The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-11-16
GETTING OLD TOHEiHER,
A FRENCH LOVE STORY,

Some years ago young man of the
name of Charles Letenier fell in love
with the daughter of the physician with
whom he was studying. The physician
was not rich, and Charles had nothing,
80 that, after all, he was u very bad
match for Elise ID 'smond, particularly
as there WAS very rich banker who had
asked for the hand of Mile. Elise, think
ing, as matter of course, that her
heart would accompany it.
Monsieur d smoud accepted the bank
er's settlement with great delight, aud
Nine. Desmond assured her daughter
that from her own experience it was not
at all necessary to love her husband.
Elise cried II good deal, and Charles
swore he never would lsve any one else !;
Vt i'll spite of both these facts, Elise
was duly married to the banker, and
Charles Immediately sailed from HAvre
on the first ship to New Orleans.
Elise and Charles had had last in
terview, in which they had vowed all
sorts of loving aud romantic nonsense,
and among other things that, should
L ,se ever be free, she would fly to the
othsr end of the world to unite herself
to her faithful Charles.
But the banker, though some years
older than his wife, possessed good di-
gestion and hard heart, and conse-
quently was not likely to die, and SO he
lived for almost twenty-five years, when
at length he gave up life and his for
tune, leaving Elise widow, and if not
an inconsolable one, at least very rich
one. Else had rarely heard from Charles,
but i'll order that there might be- some
link between them, she had constituted
herself guardian to a nephew of his, an
orphan.
Elise had no children of her own, and
she loved this boy for his own sake, for
he was worthy of love, and also because
he reminded her forcibly of the lover of
her youth. Her husband had, on his
part, also adopted, not a nephew, but a
niece, Melanie Serve, who lived with
them. and had for Elise the care and af-
fection of daughter.
Now it so happened that Charles's
nephew had regular correspondence
with his uncle, from whom he disguised
nothing, owning even the love he felt
for Melanie. He gave a glowing de-
scription of her beauty, only forgetting
to mention her name. Charles, who had
still preserved in his heart the image of
Elise as she was on her wedding-day,
concluded that his nephew was i'll love
with er, and he became angry and
alarmed. He was now rich, and began
to feel longing desire to visit his native
country tor this purpose he began to
settle up his affairs, in the midst OF
which came the instrumentation which
he had waited twenty five years-that
Elise was q widow. He wrote by the
next ship an ardent letter to his beauti-
full e Use, and by the following salt d tor
Europe.
He announced his arrival at Havre,
stating that on such day he would be
at the feet Of Elise. Ga the receipt OF
this letter Elise began to prepare for his
arrival, choosing the style of dress and
colors which Charles used to say became
her most and awaited his coming, kill
ing the time by giving Melanie de-
scription of her handsome Charles.
At last the bell rang, Elise, unable to
endure her emotion, sank into chair,
while Charles rushed into the room, and
without even casting look at the mid
dle-aged lady, dressed like a caricature,
clasptd Melahie in his arms, exclaiming
"Ellse dear Elise!"
At this Else opened her eyes. Where
was Charlts! Not the bald-headed,
sedate-looking gentleman before her.
Charles Letenier! Can it be?"
"E ise !" responded Charles, "can it
be z"
The fact was that both had forgot
ten TO make the addition of how much
twenty-five and twenty-five would come
to, and twenty and twenty-five; but
now it all came with rush, and Charles
remembered that Elise was forty-five
and Elise discovered that Charles was
fifty, and that he looked it to a minute.
Charles was not at all aware tnat he
looked his age, but he thought that
Elise looked fully hers.
In this condition of things the CONVEX
sation dragged considerably. Each had
prepared love speeches to cay to one
another, but now they would sound
ridiculous. Elise, in order to break an
awkward silence, drew pretty gold box
from her pocket, and asked Charles if he
would take pinch of snuff.
my Elise taking snuff !" almost
shrieked the astonished Charles.
For a cold, simply"
CHARLES, nothing daunted, drew forth
a pipe, and lighting it said:
"The ladies in New Orleans always
allow it,"
"My Charles with pipe % exclaimed