Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-05
The Love Story of Two Continents
NFW Told by Themselves.
Sew York World cOrrespOndepce,i

# PARIS. November 4.
went the other day to see Nine and
Pere Hyacinthe Loyson. From the
American newspapers had learned that
the woman for whom the FIRST preacher
of France had sacrificed church and
almost state had history" She had
been divorced from O former husband,
had been q fashion letter writer of an
inferior grade had been vender of cor
sets In Paris, an adventurer of varied
success a Catholic and Protestant by
turns, an unsuccessful journalist, and
had been born in Ohio-which last state
ment seemed to be the only one to be
regarded with favor. With all due re-
spect for the American Press, did not
believe it. The history and the mar
riage were paradoxical. Pere Hyacinthe
had been overrated, or my country
woman, Emile Merriman, had been
shamefully treated by the careless pens
of American journalists. | liked the
Pere's spunk in marrying, and | thought
he had shown good taste and good sense
in marrying an American. | wanted to
tell him SO, wanted to see his wife, and so
! went to see them. fr
Sending my card to Nine. Loyson,
the servant showed me into a little par
lor,, very plainly but neatly furnished.
A copy of the New York Independent
and Christian Union, containing COM
ments on the Pere marriage, were ON
the table. There was fine photograph Of
Dolinger, gift from that German re-
former to Emile Merriman. On the
mantel we're medallions in plaster of
Pere Hyacinthe and Professor Draper,
Of New York-both exceedingly well ex-
ecuted, and the sculptor Emile Merri-
man. NlN ~
In few moments Nine. Loyson came
in with pleasant, cordial greetng--the
parlor she thought a little cool, and
would not come in her room where she
had fire? So she led the way to a
small poRey apartment, where an easy
chair and q writing table lent an air OF
comfort combined with business. The
conversation led at once into French
customs, French society, and travel. /
may as veil write it down this moment,
for ! am eager TO say IL: was charmed
with the woman. and understood per
fectly how Pere Hyaeinthe or any other
man would have sacrificed very con-
siderable amount Of things sacri6cable
to win her. T
In person she is tall, well-proportioned,
with hands to delight a sculptor, not
small and characterless, but large as a
Madonna's should be, and white, soft,
and shapely as love could mold, and
strong and tender as love could desire.
She has handsome head, dark-brown
hair, smoothly coiffured; dark.brown
eyes, full of sweetness and intelligence;
fair, fresh complexion, an enchanting
mouth, and exquisite teeth. That the
Pere had an eye for personal charms it
were useless to deny; that he had heart
for the charms of mind and heart of cor
responding valne is equally true, for his
wife, with nothing of the air Of a blue
stocking" is intelligent to an unusual
degree, and converses with an ease and |
elegance remarkable in an Amerioan
woman, remarkably we'll as most Amer
lean women converse. She betrays not
the least indication of smallness or iriv-
olity. There is a largeness, sincerity, |
and earnestness Of purpose in all she |
says and does that is moRt winning. She |
Is thoroughly religious without cant; her |
mind, heart and person form one com
complete harmony. And then she is 80 |
genuine, so free from artificial Hhams Of |
dress or manner, that you at once feel at
rest in her presence, and do not begin to |
wonder how she would look if she had |
rings in her ears, her hair put up in
pnifs, OF her waist laced in one OF those
patent corsets. She is simply the de-
lightful fact Of large-hearied, high
minded, handsome and loyal woman /
whom God has called TO be heroine |
and who answers in full to all the de-
mands Of heroism, which is very, very /
rara. After relieving myself Of all that,
/ am conscious Of conveying a very |
meager idea Of the woman who robbed /
me of an hour that afternoon in giving
me in return a years worth of the chat
ter Of commonplace women. After be-
ing presented TO the Pere later re-
marked that | was proud that he had
welded an American. His face lighted
radiantly with q sweet smila az he replied
that he was also. Pere Hyaeinthe, by
the way, while speaking German and
Italian well, speaks no English, which
surprised me somewhat, and I veutured
to say to Nine l,oyson that ono would |
think that he had learned English in I
their oourtship days.
"Ah, ! think We had no eourtship /
DAYS, in the usual acoeptatioR Of that |
term, she replied. We saw each /
other rarely, and the question that filled /
our hearts was one that made Us sad /
rather than iovful