The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-01

strength, proceeded 10 SUraSDurg, anu
thence to Paris. Here she disposed of
her jewelry, and, in company with Swiss
emigrants, set sail for America. She
arrived at New Orleans, where she was
recognized and saluted by Count d'Au-
baut, a member of the French diplomatic
service, who had formerly known her
well, and, we may add, become enamored
of her at st. Petersburg.
The count was handsome fellow, but
very shy. He had not the courage, even
when confident that some. unknown
cause had estranged her from her hus-
band, to ingratiate himself in the prin-
cess favor But day and night he was
haunted by her matchless beauty, and
yet circun stances compelled them to
remain longer apart.
| After awhile the princess, still regard
! ing her Swiss companions as in one sense
her guides followed them from their
first landing in New Orleans to a place
fifty miles up the river. Here she pur-
chased small plantation, and, with the
help of others, planned to cultivate it.
! Count d'Aubaut had not ceased to dog
her footsteps. Wherever she went he
pursued, until a bright idea entered into
| his mind.
Having assured himself of her determ-
nation to remain always in America,
the count fastened back to New Orleans,
and from the encouragement, who was
his near relative, obtained a perpetual
ownership of a large tract of land border
ing on the Mississippi, together with
release from his diplomatic service.
This tract of land happened to aGjoin
the estate of the Princess Charlotte and,
having erected a small dwelling for him
self, he looked forward to the day when
perchance fortune might permit him to
enlarge it for the reception of his idol
The days and the weeks passed by, and
the count had succeeded in winning the
friendship of the princess. This friend
ship daily became more intimate; and,
while the princess no longer hesitated to
disclose the story of her misfOrtunes, the
count became most sincere in his express
sion of sympathy. He was not blind to
perceive that his own eminently hand
some appearance, his perfect and graceful
manners, and his fine culture, made a
deep impression upon the heart of the
lonely lady; and the courtesy and conf
dencc with which she always received
him made him bold to sue for her heart
and hand. But no; she resOlutely re-
fused any offer of marriage.
Count d Aubaut was in desgair, and to
tarry longer in the presence of one whom
he could not claim as his own was death
itself. Abandoning his estate, and bid
ding farewell to the princess he returned
to New Orleans, where he engaged pas
sage on board vessel bound for Mar
seiIles In less than an hour the ship
was to sail, and the count had already
ended his preparations for departure.
With an idle turn of mind he paced to
and fro upon the deck; a small package
lay there, on which a halfsheet of a
newspaper, the Mercure HOlandOis, of
the year 17lS, had been placed by some
strange hand. His eyes dropped, and
rested for a moment on a fateful para
graph; and there he read, as one not
sorrowful, of the death of the Grand
Duke Alexis at st. Petersburgl
1t is easier to imagine his feelings than
to describe them. Grasping the paper
changing few words with the comman-
ments as to his luggage, he leaPed into a
small boat and was rowed ashore. Not
ten hours had elapsed before he was
Only few words were interchanged,
and her doom was sealed. There was no
obstacle in the way; and she had shed
her last tear before the portrait of him
whom she loved even amid hatred Two
months later the Princess Charlotte,
with simple ceremony, became the COun-
tess d. Aubaut.
How suddenly, at times, a change falls
upon a scene of happiness and content
ment; and how unexpectedly the bitter
enters into the sweet Only a few briet
wears had sealed the union of loving
couple when Count dAubaut fell dam
gerOusly i'll. There is no hope of a
recovery" said the physician to the
faithful wife, save in speedy return to
Europe" The princcss-for surely for
tune may not alter her rank was quick
to heed Gathering together her all,
she, her husband, and their little daugh-
ter, sailed first to lie Havre, and thence
to Paris.
At Paris she lived in the utmost re-
tirement, nursing her husband and caring
tenderly for her child. Occasionally she
would wander unattended through the
garden of the Tuilleries, without dis
closing either her name or her singular
fortune. One day during one of these
solitary promenades she was unexpect-
eddy joined by her daughter, to whom
she addressed a few words in German. A
gentleman who happened to be passing
by was thus attracted to her. For
single instant their eyes met, and she
knew that her secret was discovered, for
the gentleman was no other than Count
Maurice of SaSOnV tpmDOrariIv SOiOIIrn.
ing in Paris.
She could not prevent him from ad
dressing her by her own name, nor refuse
his company to her own humble lodgings.
But she exacted his promise not to be-
tray her secret to any one before three
months should have elapsed.
Once a week Count Maurice found
himself at the abode of the princess, to
whom he was in the habit of bringing
sundry good things for her happiness. At
last, however, he found during one of his
visits no need of calling again. The
whole family, tempted of the devil,
said Count Maurice, had fled to parts
unknown! Half in anger and half in
despair, the count discovered the prin-
cess's secret to King Louis XIV, who at
once wrote an autograph letter to the
queen of Hungary, the eldest daugher Of
Duke Louis of Brunswick. In this mis-
sive he assured her of the safety of her
sister, and added "The king will not
prove charv of his best services to induce
the princess, who seems to have been
pursued by some ill-fortune, to return to
that family which has 50 long mourned
her decease.
know not what confidential method