The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-01-25
A Lucky Mistake.

| uTlIUcu OVcI w N6W IOIk IIOm udVIe,
little while ago, was young French
girl named Louise DumOnt. Her des
tination was Newark, Delaware, where
she had a distant female relative living
in INDECENT circumstances, and, as she
believed, the only surviving kin she had
in the world. BY some mistake, owing
to her inability to understand the Eng.
lish language, she took train on the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
Railroad, and got off at Newark, New
Jersey. When she was informed of her
error she bought ticket to return to
New York on the next train, but on &C
count of very remarkable occurrence
she was induced to change her mind.
As the girl sat in the depot. downcast
in spirits, alone in strange land and al
most penniless, visions of her home in
La Belle France" crossed her mind.
She thought of her mother who had re-
Gently died, of her only brother who fell
with his father as they fought side by
side at the terrible battle of Saarbruck,
and as she unused upon her past joys and
present loneliness she unconsciously
toyed with large gold locket that was
suspended by strong silver chain from
her neck, while tears trickled down her
cheeks. She was brunette of the love-
liest type, and her jet-black, wavy hair
was arranged with such exquisite taste
that it made the broad, high forehead,
expressive eyes, and graceful, full throat
appear to the best advantage.
While Louise was abstractedly play
ing with her locket there came into the
depot tall and handsome gentleman,
about sixty years of age. He had some
thing of military bearing, and his
countenance indicated intelligence and
refinement. The girls appearance i'm
mediately attracted his attention, and as
he, too, was waiting for a train, he Oc-
cupied the time in watching her. Ashe
walked leisurely to and fro in the ladies'
room, he came near to where the girl was
sitting just as she opened the locket and
revealed well-known face, that was the
exact counterpart of a picture he had at
home in his library. 1t represented the
Empress Josephine, the deceased wife of
Napoleon Bonaparte. The gentleman
asked the girl, in 60 ID
French, where she obtained the pictl. Ire.
She replied, with much simplicity:
My mother gave it to me-"
Requesting the favor of examining the
lOcket, he took it in hand, and, with the
greatest astonishment, read the following
inscription:
Josephine to Hortense De Miratel, 1872"
"My mother was Miratel," said he,
the beautiful French girls
features closely, "and," he added, as a
light seemed tc flash in upon his con-
fused ideas, "she was sister to HOr-
tense De Miratel, who, for some act of
to the unhappy Josephine,
received this locket and portrait as re-
ward: My good girl, who are you any
now ?"
The child then related her story
how her father and brother had been
killed in battle, and that her mother
had recently died; that she had COM
mitted her to the care of the only rela-
tive that she believed to be living, at
Newark, Delaware.
Ihe gentleman then being satisfied
that the girl was his own niece, disclosed
his own name, Victor Provost. He had
escaped from prison when young man,
having been incarcerated by the BOur-
bons about the time of the soiourn of
Louis Napoleon in America. He fed to
this country and settled at Wilkesbarre,
Penn, where he now lives in affluence,
being interested in large coal and iron
tracts in that locality. 1t is hardly
necessary to state that the niece needed
but little persuasion to accompany her
uncle home.
The romance of our story is increased |
by the fact that Mr.. Provost has son,
who is a very promising young mau, and
that he Immediately became fascinated |
with his newly-found cousin. The old
gentleman is in an ecstasy at the turn
things have taken, and has resolved that
his son shall marry the girl within a few
weeks. Of course young Provost has &C
,epted this proposition with much joy,
and orders for magnificent bridal |
trousseau are now being filled by various !
parties in New York for the fortunate |
girl who, but short time ago, was a
penniless steerage passenger in an emf.
grant ship.