The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-29

MARIE PaW Joseph HOch fvfee dtlbcft uo motier,
Marquis de Lafayette, was born Sept. 0, 1857.
His parents were both dead, and he had no very
near relatives. His extreme youth, his isolation.
and his large fortune, which Nine. d'Ayen re-
esrded as a source Of danger, decided her to re-
fuse the offer, notwithstanding the good opinion
which she heard Of him. In this refusal she per-
sisted for several months. The girl herself, of
course, know nothing OF II; the proposal was
made to her parents by the friends Of the young
Marquis. The father did not discourage the
match, and was angry with his wife because she
opposed IL; but when somebody sIid that his
wife had gone too far to recode, he replied, Yov
do not know Nine. d'Ayen. However far che
may have gone, she will turn round like CHILD
II you prove to her that she is wrong; but she
will never yield until she sees that" At length
Nine. d'Ayen was told that her daughter would
not leave her for the first years Of her married
life II was arranged that the marriage should
be deferred for two years. and that in the mean
time measures should be taken to complete the
education Of the young man. Then she gave
her consent, and q reconciliation with her nus
band followed. an event which Mime. de La
fayette records by Its date with great epthu-
slasm, although she knew nothing at the time OF
the cause OF the enlargement.
At the same time the Viscomte de Noailles,
cousin, was proposed for the eldest daughter.
There appears to have been no hesitation about
this mach. All Its surroundings were good,
and II was at once agreed upon. But the pro
ject Of both marriages was then deferred on
condition that the elder sister should not be
spoken to on the subject for year, and the
younger not until the end of eighteen months.
We now approach tne curious part OF these
affairs, the courtship as 1t was permitted.
at was arranged" says Nine. do Lafayette,
that NJ. de Noallles aud NJ. de Lafayette should
meet us sometimes either at my mother's
house or on the promenade; but my mother
did not choose to have us distracted from our
education during this year before being married
so Young" During all this year therefore
nothing was said OF marriage to the young
people; but their carefully restricted inter
course was enough to bring about for botn
couples as strong and ardent an attachment as
arises In the utmost freedom OF associa-
ton which our very different manners permit.
At the end of the summer Of 1773, Madame
D'Ayen spoke to her eldest daughter about the
Viscomte de Noailies. Beipg her cousin, she
had known him from infancy, and when IL was
announced to her that she to marry him she
was prepared to be made very happy by the in-
tellRence. For two months the mother devoted
herself, we are told, to the preparation Of her
daughter for her new state, with 1.-THE dispose
union aud confidence between the two families
which made them In fact but one. The young
lady, however, was to quit the paternal man
sion we need not add, therefore, that every
body shed tears at the wedding, both those who
were to receive and those who were TO lose up
depot 81 precteur. But the circumstances OF the
separation were not extremely distressing; for,
| altho ueh the young bride went to the house OF
| her mother-in-law at Versailles. her father and
| mother resided there for three months in every
| year, on account Of the service Of the Due as a
Captain In the Royal Guards. which obliged him
to lie the person Of the King for that period
| Of time.
At the same period with her sisters marriage, 1,
was made known to the second daughter that
she was 10 marry young Lafayette. We learn
from herself that she already regarded him, to
use her own words, with that deep sentiment
which has united us all our days In the closest
and tenderest manner. amid all the vicisstudes
| Of this life. amid the blessings and the mlsfor-
tunes which have filed II for four and twenty
years" Tits IL will be remembered, was writ
ten in the prison OF Olmutz. She does
not conceal her bappiuess at finding that
her mother now loved rs a him who
was to make the happiness Of her life. But
we must remember that these frank revelations
Of her feelings, which are now before the world
were written for her children In domestic nar-
rstive. She says that her "poor head" was SO
weak aud glddy at this time that her mother
had to exert all her care to prevent her frou
being distracted by this great event. She wai
taught to seek the blessing Of Heaven upon th'
stste she was about to enter. and this teaching
she says, saved her. In her great emotion, from
all anguish. 1t seems that she had always beet
troubled with some religious doubts, Che precise
nature OF which she has not explained. Sh,
had not taken her first communion at the tim,
OF her marriage, and II was not until n later
period that her mother out the finishing han,
to her religious educltion, an education whicl
disspated all her doubts and made her as faith
ful and devout, and at the same time as unbe
oted daughter OF the Roman Catholic Churc
as has ever lived and died within It's pale. sh
was married on tue llIh Of April, l174, when sh
was not fifteen. Lafayette was only year ode
lie was In the army and attached to a regimen
on account Of their extreme youth II was dt
cided that his wife should remain for som
years undet her paternal roof. II seems a rattle
trtsts nccomDlniment Of the honeymoon, tina
soon after the marriage the BRIDEGROOM had I
be noculafed for the SMALLPOX. that terrlhl
scouree. at that period. OF all ranks OF society /
Europe. What incubation then was our read
ers rerhaps know. Nine. D'Aycn hid to shu
herself M with them In a house at Chaillo
quarantine she occuoled herself tenderly 4
amusing the young Marquis and witchiug owe
his case.
The following winter. in compliance with IN
wishes OF her husband and sOn-in-law, she tool
her daughter every week to the Queens u.l
She received, too, at supper In alrces,ion al
the Young friends of her two sons-in-l Law. an,
the most intimate NJ them at dinner, with
sincere ana natural Kindness that charme.
everybody, aud nlled the house with incessan
COMPANY. II l. gravev amusing 10 re- 'd IN
accounts which these ladies Mime. de- Lafayette
and her daughter, Nine. de Last .yrle) both piv
Of the principles and rules of thu Duchess IA per
hitting this winter of dissipation. IL was no
according to her own taste. She Welded to II
we are told ouly after mature reflections an,
prnfpund consultations. Her sole motive IN /
was not to di-ulease her husband and not I,
drive away from their house the husbands @
her daughters. She never decided nYthln
with view to pleasure but only In the light %
when She believed that she could avoid u, she
which size never ceased 10 I X" and which sh'
daughters TO the truths uf religion, ana to thos'
solid thoughts viii h could preserve then
AGAINST the dangers Of a wort Nv HE. she con
sidergd herself" saws her uthu~ias ic daughter
like the mother Of Muses, VINO, having n,
me ms 4 concealne him placed herself nea
him ON the borders OF the stream where sh
" = forced to expose him, " dtin2 and hopini
/ fnr the succor of Providence" And thi. grave
prudent pious, and aCcompll he'd woman. wis,
I'm her domestic tact, tut yielding no iOt OF prin