The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-01-09

not know that I have any objection,
she added. 'Then, Madame, we vii
consider the affair settled
"Early the next morning M. Vernon
called to ask my husband to accompany
him to the house of jules mother, and
after the usual compliments of presen
tation he Immediately asked the hand
of her daughter. In three weeks had
the pleasure of being present at the
wedding"
"Oh, how dreadful I" cried the girls
in chorus. "No love-making - "No
walks by moonlight" $50 prosaic 7!
Everything hurried up so, just like a
parcel of goods bought and delivered. y
"Why, how long are bethrothals in
your country ?" asked Madame.
1.-Two or three years generally.
Seldom less than one year when the
parties are young"
'I should have changed my mind
three or four times in year." said M.
Lefort, looking up from the book which
he had been reading all the time, ap-
parently.
"And I mine fUe times" said Mad
anne. Chow, then? Are not such
long engagements often broken ?" she
inquired.
"Oh, never" said Belle, with fervor
"But, my child" interrupted /, "I
am afraid you are mistaken there I
have known great many broken in my
time"
"And do these young lovers see each
other often during this long interval ?"
every often, Madame, if they hap
pen to live near each other"
sc RtJt oIx iY1R tho Nf 4hn
young lady's mother, I suppose?"
"No: it is very common for young
lady to receive her betrothed alone"
"Oh, shocking p and Madame
looked rigid with astonishment. "But
if the engagement were broken, she
would never find husband after such
an intimacy?"
"That would make no difference" l
rejoined, "unless a girl were engaged
six or seven years, and the man broke
his engagement then, as sometimes hap
pens. She would have lost her fresh
young beauty, and her heart might be
so set on the faithless lover that no
other could ever take his place"
"Ah," said Madame, "our young
girls are at least saved from all pains OF
the heart"
"And they are kept from indecorous
flirting and maneuvers to attract atten-
ton, too" said !, with glance at my
young Americans, NOT that they
needed the hint particularly, however.
"They firt enough afterward," said
Belle spiritedly. "Don't you remem-
Der the odious Madame t., with her
yellow curls, and the young officer at
IT1koI
such flirting in America"
"Don't talk, girls, said Emily. 81
want to hear about the third marriage. !"
"Well," resumed Madame, 81 felt a
good deal of complacency in my success,
and it formed subject of conversation
at the next reception. 6 I am Disguised,
said Madame Belval. L have been
trying all winter to bring about mar
riage between two of my friends, and it
has failed at last. I will never try
again if I live thousand years. 1 am
ready to try again tomorrow Pray
be so kind as to give me some assis-
tance, then,' said Madame c., wife of
the minister of Marine. clam looking
for a suitable wife for Emile, as I am
very desirous that he should marry.
Young men are exposed to so many
temptations in Paris-actresses and
grisettes, and all that kind of thing
enough to drive mother distracted.
Emile will be 25 next month.
81 should think he was old enough
to find a wife for himself" whispered
Alice.
"His salary is 1000 frances, which
is not bad for a young man, and his
father will do something more for him
when he marries. Il know a girl th4t
will suit him exactly cried madame
Belval, eagerly, forgetting, like Rip
Van q inkle, that she had "swore off,
(This is an interpolation. I am afraid
the French ladies had not the pleasure
of being acquainted with Monsieur Van
Winkle5. THE administrator of the
Lyons railway has daughter almost
I9, and the most amiable, the most
lovely, and her father will give her
IOO. 600 francs THAT is very reason
able said madame G. Il shall be un-
der everlasting obligations to you if
you will speak to him of our son. ,
with the greatest pleasure In the
world
Madame Belval had an interview
with the administrator of railways. He
would make inquiries about the young
man. The result was satisfactory, and
in a week the friends of both families,
including M. Lefort and myself, re-
ceived an invitation to a soiree at Mad
anne Belval's, where the two young
people would meet for the first time.
It was very embarrassing for them in
the presence of so many observers.
Mademoiselle Therese was lovely, with
long fair curls and that delicate blond
beauty which is so rare in France. l
pitied the poor child, she was so dis
dressed at the thought of being on ex-
hibition, and looked pale and then
flushed alternately"
81 am glad I am not French girl, l"
said Helen.
"And the Young man was scarcely
less agitated. They hardly dared to
look at each other and we're as silent as
deaf mutes the whole evening. The
next day his father made formal de-
mand of M. Thouval for the hand of
his daughter"
"His father and the young man
had nothing to do with it :? , exclaimed
Belle, amazed.
Marriages are always arranged by
the parents with u.s." said Madame.
"M. Thonvel gave an Affirmative answer
and the marriage took place shortly af-
ter, as is usual in France"
"And shall you be married in that
wav, Clarice? asked Alice compass
sionately of Madame's pretty young
daughter.
81 How else [ am not going to Amer
Magazine.
Agassiz a Lover of Children.
woe n oSrnaE Inuor Of ohfldraT1