Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-10-22
MISCELLANY.
The Faithful Wife.

WAS CoIll ltlit'i W sup - " 'S+o 49, - .
all loaded with vegetables.
The willy courtier, generally so dead to emo
tion. could not but look with kind of pleasure
Mt these wagons, and the little wagoners who
by the by were young and pretty country wo-
men. Suddenly as the vehicles came to
stand, the eyes of NJ Talleyrand CHANGED to
rest upon one of the young women, who APP
pcarcd more lovely and graceful than the
others.
An exclamation escaped from his lips. 1t
attracted the attention of the fair 1ne, Who-e
country dress and large hat bespoke daily visits
to the market. AS she beheld the astonshed
Talleyrand, whom she recognized Immediately,
she burst out laughing.
"What is it you ?" exclaimed she.
ayes, indeed, it is l. But you-what are
You doing here? ,"
81" said the young woman, cam waiting
for my turn to pass on. am going to sell
my greens and vegetables at the market"
At that moment the wagons begar to move
on, she of the straw hat applied the whip to
her horse, told NJ. dc Taleyrand the name of
the village where she was living, requested
him earnestly to come and see her, and disap-
peared, leaving him rivited to the spot by this
strange apparition. Who was this young
market woman Madame la Countesse de Ia
Tour du Pin tMademoisele de Dillon, the
most elegant AMONG the ladies of the Court Of
: Louis WI, King of France, and whose moral
and intellectual worth had shone with such
dazzling lustrc in the society of her ntmctous
/ admirers and friends. At the time when the
French nobility emigratcd, she was young,
lively, endowed with the most remarkable tai
ents. and like the ladies who held a rank at
the Court had only time to attend to such du-
ties rs belong to her highly fashionable and
courtly life.
Let any ono fancy the sniferings Of that wo-
man. born in the lap Of wealth. and who had
brcstbcd dnotbing put perfumes under the gilded
ceilings Of the Royal Palace Of Versailles, when
all at once she found herself surrounded with
blood aud massacre and saw every kind ol
danger lescttiug her young and beloved hus-
band, aud infant child.
They succeeded in flying from France 1t
was their good fortune to escape from the
bloody field where Robspierre and his associates
were busy at the work of death. Alas In
those days of terror the poor children them
selves abandoned the parental room, for nc
hiding place was secure against the vigilant
eyes of those monsters who thirsted for inno-
cent blood.
The fugitives landed in America and first
went to Boston. where they found retreat
But what change for the young, fashionable
and pretty lady, spoiled from infancy by loud
and continued praises Of her beauty
Monsieur de Ia Tour Pin was extravagantly
fond of his wife. At the Court of France he
had seen her, with the proud eye of husband
the object of general admiration. Indeed, her
conduct had always been virtuous and exem-
plary; but now, in foreign land, and among
unsopbistcated republicans C79Sl what was
the use Of courtly refnements? ?
Happy as he was in seeing her escape from
all the perils he had dreaded on her account
still he could not but dcplore the future lot oil
the wife of his bosom.
However, with the prudent foresight of a
good father and a kind husband, he nerved
himself against despair, and cxerted himself tc
render their condition less miserable than that
Of many emigrants, who were starving when
the little money brought over with them had
been exhausted. Not a word Of English did
he know. but his wife spoke it fluently, and
admirably well.
They boarded at Mrs. Mullers, good ma
tnred notable woman, who, on every occasion
showed the greatest respect and admiration fol
her fair boarder. Yet NJ de Ia Tour du Pin
was in constant dread lest the conversation o.
that GOOD and well meaning woman might be tho
cause Of great enam to his lady. What con.
trast with the society of N. de Norburne, N. dc
Talfevrand. and the high-ininded and polished
nobility of France Whenever thinking o
the transaction, particularly when absent from
his wife and tilling the garden Of the cottage
they were going to inhabit,I he felt such pans'
and heart throbbings as to make him appre
hcusive, on his return TO Mrs. Mnller's' to NEE
the looks Of his beloved wife, whom he expected
to see batbed in tears. Meanwhile the gooc
hostess would give him hearty shake oi th'
hand. and would repeat to him, "happy nus
band harpy husband
AT last came the day when the fugitive fam
ilv left the boarding house Of Mrs. Muller, t
% and inhaJit their little cottage, where the!
were to be at least exempt from want, with al
ouly servant, a negro,-a kind Of Jack Of al
trades. viz: a gardener, fOotman and cook
the last function NJ de Ia Tour du Pin d7esde'
most Of all 10 see him undertake.