Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-03-09


My lodgings are, and have been for
some months, in the Rue Chaussee d An
tin. My landlady is pleasant, intelligent,
quite comely, in the neighborhood, per
haps, of five and thirty. She always
has smile, is tasteiully dressed, and
has something Of the coquettish air in.
separable from Parisian women of any
education. Often, in coming and going,
| have observed a spruce, genteel-look.
!, ing man of forty or thereabout, who,
had supposed, was one of my fellow
dodgers. / have never exchanged a
word with him, though, according to
Wrench custom, we doff our hats to one
mother when we pass.
i had made up my mind that my un.
known friend was a retired we'll o.do
mel chant, probably a bachelor, living
comfortably on snug income. l was
confirmed in this opinion when l saw
him lounging on the boulevSrds, slipping
his after-dinner coffee in front Of tie
Maison Doree or Cafe Richie, and dining
in the Bois with woman, pretty, young,
and plainly fast.
A fortnight since / encountered him
in earnest conversation with my landlady.
The same. afternoon, having some bust.
ness with her, we chanced to drift into
talk on miscellaneous subjects. She
told me that the stranger had mistaken
for bachelor was her husband. They
had been married ten years. When she
became acquainted with him he had a
N'ine,shop; but he disposed of it after
tn cir union.
'He has another and better business
now. no doubt, | remarked casually.
20, nor Monsieur; he has had no bust
ness since. He does not like work; he
is too ge.pteel for that. He loves to
lounge on the boulevards to dine at the
fashionable restaurants, to amuse him
self elegantly. And | love to support
him in such luxuries. can afford to.
/ have quite an income from these lodg-
ings. He gets most oe it; he ought to
have it, for he is nice fellow, and am
proud of and fond of him. Don't you
think him handsome2 He says many
fine ladies' on the boulegards look after
him admiringly as they roll by in their
carriages. An, / was very lucky tc get
him.
HE assists you, l suppose, in your
accounts, in collecting your rentsY
Very far from it, | would not allow
him to. Besides, he would not soil his
hands with bills and accounts. | manage
everything. He yawns if N speak to
him Of money matters, which | seldom
do; it is not right to annoy him with
such vulgarities. All he is a dear fel.
low. He is very good to me. He takes
me out sometimes, not very olten that
would spoil me. Then we have very
delicious times. | know the fine ladies
envy me, seeing me at his side. Every
once in while he kisses me when he
goes away in the morning, and am
very happy then for a whole week. |
have asked him sometimes if he does
not kiss other women. lie does not re.
ply directly, but says gentlemen of gal
lantry must have their recreatons. Ali
yes, | presume they must. | hope,
though, that he only kisses their hands
or cheeks. That is not 80 bad. OH he
is a noble gentleman, my precious hus-
band
The little woman's eyes suA'used as
she contemplated the manifold perlec
tions of her illustrious liege She was
perfectly sincere in every word she ut.
tered She had no idea that she was re-
vealing him to my supreme contempt
that he was base wretch, q pensioner
a sneak, bastard, And / pitied and
esteemed her too much to tell her my
opinion of him. What a genuine French |
Turveydrop he was and is. And to think |
that this woman, intelligent, shrewd, no
longer young, should be so blinded by |
her affection as not to see him in his
true light. When she had ceased speak
ing, new color had come to her pale
olive face. 1t was partly love, partly
gratitude to the miserable scoundrel for
his generosity in living upon her and
spending her money for his vulgar plea.
sures. She looked almost beautiful. | |
could have kissed her from commirsera.
tion, but did not. | bade her good
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