Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-10-13

QueSS D0ION0u. 1ne paFiCf lnJ
which the maid led me was c
striking elegance.
Whom have / the honor of an
nOuncing 2" asked my conduetress
| handed her my card. " Madam
de Villers does not know me-" 1 ad
ded. "Tell her, please, that an
here on an errand from a friend o
the family"
The card was taken from me, anC
the bearer disappeared behind th'
heavy silk hangings which Gov
cred the door. was kept waiting
long time. | examined the room
in which | found myself. Never
had / seen such extravance and lux
ury. A costly Aubusson carpet Gov
cred the floor; curtains of heavy
antique stuffs concealed doors anC
windows, and veiled the room in &
mysterious twilight. A richly-or.
namented rosewood piano, such as
is generally seen at exhibitions, at
tracted my eyes. The comfortable
seats and couches were covered with
silk damask. The clock and candel-
abra on the mantel were perfect
works of art. On the tables, the
chimney-piece, the piano, wherever
one looked, lay or stood art-treasures
of every descriptiOn-Chinese vases,
antique Sevres cups, japanese cas-
! kets and chests, ivory cases and
carvings, curious weapons (among
them a dagger whose hilt and sheath
were adorned with precious stOneS),
and hundred other similar objects.
l noticed, with some surprise, that
an onyx bowl stood on the mantel,
in which were Russian papyri of
different sizes. A single picture or
namented the parlOr, and at once
arrested the gaze. 1t was the por-
trait of lady, and was painted by
one of the most famous and eXOrbi-
tant artists of France. The original
must have been of conspicuous
beauty, unless the picture had been
inordinately flattered. ItrepreSent-
ed a woman in the fairest bloom of
her years. Probably the mother
of Jeanne" l said to myself. Jac-
Ques FrOmentin was apparently on
the lookout for rich relatives and
handsome mother-in-laW. 1t is only
pity that people make SO much
display Of their wealth and their
beauty. Modesty and simplicity are
not seldom trodden out by the reign
ing generation. What a wonderful
glance the picture bends on me!
It must have required a certain
courage to marry the original, and, if
Monsieur de VillerS succeeded in
binding,his wife to him, he emust have
been no ordinary man. She scarce
ly looks like a FrenchwOman. The
auburn 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 evil
IDENTIFY 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 pos
sibIy be the mother" said | to my
self This lady is at most thirty
wears old" She was holding 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 mOtioned to me at the same
time to be seated. [ felt, without
seeing it, that her glance measured
me from head to foot.
" May ask what has given me
the honor of this visit" she began.
Her voice was the deep, full, mel
low of the southern races.
" l came in fulfillment of a melan-
al, D1x Il 7 I
ised a dying man to perform an er-
rand for him, to Mademoiselle
Jeanne de Villers. May | request
of you the honor of an introduction
to the young lady?"
"The young lady, MademOiselle
Jeanne de ViIlers, is myself" re-
piled she, emphasizing the words
young lady" and mademOiselle"
with smile.
| sat speechless for some seconds. !
Then | experienced a feeling of re-
pugnance, almost of anger, and,
without taking the pains to conceal
it, | said harshly:
"Then my errand is easily ac-
cOmplished. On the 18th of OctO-
ber there was a Skirmish at Mont
magny, and the French were re- /
pulsed, and were obliged to leave |
their dead and wounded in our
hands. Among the first of these |
was a young officer who had fought |
gallantIy, and who had been carried |
dying into the field-hOspital of
EcOuen, with a bullet in his breast. !
There, in the course of the day, he |
breathed 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. l
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 l
die" The young officer was called !
Jacques FrOmentin, and ] SOlemnly /
promised him to convey the news !
of his death to Madame Jeanne de |
Nillers. He lies buried in the park |
of Ecouen, behind the castle of the |
Constable Anne de MOntgmorency.
| am charged with the duty of con-
you thither if you desire
it,"
While l had been speaking, she
had sat quietly listening without
taking her eyes off me. AS men
toned the name of the dead, she
had made slight, scarcely percep-
tible movement. That had been
all. When / ceased, a long pause
"Poor Jacques ~ she broke the
silence, and her voice was sOnOrOus
and calm as before. He had a
loyal, noble soul, ard / was very
fond of him. | had long been eX-
pecting the news of his death, for
l knew that he had fallen wounded
into the hands ofthe enemy, and that |
he would have written to me if he
had not been dead. The cOmmuni-
cation you make is very valuable to
me, and l thank you for it. This is
indeed his ring; | remember well
having seen it on his finger. 1t be-
longed originally to me, but it was
a little too large for me he took it
one day from my hand, and placed
it on his finger. saying the ring
would only leave him with his life;
the scene is still before my eyes. /
at his enthusiasm. He was
easily moved, and to a great many