The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-13

Tuileries struck seven, brilliant equpase
s,opped at the Pont Royal. young and beau.
tjful woman, leading by the hand little gri, ana
followed BY an elderly lady, aiigh'eo if0m 'ne
Mamma said the child. "why have yon-
come to the garden to-day, when no one mere .,
/ see no ladies nor children. why ~, msmma
twill tell you another time, answered Ine
lady, as she looked around anAlousy anJ sealGn
ireIy. Then she turned to her companion with
;" MADAME German, win you be kind enough 70
take nv little Hortense into the Orange Psth y
shall be engaged here or sDout 80 ,Ss attraction
i,dica,ed- The Young duchess walked hast'iy
toward the Terrace des Feuillants.
"Eot here" she said to herself; |" nei.nei OF
Them here In one can nnfoitunssey e any an
IN Int the other l-oh, Clara! AND YET an tne
same-upchanged ss then !"
al must indeed be very much changed tnat
even Marie does not recognize me" SAID nmid
voice.
d,sss though exquisitely neat nevertheless told
mai she belonged TO the poorer classes and whose
male cheeks were furrowed with care. For
moment she threw searching glance at the
,eafures of the stranger and then cried:
Clara, my Clara Oh. how you are changed
Ny dear, dear friend What does it mean! What
sad fate do read in your fsceV
"a sad, but not unusual one" replied Clara.
weeping, as she suffered the warm embraces OF
IeT ITleDQ, anu dnOWtu uciscAA W NC ACu w viz
nearest bench. al am ashamed of MY weak.
ness, but this meetiug awakens so many sad
recollections. Who could have believed, Marie,
when we separated at Ecouen, that we should
become SO entirely separated, and that in our
reunion, which we almost childishly planned for
to-day, one Of us would be wanting? When you
went into the country to remain with your blind
father, while your husband. under the emperors
eOlors-n but here the voice broke down, and,
throwing an anxious look around, she added:
n. fOr n han M hQt ST n a
rie orr good, loving father Of Ecouen! When
you went into the country, and Hortense left
Paris in order to ascend throne, alone OF us
three remained in Paris, plunged in vortex OF
pessnrei 1as ~ wa.o sashsy dead ana my
husband bankrupt. He did not long survive his
misfortunes. For three years ! have been a
widow with my one child. Now you know sli
the outward circumstances OF my life, and now"
"And now, dear Clara" interrupted Marie,
smiling sadly, "you wish TO hear my history!
II is soon told. My husband rose from the rank
of lieutenant to that of general. You know that
we both belonged to old emigrant families, aud
that the restoration of the Bourbons gave US
! hack our titles and possessions. From that time
forward have made every effort to discover
you. Tell me, Clara, how was II possible that
all my attempts should have been unayailing!
Because was equally anxious to hide myself
from you'll, who laughed over your prophecies.
and would not believe that circumstances could
have any power TO separate rs. But our positions
had changed, therefore avoided you:
"False friend" answered Marie, "bow can you
say that TO me! Butyou shall make amends now
Think Of Ecouen and our perfect confidence.
Yes, Clara, we must renew our old life and share
everything-house. home, and heart
Clara would have made gesture Of refusal. but
Marie continued more earnestly:
mo Clara You have but one choice You can
not be my friend II you refuse to share my home
with me. But am too anxious in my own inter
est, and perhaps, ought not to urge you too
strongly"
perhaps have already abused your friendship
by so studiously avoiding you, for followed my
heart more than my judgment when persuaded
myself that it was my duty TO fulfill our vow, and
await you here to-day"
A short silence ensued-the silence of satisfied
love. Both broke it at the same instant with the
involuntary cry: Hortense }" Then followed
another silence crowded with painful recOllec-
tons.
At this moment an old man in the dress of a
peasant approached and accosted them:
Pardon, l am waiting for two young ladies
who promised to be here to day."
Here we are my good George" said the young
duchess, " for you ere surely the gardener from
Ecouen?n
al am, indeed, and have long been so. Bat !
| should not have known either of you, you are Sc
changed. II is ten years, just ten years and
| have fulfilled my duty and appeared here as
promised. You are waiting for the third, She
cannot come, but has intrusted me with this &c
| bring 70 you"
The old man produced letter and two csskets
| Hastily opening the letter the friends found In
each the half Of q withered laurel wreath. The
| letter read as follows:
| "Of all the crowns that my family have worr
This is the lightest and most imperishable. SEND
IL 10 you my sisters, my happy sisters-hsppy tina
| il il not forbidden you TO tread your native sol
| and breathe your native air. Pray for the pool
exile. HoRTENsE"
Their tears fell over the letter and the crown a
| the unfortunate queen. Madame German re
turned with the child. They entered the carriage
| and drove to Mares home. The closest friend
| ship united them the remainder of their lives, bu
they never again beheld their unfortunate frien'
Hortense, the beautiful queen of Holland, who
unloved and unwept by her husband, found al
| early grave in strange land.