Middletown transcript., 1871-12-09
Srlrtt Storu.
HER LATE HUSBAND.
A NOVEL ~ A NUTSHELL.

In June of 1860. a young captain of a
French trading vessel availcd himself of
au unu. ualy liberal interval between two
ot his foreign voyages, TO pay u long prom
iscd visit 10 an old friend ot his father, re-
siding in the democratic canton Of Solcure.
switzerland. His sole purpose in so do
ing was TO honor II patcrnal association
aud make pastimc for those idle hours u
shore which so soon pail upon the taste Of
u true sailor; but before he had been a
week in the romantic canton. very charm
ing orphan niece of his hos, taught him
how to find in the lovely valley of the Ju.
ra, such attractions as the grand.st views
AT sea had never possessed for him. Low
at first sight was his fate beyond all res
cue, aud its speedy iproea,ion produced
ccurlship as ardent as youth and unrc-
stric'cd opportunity could make IT,
Conscious that the owners Of the ship
might summon him away to resume his
professional duties al any hour, he had no
sooner hasiencd TO the young lady's assent
20 his design than he boldly asked her un-
clc's consent to their immediate marriage
and was able to persuade the old gentle
mau to favor the idea Thus il was that
before the onp'aiu bad been in Solcurc u
month, he ha the felicity 10 lead to the
altar onc of the faircst bellies Of the canton,
and 10 t9reet. in the blessings Of the hon
cymoon, the hardships and pcrils Of the
career from which be was only temporarily
a trnanf His employers, however,
tirm of shippers in ilavrc--werc not thus
oblsien., and the bridegroom. had scarce.
ly realized the fullncss OF his happiness
when L received orders to join his vessel
AZ once for new vayaee.
There was no choice but to obey; and
accordingly. with brave show OF ios,i.
rude. aud promise Of early return. he
tore himself away from his weeping wife
and departed for the por, whence be was
10 sail
Weeks Of anxious waiting aud forcbo.
ling were now the lot OF the bride lcf, be
hind. aud then the news brought to her
wns such rs broke her heart 10 hear
fir,l . runner brought by some ship. then
= dispatch in formal terms. told that her
husband, vessel had been wrecked on the
coast rf Africa aud all on board had per-
shed There was no chance. however
~, peratc. to d"uht the dreadful story
aud gathering her great sorrow to the
deepest depth Of her loving heart, the
girli,h willow resigned herself to life Of
slcu, sorrow For fix ycnrs she bore her
grief A. courIgcpusly MS she could but
Il, last her uncle, who was u ehldlcss Wild
over. and loved her AZ daughter. was
convinced that the preservation Of her life
depended upon radical change in il, and
that a complete change Of scene was the
lir., necessity OF the case. Without u
word 10 her, the good man sold his whole
property in lands AMI cattle, for the mean.
to accomplish his seli-saci.,iciug purpose.
aud then removed to Paris, where, as he
had hoped. new surroundings and novel
associations would divert her mind to some
fresh object or existence.
Gratitude to her nuclc for his unselfsh
devotion was enough Of itself TO urge the
mourncr 10 some resumption Of lifc's en-
crgy and when, after due formal address.
gentleman Of good family begged her
hand in marriage. and cited the unclc's
approval VI the suit, she became wife
once more.
This SECOND marriage. II produced by
much less romance than the first, had
promise Of permanent endurance nt least,
aud for nearly three years was attended by
sober kind Of prosperity TO which the
voices Of little children finally lent grace.
ful music. But trouble was still in store
for her who hpd already known so much
Of it. In the deypngemen, Of trades and
values produced by the unfortunate war
between France aud Germany. the proper
~ no, only Of the husband. but also iba,
Of the uncle suffered such serious depreda-
ton that both gentlemen becamc greatly
embarrassed. and both were compelled 10
forget social pride in the attainment Of
further livelihood.
In short, before the government Of the
Commune had been superseded by that Of
Versailles. the uncle and his son-ip -law
were the keepers Of a cafe on the Bou-
levarde Montmsrte, with tho niece and
wife ~ their assistants. With the ultimate
restoration Of peace to haplsss France,
this modest establhhmsut gained . popu-