Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-12-06
A PARTISAN NOVELETTE,,

A PARISIAN NOVELETTE,.
She was only poor sewing -glrl-noth.
Ing more. Her days were spent In a fac
iory, where, with hundreds Of others, she
worked early aud late TO earn the poor
plttapce that formed her daily bread, and
her nights were spent up In garret,
where the nolsOme smells liOm the court
below and the curses and cries sometimes
made her shudder But she was no hero
inc The other Ciils said She was not
even pretty, but her bTaids Of lon-, ialr
hair were bright aud soft and her eyes,
though her face was pale, We're sweet
and pure and 10 spite of her life, as 1t
was, she was innocent as when long ago |
her mother had died in the same garret |
where she now lived. She was not even /
Christian-few In Paris are, | believe
and then churches are not for poor peo'
Die, you know-and when her Sundays |
came they were such days Of rest after
her hard, hard week that she was glad 10 /
be eaway from the crowd and rattle and /
noise, and cit by herself alone.
One day there came to the factory some |
gentlemen, all friends Of the proprietor,
vbo walked through and looked at the
machines, how the girls worked them,
how nimble their fingers were, and how
the clothes were cut-all matter OF fact
enough TO the girls, but curious to them.
They all laughed aud iOked aud said
somethlng to TIE girls, and one stopped
before her chair and said, "What beauti-
nul hair Z" touching just so gently some
one of the long golden strands. She
blushed very red, aud they walked on.
"lier name"
Marie" said the proprietor. "Yes,
pretty hair, but nothing else she is only
poor sewing girl, not even one OF The
heads Of the departments only q very
poor girl, Monsieur"
A the stranger walked out there was
caught in his coat long thread OF hair,
which he laughed at, smiled, and
then loosing slowly, placed IL in the
rich locket he wore on his chain and
passed oat. He did not return again, hut
one day passing on the Boulevards she
heard her name called. "Marle -
gendarme In uniform stepped up and
banded her card "Monsieur Henri dc
Lannes, Marquise de Plaquemine.
She was surprised. GeHtlemen do not
bother themselves about poor sewing
glrls often and then a marquis. Who
was he 2 What could il mean
"He is here, Mam'selle' and wishes to
sneak 20 YOU. VIII you 20 ~
che followed, She did not know why,
and when the holdet stopped at a fich
saloon, and the door opened she stepped
in aud saw the gentleman who spoke AT
the factory some weeks ago.
The long fair hair fell in It's two blaids
down over her shoulders, and as she sahh
almost on the floor il covered her almost
Ike cloud.
Aohsleur arose, he was an old man,
past fifty, his hair was gray and his lace
was hard, clear cut, and cold, and hi-
ewes were like steel, just 50 clear ana
sharp and cold; he walked to the window
of The rich saloon, and then, returning
half way, leaned with one hand on a
chair aud the other tcnderly, ever 30 ten
1grly for 4 hard OLD man, rested just iol
one moment on her ialf hair ami II trem
bed.
By many strange ways and much blood
had Monsieur come to be standing IN tha
place, and then for one moment ther'
seemed to float before him vision @
fair Lorraine, a youth long ago, lac
sitting in cottage, and two long nfaiul
Of hair, a promise thatwhen he returned
With wealth and fame, she would be his
Heais of toll and palm Of success ana VI
hmph. and a return to llnd her married t.
they both gone to Paris.
Since then Monsieur was known to b
hard man; aid when with his legions u
Africa twas said he was fierce one
but he was high 10 codrt and all praise
ana hOnored him.
He stood for moment thus and the
wondered to himself hall aloud 'MaIl'
Is that your nameF
"Yes, Monsieur"
Your mothers name :"
"Yes Monsieur" a,
"Was she from Basile in Lorraine ~
eyes, Monsieur
The hands were removed from the lac
now and the fair soft eyes were raise
wondrously, but the face OF Monster
was bard again, only Just In the cornel
of bis mouth, where the cures, Wer
there was trembling. a vague dream
something to be said, which died vii
them unspoken.
He took her hand, though tenderl
and as he led her to the door he sioop'
as she turned and kissed her. belo
she looked be was gone.
Amer that she worked hard as ever
the factory, and though she SAID nolhll
she thought often Of the great Mbnslel
and what II could all mean
The time came, though, when she "
taken ILL.,. II came upon her one uay
street, when she would have tainted q
fell but that some one caught her. :
was insensiblo for long, long time, .
il her sickness she could hear no noise
from the court, and when one mornl
she awoke she was lying In a II
room hung with pictures of rich a
marvellous beauty. Over the pillow
her fair hair, and her hard was lhln
pale and she was very weak.
Over by the window was the hguIe
aman-an old man she thoughl-hali
ia the heavy curtains. As he rose, hl
ever, she was so weak that she closed
eyes, and then, half sleeping ana uIea
ing, she could feel him standing by
bed. Who 1t was che did not know, Q
was too tired aud weak to care hardly
all; but one evening, as the eau
ftreAmed into the room, she found
the pillow beside her picture OF u
that she thought she had once seen.
was a fair lady--n very fair lady II
the long hair hung In two braids DO
over the breast. She was alone
looked at II curiously, and saw nm.
meath inscribed "Marie dc Llsl
Marie de Lisle," that was her moth
name and the poor weak hand wand'
up to the pale face, aud she WOnd'
what could II mean.
Well, the days passed, and fhe re'
cred. IL was in mid july, and she Il
20. Those around the chateau said
but she could not stay. Somehow
heart would not let herr and so one n
when all were sleeplug, she arose
wandered away back to Paris.
She did not go back TO the fact
BE might nnd her there. aud she drei
him now, somehow, with an indel
fear of she knew not whati and so,
other poor girls she worked in the c
where there was much talk now o.
war. There was revolutionary talk,
of what "ihe reds would do were
army away, and once In while wher
dared ask, she made timorous inqn
OF " Monsieur the Marquis" she Ct
him, and onee when his name was
aloud as the leader of desperate CHI
aud only retreated when borne bac
soldiers, she shuddered.
This time also passed, and Par