Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-07-18
SWORN ON THE CRUCiFlX


me concerning the tragedy in the
family of NJ. de Merret
IN. de Merret was a fine man, and
a good sort of a gentleman: He
came from Picardy, and he was. as
hot as pepper-box, as we say. He
paid ready money for everything; he
made no difficulties with any one. He
was rather wild, and the ladies found
him very agreeable. = :, ,x:- =
"What! because he was rather
wild?' asked my hostess.
Very likely" she said "You may
suppose that he had. something to
recommend him when he could marry
Madame de Merret. who, without
wishing to say anything against the
others-was the most beautiful and
the wealthiest match in the country
She had near about twenty thousand
livres a year. The whole town was
at the wedding. The bride was a
little, engaging creature, quite a Jewel
Of a woman. All they made a love
ly couple!' - :,
Were they happy in their married
life7"
"H'n! h'r.l Yes apd no-so far,
at least, as one can Judge; for yon
don't suppose that we tow"sto'k. lived
hand in Glove with them. Madame
de Merret was good little woman,
very quiet, and she had good deal
to bear sometimes; but, though he
was little proud, we liked him.
Bah it was natural for him TO be
like that. When ones gentleman.
You see
But there must lave been solne
catastrophe, to make them $epar;' {
in the violent way they oil %
Well, Monsieur, III tell Aoi all
about it. The emperor sent some
Spanish or other rTisoners'of Wal to
this place, and l llal 10 take in, ri
the expense Of the soTarnment: 4
vounc Snaniard. who cane here 0"
parole. Notwithstanding his parolf
he went every DAY to report himself
10 the Sous-prele;. He was q, grandle
of Spaih--exeuse me j moment-hi%
names ended i'll % and tiai IL WI.
something like Baso.: de Fere1ia. ''ie
was a handsome young man lor {;
Spaniar,l. He was only five feet twe
or three inches in height, bur he 81.
well made; he had small han.'s, and
he took great care oi ,tllcm-]di yei
should have sceii lie had us many
brushes for his nands as a woman la,
for her whole toilet Indeed ! was
very fond of him, though he didn''
sav four words. day and it wis i'm
possible to keep up the least couvcr-
sation with him. II you spoke, sc
him he didn't answer. He read ms
breviary&lilkc priest, and went te
mass and all the offices regularly
And where DO YOU think he sat ?
we remembered that afterward--
scarcely two yards from Madame Dc
Merret's chair. He took up his posi-
ton there the first time he went tc
church, and 10 ore imagined there
was any design in what ne did. After
the first few days Of his detention
here he began to be out later OF
nights. Twas uneasy when | saw
that he.did not come home till md
night, but we get accustomed 10 his
whim. He took the, door,ke with
him and wa paid no mora attention
to him. He was lodging with us IN
the house We had then in the Rue
desCasernes." Finally, monsieur, o1e
day; OF rather one morning, search
ed everywhere, and found something
written on piece of paper in his
table drawer, in which there were
also fifty golden Spanish coins, called
portagues, worth about five thousand
francs. There were besides some dia-
monds, Of the valus Of ten thousand
francs in little sealed box. The
writing was to the effect that, in case
he sheuE nosreturn, he left his smoney
and diamonds for masses to thank
God for his escape and to pray for his
safety. At that time my husband
was stilb alive, and he Went off to
search for him; and this is the queer
est part Of the story. My husband 3ss
brought back the Spaniard's clothes,
which he. mad 6undtnder a big stone
or the 1anlz Of the river, near the
chateau, and almost opposite La
Grande .Breteche. He had gone there
so early in the morning that no one
had seen him, and so, when he had
read the letter he burnt the clothes,
and we declared, as Count Feredia
wished, that he had escaped. The
sous7prefet put all the gendarmes on
the alert, butthey never caught him
Lepas thought that the spaniard was
drowned !; but I, monsieur, am OF
different opinion. am inclined to
IT,: +bot bo had somethinp to do