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

the style to which she was accustomed
She wrote me very sad letter, lament
ing her fathers death and her own lone
illness and desolation. She asked me {.
find her room and board in Paris, in
convent or in some quiet family.
wrote that I would do all could fol
her. But, my dear cousin, I added
why do you not think of marriage? L
will be very disagreeable to you, who
have so long been the mistress of 6
handsome establishment, to live in the
way you propose. Seriously, marriage
is the only solution of all your perplex.
ities.' had not long to wait for re-
ply. Pauline wrote that she would
willingly marry, but she was now sc
years old, her dowry las not excessive,
and she feared it would be impossible
to make an advantageous marriage.
Difficult wrote in reply, but not
| impossible. Come to Paris, make me q
little visit, and we will see.' Now ]
had in my mind my friend Col. de Cour-
celles, whose wife had been dead about
year and a half He often came to
see me, and always bewailed his lone
illness and the unhappy condition of his
children Che had but two, a girl and
boy) without mother. It occurred to
me that two sorrows rightly mingled
might make one joy; and the next
time he called and ente red on his usual
monologus interpolated the question,
why don't you marry again, colonel
It is the only thing that can make you
forget your sorrow Il know it, said
he, 8 but there is no lady Pardon
me, colonel. I have a cousin who is
just my age. She has recently lost her
father; she has a dowry of $4,000
frances, and she is coming to spend a
few weeks with me- 4 shall be de-
lighted to meet your charming cousin,
madame
"In due time Pauline arrived. At
ter the first greeting and condolences
were over, I said, Pauline, [ think
have found husband for you-Col.
de Courcelles. have been acquainted
with him many years +; he has fine po-
sition, and was very indulgent to his
wi she was very happy with him.
He will dine with us on Sunday, and
you will have an opportunity to see
him. I have said nothing to him about
it you may feel completely at your
ease. ,"
(My American readers who have been
brought up, hope with a strict regard
for truth, will doubtless be shocked at
madame's want of veracity. l was not
sorry to see my young Bostonians ex-
change a glance of surprise, which
madame did not observe, and would
not have understood if she had
not observed it. Frenchmen ap-
pear to regard lie as a thing inno-
cent in itself, ,-one which may be even
highly meritorious, and which becomes
criminal only under certain circum-
stauces, deriving its moral character
entirely from the motives that prompt
it,
"On Sunday the colonel came.
| Clarice was at school then, and there
weye only four of us. NJ. Lefort and /,
my cousin and the colonel, who sat op-
posite her. They looked at each other
furtively from time to time, and when
their eyes met, dropped them instantly
on their plates in the most comical man
ner. Dinner over, took my cousin
aside What do you think
| of him 2 He is too fat,
said Pauline. Fat you think
so? The idea ? oh, Madame, how
could you? He is immense = said my
innocent Pauline. with look of dis
tress. Only consider what a fine posi-
sition he has, said I, and such an ex-
cellent man If you could only see
how we'll he looks on horseback at the
head of b. regiment! 7
'.Later in the evening I had an oppor-
tunity to speak to the colonel. well 2
said I, interrogatively. Madame, your
cousin is charming, bat she is rather too
tall The huge colonel had a giants
penchant for little women. There is
no occasion for you to go any further,
said I. Il have not mentioned it to my
| cousin, of course Il should like to
call tomorrow, said he.
| "In six weeks Pauline was Madame
de Courcelles. but up to the weddin g.
day she continued to say piteously, if
| he were only not so fat ,"
'"That is not romantic at all " said
Emily.
"But they are very happy, said Mad
anne.
Doesn't she think he is too fat now?''
asked Belle.
IT dare say she would be very indig-
nant if you were to say so, laughed
Madame.
'Now for Marriage Number q" said
Helen.
'A short time before my cousins mar
riage," continued Madame, my friend,
M. Auber, called on me. That is a
strange idea of yours, to marry your
| cousin to th"t great fat colonel, said he.
| Il have a friend who would suit her
much better, / am sure 1T is rather
late for that'now; she is to be married
in ten days. How vexatious = said M.
Auber. But, Monsieur, have sister
in-law, a young widow, several years
Younger, AMI far handsomer than my
cousin. Your friend might be pleased
with her. 4 wish I could see her.
Nothing easier Dine with us the day
after o-morrow, you and Madame Au-
| Der, and [ will invite Julie to meet you.
My sister is really very beautiful, and
AHber could not restrain his admira-
tion: 'Oh, Madame, she is adorable
If my friend can please her, he is man
to be envied. Let us see to-day is
Tuesday. Well, Thursday, if you and
your sister AMI NJ Lefort will dine with
us, my friend will be there
Thursday came, the dinner and the
guests. had told my sister what was
in contemplation, and we were natu.
rally curious to see M. Vernon. He
was good-looking man, about so years
of age.
"Oh, Madame, wasn't he bald?" ask,
ed Alice.
"Well, he was little on the top oi
his head"
ct hate bald men. How old was
she?"
ga little under 30.'
"I should not think she would have
married him if she was so beautiful.
"Well, my dear, he had fine social
position and a large fortune, hotel in
Paris. house in the country, elegant car
rage. and servants in livery. It was &
great temptatian, and then she was net
Very young, you know. Well, dinner
W Lal ..o4....al L. IL