The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-09-12
OTTAWA FREE TRADER: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER H. 1865.

ing to the girl whom he took for IN old woman:
he continued
"Come along, my good dame, and permit me
to see you safely to the end OF the street Civ
ing his arm to the unfortunate girl, he then led
her away, saying, Here is piece of 100 sous.
1t is all l have take it, poor woman"
1.-THE crown of 100 sous passed from Your
hand to mine" continued the lady," and as you
walked along, supporting my steps, I then,
throug n my veil, distinctively saw your face and
| figure"
my hgurew said Frederick, in amazement,
EYES, my friend, your figure" returned his
wife, sit was to me that you gave aims on that
night. 1t was my life-my honor, perhaps, that
you then saved -
tiful, and now so rich," cried Frederic.
Eyes, my dearest husband" replied the lady,
II have in my life received alms.--once only and
from you; and those aims have decided my fate
for life"
ION the day following that miserable night
An old woman, in whom had inspired some
sentiments of pity, enabled me to enter as seam
stress in a respectable house. Cheerfulness re-
turned to me with labor l had the good for
tune to become favorite with the mistress
whom served, and indeed did my best by I'M
wearied diligence and to merit her favor.
She was often visited by people III high life
One day Sir JAS Melton, an Englshman of great
property, came TO the establishment, along with
q party of ladies. He returned again. He
spoke with my mistress, and learnt that 1 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 il l would marry
him.
"Marry you." cried in surprise.
"Sir james Melton was man of sixty tall
pale, and feeble-looklng. In answer to my ex-
camation Of establishment, he said, "Yes, | ask
if you will be my wife l am rich, but have
no comfort, no happiness. My relatives seem to
| yearn to see mo i'll my grave l have ailments
which require degree OF kindly care that isnot
to be bought from servants. have heard your
story, and believe you to be one who will sup
port prosperity as well rs you have adversely. /
| make you my proposal in sincerity, 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 insnuated to me that We
| were destined to pass through life together. At
| the bottom of my soul l believed this Yet
every one around me pressed to accept of the Off
| er made me- and the thought struck me that l
| might one day make you wealthy. At length
| my main objection to Sir James Melton's propos-
| al lay in Discrimination to make myself the in
| strument of vengeance in Sir James hands
against relatives whom he night dislike without
good grounds. The objection when stated, only
increased his anxiety for my consent, and, final
ly, under the impression that it would be after
I all, carrying romance the length of folly to re-
| ect the advantageous settlement offered to me,
| consented TO Sir James proposal
"This part of tho story, Frederic Is really
like fairy tale I, poor orphan. penniless,
became the wife of one of the richest baronets Of
| England. Dressed in silks, and sparkling with
jewels, could now pass in my carriage through
the very streets where, few months before, |
had stood in the rain and darlsueSS-s mendcat ~
Happy Sir ,james!" cried NJ. de Ia Tour, at
this part of the story; che could prove his love
by enriching YOU
"He was happy resumed the lady, "Our mar
| rage, so strangely assorted, proved much more
| conducive, than If he had welded with
whom all the parade of settlements, Of pn-mon-
ey would have been nescessary."
SHOWER, boleve, did he for an instant repent
| OF our union. |, on my part, conceived myself
bound to do my best for the solaCo OF his dcclin
mig years; and ho on his part, thought it incum-
bent upon him to provide for niy future welfare
He died, leaving me large part Of his substance
AS much, indeed, rs l could prevail upon my
self to accept. ! was now a widow from the
hour in which became so. l vowed never again
to give my hanj TO man. excepting him who had
succored me III nay hour OF distress, and whose
remembrance he'd ever been preserved in the re-
cess of my heart. But how to discover that
man? All unconscious migrate! to make no en-
deavor to come i'll the way OF one Who sought TO
| love aud enrich you I! l knew net your name
| in vain looked for you at balls, assemblies and
| theaters You were not there, All, how l long
| ed to meet youpr r
AS the lady spoke, she took from her neck
| ribbon, to which was attached a hundred sous.
1T is the same, the very same. which you gave
! me-" she said, presenting it to Frederick; "by
pledging it got little bread from neishbor,
| and earned enough aftorward' in time, to per-
| NIT me to recover it. 1 vowel never to part
| with it. All how happy was Frederick. when
saw you in the street! The excuse which
! made for stopping you was the first that rose to
| mind.--But, what tremors ] felt, even after
| ward, lest YOU should have baen married! In
| that case you never would have heard ought Of
| this fairy tale, though would have taken some
| means to serve and enrich you | would have
| gone to England and there passed my days in
regret, perhaps, but still in peace. But, hap
PLY, it was to be otherwise. You were single"