The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-17

pearanee.
"Does Mademoiselle de villers liy
here p / asked.
"Mademoisells?' answered he. IN,
doubt you mean Mime do VillerSY,
j suddenly remembered that Il did, in
deed, sound unbecoming 10 ask for
young lady, and replied:
"0f course, mean Mime de Villers,
SECOND story, left door," and the it'll,
window was shut again, A pretty seryan
maid, wearing o snow-White, coquettist
little morning cap, opened the door ant
looked at me inquiringly.
u wish 10 speak 10 Nine de Villers,
said l. The servant maid inspected me
for moment, then courlesied and usher
ed me In. ] followed In some embarrasS
ment. l had pictured quite other.
wise my entrance into the house Of pool
jacques, beloved. The parlor into which
the maid had led me was Of striking ele
gance.
"Whom have | the honor Of announc-
ing? asked my conductregs.
handed her my card. "M'me do Vii
lers does not know me-" added. "Tel
her, please, that ! am here on an erraut
from friend Of the family"
The card was taken from me, and The
bearer disappeared behind the heavy silk
hanglngs which covered the door. wa,
kept waiting long time. examined
the room in which found myself. New
er had ] seen such extravaganza and lux
lry. A costly Aubusson carpet covered
the floor; curtains Of heavy antique
stuas concealed doors and windows, and
yelled the room In mysterious twilight
A richly ornamented rosewood piano
such as Is generally seen at expositions
attracted my eyes. The comfortable
seats and conches were covered with silk
damask. The clock and candelabra on
the mantcl were perfect works Of art
On the tables, the chimney. piece, the
piano, wherever one looked, lay or stood
art treasures Of every description-Chi.
nese vases, antique SeVreS cups; Japan.
ESQ Baskets and chests, ivory caSes and
carvings, curious weapons (among them
a dagger whose hilt and sheath were
adorned with precious stones,) and a
hundred other similar objects. no.
ticed with some surprise, that an
onyx bowl stood on the mantel, in
which were Russian papyri oil differ.
ent sizes. A single picture ornamented
the parlor, and at once arrested the gaze.
II was the portrait Of lady, and was
painted by one Of the most famous and
exorbitant artists OF France. The origi-
nal must have been OF conspicuous beau
tY, unleas the picture had been inordi.
nately battered. 1t represented woman
In the fairest bloom Of her years. "Prob.
ably the mother OF Jeanne" I said 10
myself. Jacques FrOmentin was appar.
emily on the lookout for rich relatives
and handsome mOther.in Law. II ia
only u pity that people make so much
display oil their wealth and their beauty.
Modesty and simplicity are not seldom
trodden out by the reigning generation.
What wonderful glance the picture
bends on me 1t must have required a
certain courage to marry the original,
and II Monsieur de Villers succeeded in
binding his wife to him he must have
been no ordinary man. She scarcely
looks like French woman. The au-
burn hair, the dark eyes, recall the
portraits OF the old Italian mas
ters." ! started suddenly and rose from
the seat which had taken opposite the
picture. Near me stood a tall, beautiful
woman, with auburn hair and dark eyes,
who had evidently entered the room
through one Of the tapeStried doors. She
was no older than the picture before me
represented, and the resemblance to this
was perfect. "She cannot possibly be the
mother" said ! 10 myself. "This lady is
at most thirty years old" She was hold.
ing my card still in her hand, but she
now laid it on a little table that stood
near her, seated herself on a couch, and
motioued to me at the same time to be
seated. / ielt, without seeking it, that
her glance measured me from head to
foot.
"AIay ask what has given me the
honor Of this visit%
Her voice was the deep, full, mellow
voice OF the Southern races. .
~ came in iulfiIlment OF melancholy
duty" answered !. u promised dying
man to perform an GRAND for him to
Mademoiselle Jeanne de Nillers. May l
request Of you the honor OF an introduc.
ton to the young lady?"
"The young lady, Mademoiselle Jeanne
do Villers, is myseli,a replied she, chi.
phasizing the words "yonng lady" and
"MademOiselle' with smile.
sat spcechless for some seconds. Then
experienced feeling Of repusnance,
almost Of anger, and without taking
pains to conceal il, l said harshIy:
"Then my GRAND Ia easily accomplish.
ed. On the 18th Of October there was n
skirmish at Montmagny, and the French
were repulsed, and were obliged to leave
their dead and wounded in our hands.
Among the first OF these was young
officer who had fought CALAMITY, and who
had been carried dying in the field hospi-
tai Of Ecouen with bullet in his breast.
There, in the course Of the day, he breath,
ed his young life away. l sat by his
death bed, and saw that only one thought
lived within him-the thought Of her he
loved. 1 received his last words: Give
her this ring and this key said he; tell
her that have died in the performance
Of my duty, faithful unto death. ! bless
the hour when saw her; bless the
hour when was loved by her, and loving
her die The young officer was called
Jacques Formentin, and solemnIy prom.
ised him to convey the news OF his death
to Mile Jeanne deVillers. He lies buried
in the park Of Ecouen, behind the castle
of the Constable Ammo Montmorency. I
am charged with the duty OF conducting
you thither ii you desire it."
While | had been speaking, she had sat
quietly listening without taking her eyes
Of me. AsI mentioned her name, and
the name Of the deud she had made a
slight, scarcely perceptible movement
That had been all. When ] ceased, u
long pause ensured. .
poor Jacques" she broke the silence,
and her voice was sonorous and calm as
beiore. "He had a loyal, noble soul, and
l was very fond OF him. Thad long been
expecting the nswa Of his death, for l
knew that be had fallen wounded into the
hands Of the enemy, and that be would
have written 10 me il he had not been
dead. The communication you make is
very valuable to me, and thank you for
it. This is indeed bis ring: ] remember
we'll having seen 1t on his finger. 1t be.
I L ( . = Na.I