Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-03-20

him; but if you do, 1t Will XIII me, ana my
blood be on your hands, :
"My husband carried me Immediately tc
England. 1 knew not the language, and the
people were all strange and cold to me, and
was very unhappy but tried, conscientious
! ", to make the best of it. When had been
married about three months, I was informed
one day, that there was q gentleman in the
parlor who wished to see me. l asked, petu'
lantly, whom it could be, and why he had not
sent his card but when the servant told me
he was sure that it was French gentleman
my irritation changed to joy, for I fancied it
was my brother or my father, who wished to
give me a happy surprise. The light was oh.
scure in the parlor so on entering the door, l
could only distinguish the figure of man.
standing with his back to me, near the fire
place. When I had approached very near to
him, he turned suddenly, and I beheld the
well-known features of Clement Dupres; but
All how changed. He gave me no saluta'
tion. He did not speak word; but seeing
by my agtated countenance, that l recog'
nized him, burst into bitter laugh-the wild
laugh of maniac, Florimond; and then, as
sudden as fash of lightning, ere l could
dream or think of such fearful catastrophe,
1 saw the fash and heard the ringing report
of pistol, and Clement lay at my feet a
corpse!
II can scarcely tell you anything more
about that time l remember being lifted
from the body, by whom I do not know, and
dragged away, my white dress red with my
poor dead Clements blood but that is all
do remember.
"Well, we passed most Of our time travelling
after that, and it was at this period that col
lected most of those pictures and curiosities
you admire so much. The brightest Of them
have but melancholy beauty to me- The
saddest part of my story is yet to come. This
ruthless destruction of my happiness was a
vain sacrifice, for in FIVE years time the beau
tiful old Chateau de Chaumont passed into
strangers hands My husbands fortune was
not, by half, so enormous as had been reputed
and commonly believed Nevertheless, he
could have paid of, by yearly instalments,
the mortgage on the Chateau, but for the ex-
cessive indulgence of vice which had be-
come second nature to him. His enormous
gambling debts ruined both himself and my
father. So after all, the dear old Chateau
was knocked down to the highest bidder, and
my dear little Ralph, for whom my motherly
heart had planned out such brilliant career,
was, like Lucius Cornelius Sylla and many
another great man beside, born to very
scanty fortune. But this child's birth was the
richest of Gods blessings to me. 1t has
sweetened an existence which, otherwise,
would have been, at times, unbearable"
"Is that all ?" asked Florimond, still wrap
ped in breathless attention. "Is that ALI"
"What more is there to tell, after all the
separate incidents and "reminiscences 1 have
related to you at different times9 [ do not
wish to bore you with repetition"
"But what became of Ralph-your son ?
Did he die?"
"Die! No, thank God and the holy Moth
er, he did not. He is now man grown, five
feet eleven, and handsomer man you never
saw-at least to my taste!"
Il can readily believe ii" said Florimond,
smiling, "ifhe resembles his mother"
"Sweet Aatterer!" said Madame, laughing.
"He does not resemble his mother. 1t is true,
he has my features; but he has his fathers
blond hair, his fathers eyes and his fathers
Saxon complexion"
"And where is hep
"That cannot tell you, with any degree Of
certainty" replied Madame. "For the first
time in our lives we are separated. Ralph
has been in Europe, since almost the begin
ming of the war. He ran the blockade, going
over on government service. He procures
medical supplies for the Confederate army,
ammunition, etc., and conducts matters of Sc
crct and important negotiation, for which his
perfect mastery of the French language, and
his perfect acquaintance with French man.
ners, render him specially fitted"
II suppose he will soon be restored to you"
said Florimond musingly, "for you know the
disastrous state Of our arms at present-and
the closing finale of the war, will render such
service useless"
"True," said Madame, "but Ralph is anx-
ious to visit the East, and will no doubt do so
at the close of the war, before his return to
America. Iwould not be surprised to hear
from him at Jerusalem or Cairo, or Constan-
tinople."
"There is one thing more" said Florimond,
II should like to know, and that is" Flo
rimond was going to say, "that is, the name
of your English husband )" but just then,
from the Convent garden there came piercing
screams, and both ladies recognizing Bertas
voice, ran with hall speed to see what was the
matter. A thorn, from beautiful rose, had
pierced little Berta's rosy finger, and terrified
at the sight of blood, she was crying Justify
for hermamma. Florimond soon soothed and
quieted her, and then Berta, preferring to re-
main among the flowers, Notwithstanding her
misfortune, the two ladies returned to their
seats.
"Now," said Madame with enthusiasm,
"now for taste of FRANCOIS Delsarte! Now
for your first lesson in the grand histrionic
art!'
"And do you really think have talent
in that line ?" asked Florimond, her face COL
oring with interest and pleasure. II am
really astonished I am reminded of Mr..