New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-07-10
THE TALISMAN.
a Love Romance from the French,

It was midnight, and bride Of rare
beauty was seated within a luxurious
boudoir. of the gay city, the capital of
France. A dainty femme de .c7lanabre had
but just left the apartment when Frederic
de la Tour, the young husband inquestion,
entered.
1 Madame de la Tour was seated near an
open wood fire, the folds OF beautiful
robe de chamabre of light soft texture
thrown around her.
"My darling" exclaimed de la Tour,
II could not come before" AS he spoke
he threw himself on his kness before her.
"Our friends have just gomez inquired
his listener.
eyes and am with you.''
'sDo not kneel, Frederic; there is room
for you on this couch /" continued Madame
de la Tour.
"No, let me remain thus. II seems as
if must be dreaming; that all this hap
pinesss cannot be real; that you are not
indeed mine to love and cherish. | can
not remove my eyes from your dear face,
dreading that you will vanish from my
view"
''Be very sure that do not propose to
vanish" responded Madame de la Tour.
yesterday was the widow Of Lord
Melville, and to-day I am Louise de la
Tour. You see, strange as it may all
seem, you do not dream"
Frederic de la Tour had good reason
to suppose that fairy had been meddling
with his affairs. Within few months
past he had enjoyed streak of inexpli-
cable good fortune. He had become rich
and happy beyond his fondest hopes.
One afternoon, while returning from his
Office, he was, in the Rue st. Honore, &C
costed by lady, who was driving in a
magnificent equipage.
';Monsieur! Monsieur" she called.
The footman had lowered the steps.
and mohoned to de la Tour to enter the
carriage. Astonished beyond measure
he mechanically obeyed.
II have received your letter, monsieur"
continued the lady, in a charmingly mu
steal voice. !tll 1tEf f9s
"a letter from me, madame?" respond
ed Frederick, in a tone of surprise.
eyes; did you not write to me?"
"Never, madame, to my knowledge"
was the respectful rejoinder.
'sYou will kindly excuse me, monsieur, .
continued the lady. II 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
heavensl' she added, much confused,
''what must you think of me? And yet
the resemblance is so striking.
Ere the lady had completed her ex-
PLANTATION the carriage had been driven
into the courtyard Of a magnificent
hotel Frederic, Of course, offered his
hand to assist his companion to alght.
s' I would explain further, monsieur, y
continued the stranger. q 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.
My name is Frederic de la Tour" he
said 6 / am only struggling artist"
The singular meeting described had
resulted, as has been said, in the marriage
of de la Tour. '
{" Come and sit beside me- continued
Madame de la Tour. S I have something
to say, but cannot speak while you re
main kneeling. It is quite story, an6
must be told to you
Frederic obeyed.
"Once upon time, " continued Louise
81 knew you would tell me some
fairy story" exclaimed the young hus
band; 6 but while you speak it is music.
"Nay, listen to me, my friend. Ono,
upon time there was young girl borl
of parents who had once been rich. A
the age of fifteen she was brought II
Paris by her father, who found that a
Lyons he was gaining but little money
For four years that father struggled val
iantly against adversely, but finally ill
ness seized HIM. To be brief, dear Fred
rick, he died in hospital, and soon tn
poor mother followed, and the youn.
girl was left alone. Had there been
fairy in the story relate, she certainl,
would have appeared, but there wa
none. The girl was in Paris withou
relatives, without friends, and cripple'
by debts which she had no means to pay
She sought work, but obtained none
Vice extended her aims; but there exis
souls whose instincts are 50 honest the
shrink from even the thought, and ca
remain patient even while suffering.
"Time passed. At length every Ger
was gone, and for twenty -four hours n
particle of food passed her lips. O! FREQ
eric, you who have never known hunge
and misery, cannot understand the suffel
ing l might picture, cannot know th
pain endured when forced to beg, an
yet to implor aims the girl was compe
led. At dark one evening she crept fort
from her lodgings; the NIGHT was col