Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-06-18


reason to suppose that his fortunes were
the work of fairy's wand; for, in the
course of one or two short months, by &
seemingly inexplicable stroke of fortune
he had been raised to happiness and wealth
beyond his desires. A friendless orphan
twenty-five years old, he had been the
holder of clerkship which brought him
a scanty livelihood, when. one day, as he
passed along the Rue St. Honore, a rich
equippage stopped suddenly before him,
and young and elegant woman called
from it to him. Monsieur, Monsieur, .
said she.
At the same time, on a given signal
the footman leaped down, opened the car
riage door, and invited Frederic to enter.
He did so, though with some hesitation
and surprise, and the carriage started Of
lat full speed.
Il have received your note, SIR" said
the lady to NJ. de la Tour, in very soft
and sweet voice "and, in spite of refusal
I hope yet to see you tomorrow evening
at my party"
"To see me, Madame p cried Frederic
eyes, sir, you All! thousand
pardons," continued she, with an air ol
confusion. Il see my mistake. Forgive
me, sir! What can you think of me?-
Yet the resemblance is SO striking that il
would have deceived any one."
OF course Frederic replied politely to
the apologies.
Just as they were terminated the car
riage stopped at the door Of splendid
mansion, and the young man could do nc
more than offer his arm to Lady Melton,
as the fair stranger announced herself to
be. Though English, in name, the fair
lady, nevertheless, was evidently of French
origin. Her extreme beauty charmed NJ
de la Tour, and he congratulated himself
uPUu n1ppJ
ed him such an acquaintance. Lady
Melton loaded him with civilities, and he
was not ill-looking certainly; but he had
not the vanity to think his appearance
was magnificent; and his plain and scanty
wardrobe prevented him from doing credit
to his tailor.
He accepted an invitation to the party
spoken of. Invitations to other parties
followed; and. to be brief, the young man
soon found himself an established visitant
at the house of Lady Melton. She, a
rich and beautiful widow, was encircled
by admirers. One by one they disappear
ed. 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 lod ging, and wonder
to what circumstance he owed his happy
fortune. He used to conclude his medi-
tations by the reflection that assuredly the
lovely widow was fulfilling some unavoid-
BILE award of destiny. AS for his own
feelings the lady was lovely, young, rich,
accomplished and noted for her sensibili-
ty and virtue-could he hesitate?
When the marriage contract was sign
ed his astonishment was redoubled, for he
found himself, through the lady's love,
the virtual possessor of large property
both in England and Franco. The pres
ence of friends had certified and sanction
ed the union, yet, as has been stated,
Frederic felt some strange fears, in spite
of himself, lest all should prove an illu.
sion, and he grasped his brides hand as
if to prevent her being spirited away from
his view.
''My dear Frederick" 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 time"-
Frederic started, and half-scriously ex-
claimed,
"Heavens lit is fairy tale!''
'Listen to me, foolish boy" resumed
the lady. ''There was once young girl,
the daughter of parents we'll born, and a,
one time rich, but who had declined sadly
in circumstances. Until her fifteenth
year the family lived in Lyons. depend
ing entirely for subsistence 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 an hospital