The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-06-16
NO. 49,.
Layellette,s Wife.

Gone day." observes the Count
Layellette, "when / had accompanied
Bonaparte to the treasury, to expedite
the sending Off Of the sums that were
required at Toulon for the feet, he Or
dered his cOachman to drive along the
new Boulevards, that he might have at
his leisure conversation with me. L
cannot make major Of you, he said:
Il must, therefore, give you q wife |;
you shall marry Emile dc Beauharnais:
She is very handsome, and very we'll
educated. Do you know her9 Il have
seen her twice. But, general, Ihaye no
fortune. We are going to Africa; may
be killed-what will become, in that
case, Of my poor widow? Besides, I
have no great liking for marriage.'
Men must marry to have children
TINT is the chief aim OF life. Killed
you may be; well, in that case she will
be the widow Of one OF my aides.de-
camp-Of n defender of his country.
She will have n pension, and may marry
again adyantageously. Now she is the
daughter OF nm emigrant that nobody
will have; my wife cannot introduce
her into society. She, poor girl do!
serves better fate. Come, this busi-
ness must be quickly settled. Talk
this morning with Madame Bonapartc
about it; her mother has already given
her consent. The wedding shall take
place in eight days. I allow you
fortnight for your HONEYMOON; yol
must thcn come and Join us at .Toulon
on the 2Oth.' Ut was then the 9th.( |
could not help laughing all the while
he spoke; at last / said, j will do
whatever you please. But will the girl
have mc2 1 do not wish to force her
inclinations.' She is tired Of llel
boartling.school, Ind she would bc I'M
happy ifshe were to go to her mothers.
During your absence she shall live with
her grandfather ut Fontainbleau. You
will not he killed; and you will find her
when you come back. Come, come
the thing is settled. Tell the coachman
to drive home
In tho evening I went to sec Madame
Bonapartc. She knew what was going
forward, and was kind enough to show
some satisfaction, and called me her
nephew Tomorrow she said, We
shall go to ST. German. L will intro
duce you to my neice. You will be de-
lighted with her; she is a charming
grill
Accordingly, next day, the general
| Madame BonaDarte, Eugene and went
in an open carriage to 81. Germain; and
stopped at Madame Campan's. The
visit was great event ut the boarding
school; all the young girls were at the
windows, in the parlors, or in the court
yard, for they had obtained holiday
We soon entered the gardens. Among
the forty young ladies, / sought anxi
ously her who was to be my wife. Hel
cousin Hortensc led her to us, that sht
might salute the general, and embrace
her aunt. She was, in truth, the pretti
est Of thom all. Her stature was tall
and most gracefully elegant; her fen
lures were charming; and the glow o.
her beautiful complexion was heighten
ed by her confusion. Her bashfulnesi
was SO great the general could not hell
laughing at her, but lie went no farther
1t was decided tllnt We should break
fast on the grass in the garden. In til,
meanwhile 1 felt extremely uneasy
Would she like me? Would she ODE.
without reluctance This very abrup
marriage, and this speedy departure
grieyed me.
"When We afterward got up, and TIL
circle was broken, l begged Eugene 7
conduct his cousin into solitary walk
I Joined them, and he left us. ] thel
entered on the delicate subject. Imad
no secret Of my birth, nor Of my wan
OF fortune ; and added, 1possess moth
ing in the world but my sword, and TIL
good will OF the general and I mus
leave you in fortnight. Open you
heart 10 me. I feel myself disposed +
love you with oil my soul but this !
not sufficient. II this marriage doe
not please you, reposo q full con6denc
in me it will not be difficult to find
pretext to break it of. 1 shall depart
you will not be tormented, for wi
keep your secret.
"While was speaking, she kept he
eyes fixed on the ground her only NJ
swer was q smile, and she gave me til
nosegay she held in her hand. / en-
braced her. We returned slowly to I'll
company, and eight days afterwarl VI
went to the municipality. The follow
ing day, n poor priest who had not take
the oNtls, married us in the small col
vent Of the Conception, in the Rue s
HonOre."