The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-01-25

year after, Hortense, the youngest Of
the three, having finished her educa-
ton, babe adieu in her turn to the
School of the Legion of Honor.
Ten years. Ten years pass quickly
away out in the world, speed rapidly on
whether in Joy or sorrow, and the des-
tiny to which Clarissa was called was
OF the happiest. She became celebrat-
ed for her beauty, for her grace, the
splendor and luxury of her establish.
ments, and was idolized by her husband,
one OF the richest bankers in Europe.
But if ten years seemed but day to
happy Clarisss, how passed they for
Hortense, the high and noble lady, on
whom fortune had bestowed more than
gold and riches; who, lifting up her
eyes from the high places she had at
tanned to, could discover none above
her?
As for poor Marie, she had neither
splendid equipages nor brilliant estab-
lishments like her former friends, Hor-
tense, and Clarissa; only poor old IA
Their to comfort and console, and lead
about in that sunshine so dear to those
who can no longer see the sun. Eight
years, nine years had passed and gone,
then came the tenth year, then the day,
the solemn day on which the three
school-friends of Ecouen had promised
to meet once again before the gate of
the Tuileries, whatever might have hap
pened to each in the interval.
The day agreed upon fell upon Sun
day. 1t was the season of autumn. The
trees in the garden of the Tuileries
shone all golden in the setting sun, and
soft, languid breeze played with a
dreamy, melancholy murmuring among
the red and yellow leaves, lightly caress-
ing the marble statues of gods and
goddesses in its onward course, and rip
pling the surface of the water in the
fountains.
The last stroke of six o'clock had
just rung out on the evening air when
a carriage with four horses dashed up
to the gate of the palace. The equipage
was of the most elegant description,
the horses of the purest English breed,
and as the coachman drew up, an at
tendant with powdered head and blue
and silver livery jumped to the ground
and threw open the door of the car
riage. A young and beautiful woman,
sumptuously dressed, descended from
it and stood before the palace gate, look
ing around with an anxious, earnest
gaze as if in search of some one. 1t was
Marie, the humble Marie, the daugh-
ter of the blind ub-lieutenant; but how
had she become SO richP The empire
had passed away, and the Restoration,
which had succeeded it, had restituted
to Marie's family the estates of which
the Revolution had deprived them. Yes,
ten years have passed away, and the
empire of Napoleon had passed away
with them.
AS Marie stood there looking round
her, woman in humble garb, of which
the scrupulous neatness could not dis
guise all the poverty, bowed to her with
timid respect, and approached her with
diflident, hesitating steps. The next
moment, Marie was clasped in the arms
of Clarissa.
Clarissa, the daughter of Marshal
of France, the brilliant beauty, the wife
of one of the richest financiers of the |
day, was ruined. Her husband had lost !
all in unfortunate speculations, and had
gone. abroad to seek to retrieve his
fallen fortunes.
"You shall tell me all your story at
my hotel, Clarisss," interrupted Marie,
tenderly kissing her, "you shall never
leave me again; was poor at Ecouen
and you loved me; now l am rich in
my turn; don't be prouder now thaRI
was then, and let us share every thing
equally as in those happy days"
"But where is Hortense, Marie?'
"You know what she wasi'' said
Marie, with sigh.
"You know what she isl" replied
Clarrissa, with tear.
During those eventful ten years that
had passed, the humble sub -lieutenant's
daughter had become rich, the opulent
bankers wife had fallen into the direst
poverty, and Hortense was weeping out
a long and bitter exile in Germany.
sis not your name Marie?"
Is not your name Clarissa?"
He who addressed these questions to
the two ladies was the gardener George,
the witness of the VOW made by the
three friends on the eve of their separa-
ton at Ecouen.
"This is for you, and this for you,"
and a moment after he had disappeared. !
The two friends opened each the
small casket that the former gardener
of the institution of Ecouen had placed
in their hands.
One of the caskets contained half of
the crown of Hortense, once Queen of
Holland, and daughter-in-law of Ma
pollen L.
The other contained the other half
DemoTeSt'S Magazine.
Sir Edward Thornton.
Any body would call him /" plain
looking man." yet there is scrupulous
neatness about his attire that yEnnld