The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-11-26
TOO LATB.

Il hpth sexes, to whom 1t brought the usual
lextremes,, but by none more than tho in
habitants of small house in the Rue
Cfusol, where happened the incidents we
hre about to relate.
About one year ago, two young men,
OF nearly the Same age, lived in small
suite of rooms in the house we have Just
aaiiuded to. Paul was civil engineer,
and Emile was clerk in lawyers Office
They had been brought up together, and
never had their friendship been inter-
fnpted by the slightest misundcrstand-
Ing Paul had % sweetheart, q good
natured. pretty little modiste, to whom
he was warmly attached. And SO great
was his confidence in her love and his
friend s. honor, that not the slightest
doubt ever found place in his bosom,
although Hortense treated Emile with
I perfect freedom, and they we're naturally
much In each others company.
/ Paul received, about three months
i after the commencement of our story,
/ an appointment as assistant engineer on
. railroad, about TO be built in Russia.
4 It was splendid opening for q young
man in his position, and, OF course, not
10 be refused. But what was to be done
with Hortense? She could not follow
him to o distant country. So Paul went
TO bis friend and told him of his ap-
pointment, adding: G;l.aE
9essGy dear Emile, am going to leave
Hortense in your care. You know how
much j love her, and how hard it is for
mo to be separated, even for one day,
from her, but my duty calls me. You
are more than o brother to me, and to
! your honor do trust my future happi-
ness. On my return from Russia, Hor-
|, III 81 1,1
both bless you as our dearest friend and
brother. - g ,
Emile merely pressed his friends
handsin his, and Paul departed happy
and confding. .'
After Paul's departure. Hortense and
Emile continued to live in the same
apartments, both attending to their du-
ties during the day, and spending the
evenings quietly together Emile reading
some new book to his companion, or
speaking to her of the future, when Paul
-Wonh h-Feturn home. and when they would
be happy together. On Sundays, they
wonld go together in the country, en-
joying the fresh air, and winding up the
day by visit TO she theatre or to some
ball. They were 80 young, so handsome,
SO we'll matched, that they excited the
.almiration OF all who saw them. Every
One who knew them. thought: Glow
< happy they areI"
But aiasi they were not happy. They
had so often spoken of love, and although
Paul was always alluded to, they found
I. ithatlhis image was, as it were, gradually
fading away. Emile felt that his posi-
tion was o terrible one indeed, for he
TWAS young, Of AN ardent and passionate
nature, and he began to realize too late
: that 1t would require all his self-com-
smand and the strong friendship he felt
for Paufto enable him to struggle sue
cessfully against feeling that filled his
with rapture.
&Hortense had heard Emile read love
passages, in the books he bought her,
and gradually began to think that the
woman who would be beloved by him
would be happy. indeed. The conse-
quence was that they began to feel en-
barrassed in each others company.
! They felt the storm approaching, al
though they both pretended not to see it
coming. Emile strayed away late at
night; he would buy photographs Of
well-known women, and would show
them to Hortense, saying:
"This is my mistress likeness. Is
she not pretty?" And she would answer
quietly:
=. -s'Yes, she is very pretty"
After which they would retire to their
/! rooms, and there separately weep bitterly
over their hopeless love.
And Paul did not write any more
letters to them. Emile and Hortense
had both written to him, but Lad re-
ceived no answer for two long months.
Matters stood thus on the first Of Janu-
ary. Early in the morning Emile knock.
ed at Hortense's door to wish her Il
happy new year, and to give her New
Years gift. 1t was email medallion
likeness Of Paul. set in q gold locket.
On receiving it, and on seeing Paul's
{ likeness, Hortense burst into tears.
"What ails you, Hortense2" asked
Emile, struggling to be calm.
Nothing" answered she, II weep be-
cause am happy"
When Emile returned home rather
late that evening, Hortense was still up
and still crying. The locket was on the
mantle-piece, and'as Emile opened it he
started violently. Paul's likeness had
been removed and his own put in it's
place. He cried out: