darkness mendicant ~
"Happy Sir James !" cried NJ. de Ia Tour, at
this part OF the story; che could prove his love
by snriching you"
"He was happy" resumed the lady. ''Our
SO strangely assorted, proved much
more conducive, it is probable, to his own COM
fort than if he had welded ono with whom all the
parade of settlements, Of pin money, would have
boen necessary"
"Never, believe, did he for an instant repent
OF our union. l, on my part, conceived myself
hound to do my best for the solace of his dsclin-
ing years; and he, on his part, thought it in
cumbent on him to provide for my future well
fare. He died, leaving me large part Of his sub
stancs-as much, indeed, as could prevail up
On myself to accept l was now widow, and
from the hour in which 1 became so, l vowed
never again to give my hand to man excepting
him who had succored me in my hour of distress,
and whose remembrance had ever been preserved
in tho recess of my heart. But how to discover
that man ? All, unconscious migrate to make
no sndeavor to come in the way of one who
sought to love and enrich you knew not your
your name. In vain locked for you at balls,
assemblies, and theatres. You went not there.
All, how longed to meet YOU"
AS the lady spoke she took from her neck a
rlbband, to which was attached piece of hun
dred sous. at is the same-the very same
nI oh .1,o
Frederic; "by pledging it l got little bread
from a neighbor, and l earned enough afterward
in time to permit me to recover it. 1 vowed
never to part with it.
"Ah, how happy / was, Frederic, when saw
you in the street The excuse which made for
stopping YOU was the first that rose to nv mind.
But what tremors 1 felt even afterwarl, lie
you should have been already married In that
ease you would never have heard aught of this
fairy tale, though l would haye taken some
means to serve and enrich you. I 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 capacity of his happiness.
What he could not but before look upon as sort
of freak proved to be the result of deep and kind
ly feeling, most honorable to her who entertained
it. The heart OF the young husband overflowed
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 gaily, "you see that if
l am fairy it is you who have given me the
wand-the talisman-that has effected all!
HElFERs CALvING IN JUNE.-A writor in the
iracl'cdl Farmer, in speaking of the value of
heifers that drop their first calves in June,
says;