The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-02-06
6rIerteN AlisrelIanp.
CHARLOTTE MOREL,
by JULIA KAvANAan.

had rarely left her convent, and her few
glimpses of the world seem to have had
little effect upon her. She was as quiet
and demure as any little nun. Rather
little she was, though not ungracefully 80
little, but very pretty, with rosy, round
face, 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 his business, and his sOn-in-
law must also if possible, be his success
sor, He 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 temper9"
Rather hssty, 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
gled surprise aud doubt on hearing this.
81 hope to get old, she said quaintly.
Monsieur Morel, not knowing what to
say, began praising the young mans tai
ent, assiduity, and good looks.
Henri always begins very well, 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 so
so" is no equivalent; 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 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
a pleased eye. He saw his pretty dsugh.
ter sitting near the window, around which
the ereepers hung How quiet and de-
mure she looked, with her downesst eyes,
whilst Henri Roussel, leaning against the
wall, gazed down at her in evident admi-
rationI
"I fancy it viii do" thought Monsieur
Morel but to be sure of il, he questioned
his daughter. Charlotte was silent awhile;
then she said, az mistrust him. He had
a temper once, and he seems to have lost
it,"
" Because he is fond of you"
" All, but suppose he should cease being
fond of met"
Now, as ill-luck would haVeit, Monsieur
MoTel 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 the river Of an even
ing, and he did 30 late on the afternoon of
this day. The sun was setting behind the
old church Of Verrieres. Blue and gold
we're in-the sky, and mingled in the placid
surface Of the little stream with the green
shadows Of the sspens and the willows
The boat foated 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 doyou not trust me, Charlotte2"a
asked Henri, abruptly.
Charlotte raised her eyes In some won
der then, guessing the truth, she colored
little, but replied composedly, /" What
difference does 1t make to you whether /
trust you or notP"
Her cool tone, her unmoFed look exas-
perated him. In a moment Henri recoV.
cred the temper which the fair Charlotte
supposed him to have lost. His eyes
flashed, his lips trembled with resent
ment
" You must be heartless to put such
question" he said impetuously.
Charlotte looked at him very earnestly:
"Thank you" she said, bowing her
head with iroRical courtesy spray 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 bis best to CON
vince Charlotte that she had better give
Henri another trial but the proposal was
evidently so distasteful to her, and She
shrank from it with such pain, that he did
not insist
"Very WE'LL he said, desperately; al
must send off poor Henri, and you must
60 back to the convent till / have found
some one else.V
TO this sentence Charlotte submitted
without word. She went away the very
nextmorninE Henrisaid, bitterly, : l do
not know why / regret her she did not
carea rush for me- And he too went,
not merely from his unele'a house, bat
from Verrieres, which he LETT for Paris and
entered a large commercial house.
Nothing came q Monsieur Moreis
search for como Cne else He lived in
hope, and left his daughter safe behind
convent wallsti she was twenty.o when
grim Death settled his perplexitY By calling
him very suddenly sway one supniner
morning.
Verrieres waa much startled by The
news, and Yerrieres' frsl tli0aght on the
subject was pithy homily on the vanity
OF human sorrow. Ye1riefes erieved very
ifttie for the dead man, but wondered
very much who was going 70 step into bis
shoes.
severa individuals for whose business
talents Monsieur Morel had entertained a
strong contempt had visions Of purchas-
inr tESe business, and iofdiHg Il In the great
old house they sounded Lenpir, tue old
clerk, and Is be heard them out and 70,
turned diplomats replies, they one and all
felt pretty sure Of success Monsieur
I,en5ir was very much perplexed He
conaulted with Mademoigelle MoroFa
nearest relatives, and they ail came 70 the
conclusion chat Monsieur Rousseb boz
nncIe's brother, sssals 10 BE- the successful
applicant; bs gas not, indeed, the success.
sof such 16an as lI0hsieaE Motel should
have bad, but he VIVA the least objectiona-
bic Of all the claimants fof the dead man 9
hOn0rs. Monsieur liore had been dead
a fortnight when Lenoif thought he could
brosch the subject t5 his late MASTER =
daughter She had come baek for The
lanaraIl and. haIlg ol aga nad 20 thoNaat