Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-08-28
A LOVE ROMANCE FROM THE FRENCH.

France. A dainty femme de chambre
had but just left the apartment, when
Frederic de la Tour. the young husband,
entered.
Madame de la Tour was seated near
an open wood-tire, the 70 Ids Of beautl-
full robe de chambre, of a light, soft
texture. thrown around her.
MY darling" exclaimed de Ia Tour.
" / could not come before.
AS he spoke he threw himself on his
knees before her.
"Our friends havejus gomez" inquired
his listener.
:'Yes, and [ am with YOU"
"Do not kneel Frederic; there is
room for YOU on this couch" continued
Madame de la Tour.
"No. let me remain thus. it seems
as ii [ must be dreaming; that all this
happiness cannot be read; that you are
not indeed mine to love and cherish.
/ can no. remove my eyes from your
dear face, dreading that you will vanish
from my sight" ..... .-
BE very sure that | do not propose
to vanish, "replied Madame de Ia Tour.
Yesterday | was the widow Of Lord
Melville, and to-day | am Louise de la
Tour, your wife. You see strange as 1t
may seem, you do not dream
Freperic de la Tour had good reason
to suppose that fairy had been med
ding with his affairs. Within few
months past he had enjoyed a stroke Of
inexplicable good fortune. He had be-
come rich and happy beyond his fond
est expectations One afternoon, while
returning from his office, he was, in tn e
Rue St. Honore, accosted by a lady who
was driving in a magnificent equip
age. -s-
"Monsieur! Monsieur" she called.
The footman had lowered the steps,
and motioned de la Tour to enter the
carriage Assonished beyond measure:
he obeyed
"Ihave received your letter, Mon
sieur," continued the lady. IN a charm
ingly musical voice. ..a
"A letter from me, madame?" re-
sponded Frederic, in tone of surprise.
eyes; did you not write to me?'
"Never, madame, to my knowledge, J"
was the respectful rejoiner.
You viii kindly pardon me, mon
sieur,s' continued the lady. " | have
made an absurd mistake; and my only
excuse IS that you so greatly resemble a
friend of mine that | mistook you for
him. Great heavens." she cried, -"what
must you think of me? And yet the re-
semblance is very striking"
Ere the lady had completed her. ex-
PLANTATION the carriage had been driven
into the courtyard of a magnificent ho
tel Frederic of course offered his hand
for his companion to aEght.
81 would explain further" continued
the stranger ,'' am Lady Melville"
De la Tour bowed. By the beauty Of
the speaker he was positively dazzled,
and accepted with delight an invitation
to call. na g" s.5.a'- 's
MY name is Frederic de Ia Tour"
he said; i am only a struggling
artist" z's."4 z.t
The Singular meeting described had
resulted, as has been seen, in the mar
riage ofde Ia Tour. Y .I5.ea-W
"Come and sit beside me" continued
Madame de la Tour. a have some
thing to say, but cannot speak while
you remain vkneelng. its quite a
story, and must be5teid oyou. Pa .
Frederic Obeyed.4z-z .=zs STRESSES .s.z 81
"Onee upon1a time, continued Lou-
ise.
"Iknew you,would tell me some fairy
story" exclaimed the young husband;
"but while you speak, it is nlusie.'I'N y
NAY, listen to me, my fr1end;( Once
upon time. there was agyoung girl
born of parents who had once been
rich. At the age of fifteen she was
brought to Paris by her father, who
found that at Lyons he was making but
little money For four years that Ia
Their struggled valiantly against adver-
sity, but finally illness seized him. :. To
be brief, dear Frederic, he died IN hos.
pital, and soon the poor mother follow
ed, and then the young girl was left all
alone. Had there been q fairy In the
story relate she certainly would have
appeared, but there was none The
girl was in Paris without relatives, with
out friends, and crippled by debts which
she could by no means pay. She
sought work, but could obtain none.
Vice extended her arms; but there are
souls whose instinct are SO honest they
shrink from even the thought, and can
remain patient even while starving. -
Cline passed At length every cent
was gone, and for twenty-four hours no
nartical of food passed her lips. 2 @!
Frederic, YOU who have never known
hunger and misery, cannot understand
the suffering l might picture, cannot
know the pain endured when forced to
beg. and to implore aims the girl was
compelled. At dark, one evening, she
crept forth from her lodgings: the night
was cold and rainy. In her despera-
ton she accosted a young man, who
halted, searched his pockets, and then
threw her coin. The stranger did not
even deign to touch her hand; the look
of misery and distress offended his eye.
At this instant gend'arme perceived
the girl. .1tsmat .as slts3 4.f.. Il
"Come," he said, 81 arrest you for
begging. You will follow me to the
lookup" IS lmas tan iasi q ~
"At these words cry of dispair was
wrung from the lips of the unfortunate
n L Il Il