Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-11-11
MY UNCLE's ROMANCE.
(Trom the French Of D'Heio)

JCbSuCl was ui NDpS pAV h1bul
cannot be changed.
The natural disposition Of DO
| vile was ripened by reading re
: nance. He there imbibed sent
ments so contrary to the fashion
of the day, and he took so littl
care to conceal them, that his bes
: friends considered him a downright
original.
"What a pity" said one, eth
; fellow has wit and a good fgufc
but he will never make, anything.
And be had no desire to max
, anything but his happiness. II
succeed in that there was but on
way, to love and be loved but loveC
as in a romance. An ambitious
marriage, or even a marriage dt
convenance," appeared to his eyes
unbearable slavery.
M Rondon, D'Orville's uncle
mourned over the caprices of his
heir, and wished, by all means, tc
marty him with Mad. de Faventine
very rich young widow of a dis,
tinguished family; but D'Orville's
repugnance was insurmohntable.
"Spare yourself, my dear uncle, "
said he, "needless care" l do not
wish your beautiful widow, and
declare that even she is the last wo-
man to whom | would give my
hand"
"But you have not seen her r
"Nor do l wish to see her. What
Having seen me in l know not
what public place, this woman de-
cides, addresses you, and demands
| me in marriage as she would ask
for piece of stuff at Bufault's.-
What love! What delicacyp
"But if you knew how beautiful
she is, and how lovely!'
"Indeed! Why not espouse her
yourself, then uncle2 l CONSENT to
the marriage, p
eyes, but she would not con
sent. Unfortunately she prefers
twenty five to fifty years. If it
were not for that, tell you, boy,
the affair would have been already
arranged,. and 1 should have the
double pleasure Of furnishing you
and of securing my own happi,
ness"
"And that of your
"D'Orville D'Orville! Re
spect Mad de Fnventine, or we
will quarrel at once"
"As much respect as you please,
my uncle, but no marriage"
The good Rondon bit his lips,
twisted the tassel of his cane, and
muttered between his teeth words
of experience of authority and of
exheredation; but nothing could
conquer the obstinacy of his neph-
ew.
D'Orville's refusal did not come
from the romance system he had
adopted He loved, or at least he
believed he loved, which is the
same thing. He had met at the
hall of the Opera a mask, whose
wit had appeared to him so deli
cate, so subtle, so opposite to com
mon place, so much in contrast |
with the insipid tattle that reigns
at these nocturnal feasts, that he be-
lieved himself the happiest maj in
the world in obtaining rendez-
vous for the next ball.
The unknown appeared there,
attendance even, always
ma, ked to the teeth, but amiable,
spiritual and interesting.
These conversations were con
tinned while the carnival lasted,
and although the mask was con
stantly kept on ia bad sign, ac
cording to the knowing ones, the
foot and the most beauti-
ful hand augured favorably for the
rest. In the midst of this intoXi-
cation, DOrville's uncle proposed
to him the alliance with Madame
de Faventine, and suffered a refu-
sal, of which be was far from di-
vining the true cause,
In the mean time, the season was
passing without D'OrVilIe's being
able to learn the hame or the resi-
1ence of his dear unknown; and to
instruct himself, there remained
but the last ball. He went there pre-
'isely at midnight, determined to
everything, prayers, tears
md even espionage, but the un
Known d d not appear.
Filled with grief and anger, Dor
Vile left the ball and went home.
Scarcely had he entered his house,
when he received a visit from his
lncle. New propositions on the
)art of the young widow, renewed
elections on the part of D'orville.
"How odd is my lot!' said he
o himself. "A woman who has
lever seen me has determined to '
spouse me, and am determined |
n loving woman whom | have ]
lever seen! 1t would seem that
hey have combined to enrage me,
he one by her silence, the other '
~ her opportunities. f
Whether he had OWNED justly c
If not, the two ladies continued
he same course, and poor Dor I
lille, after having vainly waited l
or news of his dear unknown du- i
ing three entire weeks, delivered t
imself from the prosecutions of a
is uncle by leaving Paris. He had G
communicated his project to one Il
f his friends, who secured him a a
Iansion two leagues from the city. s
here he took rnfnop. without 9TH a