New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-15
For the Republican,
CONTES DE MADENlOlSEt.LE.

it means that the family is connected VII
the aobility. does it mott"
"Usually. though some who become ric
do the same thing. The family of De /
once made their signature without th
| PREFIX
"There are. however. many Creole fan
lilies descended from the nobility of France
t "Oh. good many. They are very goo
families. Perhaps little proud"
"Sometimes they make trouble about il
ternarrying With tue bourge oisie. do the
not"
mo. not now. II is more question c
personal character and property"
but you have known some cases in whic
/ a difference Of social. status made trouble
have you not!''
''Peutetre qusiquefois. Sometimes may
be. But the, would you suppose was o
| the nobility"
| Mademoiselle looked up from her wor1
I pleasantly. and We answered we saw NJ
reason why she should not be. It was q
! sincere reply. for with her intelligence
kindly and oven polished manner. and he
consideration for the feelings Of others. ant
/ faithful discharge Of all the duties of life
the compliment. If any, was as much to bel
nobility as to mademoiselle.
"Yes, in the old time in France there wal
a marquis and inafquise. also. his wife
They were rich. with large possessions, cas-
ties and domestics. and all that. There wat
| q son also-two sons. LAinee would in
herit the title and the estates. The younger
the cadet, would inherit only on the death
| Of the elder. Both were educated and &C
complished young gentlemen. There was
| a young woman. q protege Of tho narquise
I who had reared and educated her. She
was very beautiful, modest and good. So
the younger brother loved this young
woman and wished to marry her, but it was
not there and then az it is here and now.
Mile. Stephanie refused his love. She said,
i am poor cOut,triere. Q sewing girl, as /
am, monsieur; you are rich and educated
man. am under obligations 20 your
mot her, the marquee, who has done SO
much for me. ! would never consent to
bring disgrace and distress into this family
by such a mesalliaass.
''But the young nan-ah! young men are
50 he eadstrong-was not satisfied. He asked
the consent OF tho marquis. Ciel! you
should imagine what ecene. The marquis
was an aristocrat; he valued birth, wealth
and sta'ion. He would have sooner seen
one of his blood dead on brancayd what
you call a strescher-than witnessed his
nuptials with a cout,yicre. But the young
man lad the same obstinacy with his father.
So when the marquis told him that if he
made this marriage he should leave his
house. that he would disinherit him, the
young man replied that he could do with
his own as he liked. But when the marquis
told him he should reneunce his name the
young man said: The money is yours; Che
name is mine. I shall retain it,
''The marquise wept, Stephanie refused
her onsenf, friends interviewed, but the
young man was determined, SO he quit
ted his home. and the separation was
irrevo cable. When stephanie wrote to
him she said: "You know l have been
sincere in my refusal to marry you
when yoa were rich, with property and
a title. Now that you have neither rank
nor pr operty will tell you that I love you,
and while would not have shared your
rank or riches. will divide your poverty
and toll. So they were married. and they
reared between them q large family
twelve children-and the husband en-.
tered trade and was very prosperous. |
But now the world began to turn
the revolution began in France. |
The noblesse, as you know. were i'm
put to death, their property seized |
md they ~ere fortunate to escape into |
,xile. This disinherited cadet had fallen I
nto thesrespectable ranks of the bourgeoisie, |
,o,was independent in his circumstances /
md very much respected with his wife and I
hildren. Every ono supposed him re-
no one supposed that he had any
cquaintance with or sympathy for the
,audites aristocrats. But now there was an
pportunity for him to aid his mother and
is sister and their families. and, also, to
1itigate the misfortunes of many of the
life con Quoted with secrecy and without
nspiciOn, because their class and their
rudence protected them. It was his
aughter. the wife of my grandfather.
trough whom my parents came to New
rleans. The grandfather came out in the
,mnerce between Bordeaux and this city.
q realized good fortune and returned.
y parents came out as his successors
hen he returned to France. So you see,
onsieur, that / had a marquis for my / :
sasuit (ancestor), and am also q coutou-
ere as was Mime. Stephanie. my great I
.andmother." ii