Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-02-05
9elctte0 AtistrIlnnp.
CHARLOTTE MOREL.
BY JULIA KAvANAGH.


MADEMOIsELLE CHARLOTTE MoREI
had rarely left her convent, and her few
glimpses of the world seem to have had
little effect upon her. She was as quieI
and demure as any little nun. Rather
little she was, though not uugracefully SC
Little, butvery pretty, with rosy, round
lace, charming dimples, lovely black eyes
and glossy black hair This attractive
young person also had an amiable and
even temper, and more practical sense
than ladies of her years are supposed to
possess Her father laid his plans open to
her with perfect candor. His fortune was
invested in mis- business, and his son.in.
law must also, if possible, be his success
sor lie was quite satisfied with Henri
Roussel and though he wished to lay no
compulsion upon her. he hoped that his
daughter would like the young man.
Charlotte heard him out, with her eyes
doWncast, and her hands folded on her
lap, and then said, gravely, "Has he not
bad temper?"
Rather hasty, perhaps" reluctantly
said Monsieur Morel; "but Henri Roussel
would never be to a young and agreeable
wife what he may have been to his family,
you know"
Charlotte rsised her eyebrows in min.
g!ed surprise and doubt on hearing this.
" hope to get old" she said quantity.
Monsieur Morel, not knowing what to
say, began praising the young mans tai.
ent, assiduity, and good looks.
Henri always begins very WE'LL COM
posedly replied Charlotte, "and | know
he is clever"
And very handsome" persisted Mon.
sieur Morel, shrewdly.
His daughter answered with the un-
translatable "comme ca" TO which go
so" is no equivalents and no more was
said on the subject.
To all appearance, matters went on very
well between the young people Char
lotte sat and worked in a room next the
shop on the ground. floor, and there Henri
would go and join her now and then
The door remained open, and from the
shop Monsieur Morel watched them with
pleased eye. he saw his pretty daugh-
ter sitting near the window, around which
the creepers hung. How quiet and de-
mure she looked with her downcast eyes,
whilst Henri Roussel, leaning against the
wall, gazed down at her in evident admi-
rationl
fancy it will do" thought Monsieur
Morei; but to be sure of it, he questioned
his daughter. Charlotte was silent awhile;
then she said, "I mistrust him. He had
temper once, and he seems to have lost
Because he is fond of you"
An, but suppose he should cease being
fond of me?"
Now, as ill-luck would have it, Monsieur
Morel repeated this conversation to Henri
Roussel. The young man heard him and
said nothing, but bit his lip and turned
very red. He sometimes rowed Charlotte
and his sisters down tho river of an even
ing, and he did so late on the afternoon of
TINS day. The sun was setting behind the
old church of Verrieres Blue and gold
were in the sky and mingled in the placid
surface OF the little stream with the green
shadows of the aspens aud The willows.
The boat tioated past quiet gardens as he
rowed, Henri looked at Charlotte with
mingled love and anger. The young girl
sat still, for Louise, Henri's youngest Sis
ter, had fallen asleep on her lap.
why do you not trust me, Charlottes"
asked Henri, abruptly.
Charlotte raised her eyes in some won
der; then, guessing the truth, she colored
little, but replied composedly, "What
difference does it make to you whether l
trust you or not ?"
Aer cool tone, her unmoVed look exas-
pcrated him In moment Henri recoy.
cred the temper which the fair Charlotte
supposed him to have lost. His ewes
flashed, his lips trembled with resent.
ment rf4t .....4.. -
You must be heartless to put such q
question" he said impetuously.
Charlotte looked at him very earnestly:
Thank you," she said, bowing her
head with ironical courtesy. "Pray be
so kind as to row me back"
He complied without saying a word.
That same evening Charlotte quietly in
formed her father that she should never
marry Henri Roussel
"The man who cannot rule himself shall
never rule me- she said.
Monsieur Morel was much annoyed and
much troubled. He did his best to con-
vince Charlotte that she had better give
Henri another triai but the proposal was
evidently so distasteful to her, and she
shrank from 1t with such pain, that he did
not insist
"Very WELL" he said, desperately 81
must send off poor Henri, and you must
go back to the convent till have found
some one else"
To this sentence Charlotte submitted
without word. She went away the very
next morning. Henri said, bitterly, Al do
not know why regret her she did not
care rush for me-" And he too went
not merely from his uncle's house. hat
from Serrleres, which he left for Paris and
entered a large commercial house.
Nothing came of Monsieur Morel's
search for some cne else, He lived in
hope, and left his daughter safe hebind
conyentwalls till she was twenty-one Nrban
grim Death settled his perplexity by calIin1
him very suddenly away one summer
morning. -r-a q -
Yerrieres was much startled by the
news, and Verrieres' first thought on the
subject was pithy homily on the vanity
of human sorrow. Verrisres grieyed very
little for the dead man, but wondered
very much who was going 20 step into his
shoes.
Several individuals for whose business
talents Monsieur Morel had entertained a
strong contempt had visions OF purchas-
ing the business, and lo7ding il in the great
old house; they sounded Lenoif, the old
clerk, aud as he heard them out and re-
turned diplomatic replies, they one and all
Ielt pretty sure of success. Monsieur
LenolI was very much perplexed. He
CONSUMED with Mademoiselle Morel's
nearest relatives, and they all came to the
CONCLUSION that Monsieur ROussel, her
uheie's brotherscpght,to be the successful
appllcanti ne was not, indeed, the success
scr such nan rs Monsieur Morel should
nave had, but he was the least obieetiona-
Die OF an the claimants FOR the desd MANS
honnTs. Monsieur Morel had been dead
a fortnight Whon Len0iF thought he could
breach the subject TO his late master's
daughter. She had come back for ths
IaaeTsl and being OF sge, had nc thought