The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-16
THAT FRENCH GIRL.

III court may I've There I'LL the day OF jlaa
ment. but Ii she mt be proved q. 3. p. "a
residue of the estate would clearly fall to th
ward Of the court-yr client tsgnedl jos
Cuipepper TO Mr.. spiller, Staple inn, Lon
don, attorney at law"
This, upon scrap of paper seemingly par
of an old letter, with burnt edges, as II It ha,
narrowly escaped destruction by fire: th,
handwriting and general appearance assign
Ing Il 10 the end Of the last century.
HWhat dye max Of II, Mr. Phillip" asket
my client eagerly; there's deal bidder
there, don't we think? And the a. 9. Doh
that's awful deep"
My client was one Bridget, Scotchwoman
and confidential servant 10 Lady Lakewood
very ancient denizen Of Kenslngton- not the
fashionable part: but Hornton street, In i
dull, old-fashioned house, frightened. how
ever, to those who visited there, by the pres
ence Of three charming young women, hei
granddauRhters. Ny first acquaintance with
The Hazlewoods was made not professional
lv-I am Junior partner with my father
Carey Il Carey, solicitors but through my
sister, who attended an art class at South
Kensington, where Fanny Lakewood wae
aleo pupil Lady Lakewood was very old.
nearly ninety, and rarely left her room; and
the girls, who were orphans. had no one to
look after them but Bridget.
Bridget. who had brought up two genera
lions OF the Hazlewood family. trotted after
her young mistresses with the attached fidel-
lily OF trained sheep-dog; but she was get
ting old now and scant OF health, and the
charge was almost too much for her. The
Hazlewoods were poor, ard without definite
expectations, except Of being poorer still In
the future. for Lady Hazlewood's income
died with her, and the girls had nothing OF
their own. Thus, they were working against
time, to qualify themselves TO earn a living.
Fanny, the oldest had lively artistic sensl-
biiity, which found an outlet In water-colors.
The two younger sisters were studying to
become teachers Of some kind A very poor
prospect, one would say, but the girls were
full of courage bright. clever. handsome
girls, who, under more favorable circum-
stances, would no doubt have married well.
and become ornaments TO society. Az it was.
Fanny Hazlewood's friends thought she
made great mistake when she refused your
humble servant who was certainly devotedly
attached to her. and whose prospects, IL not
brilliant, were toierably safe and solid. Re-
fused had been, anyhow kindly. but deeid-
edly. Not that she had any other choice. or
that was personally distasteful, Fanny was
good enough to say but she had chosen her
peth In life--she was married to art.
aIhere may be a good deal hidden In Il"
/ said, In reply TO Bridget's eager question.
IAN awful lot, perhaps. But 1t ia likely to re-
main hidden, | should think, unless you can
throw some light upon II. First Of all, how
do you come by 1t, and what does IT mean?"
Bridget explained that che had found the
manuscript In basketful of old papers that
the hussies In the kitchen had been lighting
the fires with. Combined with what che knew
of Sandy Hazlewood's history. IL gave her |
the notion dear to the credulous mind
81 some great sum Of money waiting for |
claimant. had no more time TO give Bridget |
just then; but at her earnest request prom |
ieed to come up TO Hornton street that even |
Ing and see old Lady Lakewood
A good many precautions and ceremon les |
attended my introduction to Lady Halle
wood. was not to say. How do YOU do ~
or b bow, or to offer to shake hands, but lust
to sit In certain chair as If had been ait
ting there all my life, and then Lady Halle
weed would be wheeled out and brought To
bear upon me, just as If she were a tield-piece
and / some object to be battered
The process was trying one, when Lady
HaglewuOd--a mere shadow of woman.
dark and fragile, with face like an old
painting, and as full of creviees- brought her
eyes to bear upon me. Fanny was leaning
over her chair, and cycling me In curious.
haif-awakened way, something like a young
lioness looking at you between the bars u
her cage.
ssYou have been very kind to my girls, |
hear" began Lady Haxlewood, after an awful
pause, speaking in low, vibrating accents.
II thank you, sir. And you wish to hear
Eomee OF my family history. Sir, will tell 1t
YOU"
Lady Lakewood was the granddaughter OF
one Philip Rankin a worthy of the last cen
fury, VINO had made large fortune In the
save trade, II WAS said, in the Barbados.
t ~ uiea ~ the year 1898, ntestate, leaving
fortune Of about 100000 all personal prop
cry. he had married French creole. who
uleu young, leaving him with two daughters:
.ne eiaer q whom was Lady Hazlewood's
s..,,s,,sa, at married 70 Mr.. Smith. The
.VulngeE SISTER had married d Frenchman of
Eooa family NJ. dc la Motto. and taken M
her abode IN her husbands eanntrw Mrap
n na,t.. ana her husband both died before Mr.
present Lady Lakewood This ahi III WI sie
aunt IN France We're thus co-heiressaa ~ .hi
nice little fortune. News Of her inha i. .l'lo
was dispatched to Nine de Ia Motto Motto i' ahan
came home to claim 1t. The reign If t neneI
was then IN progress. The de la Notes
W leave Paris, had been seized as intenaing
s emu put IN prison; tried. and Forthwith
- eAI SsAiibfG. IHtl Hdu Il uauuhtn, |
qulte child, who had been In prison Mil,
1T parents, but who had disappeared M AZ
LIE 81 Lhelr execution, and has never beer
spoken Of In BridRets manuscript. sari
AZ Tor Grace Smith, the present Tady
hazlewood, she became a ward Of tia onn,t
II cai3asneefy was duly sent to a tashionahia
auaaulng school, spending her HOLIDAYS
mostly with Mrs, Spiiler, the wife IF III
sdttorney whose name appears Id the sana
maSaanlnsasoeTipt She had many suitors. for bar
$3.50, and half OF her grandfatharis fortn,a
Nas vast lnducement; but she iiLad ba .tile
~ one III Randall Hardwood, Of Ha VIZ. -
80 = iafoheh man Of fashion and gambier