The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-01-25
Lamarline and the Fair Museoyite

| From q French Paper.
Once upon time when Lamartine was
in the heyday of his fame, and was at
Saint Point, his wife being in England,
there rolled into his courtyard a huge
travelling carriage with four horses armo
rial bearings on the panels, courier, a
footman and ladys maid trunks of solid
sole-leather everywhere, the equipage of a
beautiful and noble Russian woman who
had come all the way from Moscow to see
the author of "The Lake and the Harmo-
MES" She must see Lamartine or die.
She was slender, fine, dainty, witty,
spirited, with delicious losses of the head
and gracious sweeps of her drapery, and
the prettiest accent in the world. suave sill
very notes dropping from an ivory key
board.
One can readily fancy what banquet
was set for the poets voracious self-esteem,
When, after having contemplated him dur
ing an ecstatic half hour, the lady rose to
command her carriage, the discovery was
made that, at the order of her host, the
horses had been sent back to the post-house
and the carriage was peacefully installed in
the coach~house. What Impossible. Oh
dear, what an indiscretion, and what would
people say, ETC., ETC., but the lady finally
agreed to stay till dinner time,
''Till dinner time tomorrow, at least,
implored the poet, and he added, CALAMITY,
land then forever"
The afternoon passed in charming chat,
in sentimental Rotations, in promenades
in the still, sultry air. Lamartine was fair
| " intoxicated; the woman went to his head
like sparkling champagne
| An hour before dinner time his beautiful
guest went into eclipse for the purpose of
her toilet The cook had been ordered to
distinguish herself and the garden had
been plundered of cart-loads of flowers
While awaiting his guests appearance, the
poet, wandering aimlessly through the
house, stopped before the housekeeper's
door.
81 am so sorry we have none" his house
keeper was saying to his visitors maid,
are you troubled with corns?"
Dear no" replied the maid, ''but my
poor mistress-oh, she's a martyr, some>
times, poor thing; she can hardly set foot
to the ground. always bring corn -plasters
with me when we travel, but this time I've
forgotten them. Mercy me, what shall
do?'
Ten minutes later Lamartine, mounted
on his fastest horse, was galloping down
the road like a mailman.
To Macon for corn plasters?
No, to Chnrme, the residence of the
Count de Rambuteau, with whom he in
vited himself to dine and spend a few days,
His valet had been instructed to notify him
when the fair Muscovito had departed;
for her he had left the following note
''Pity me, Madame. A sufferer sends to
implore my help, and 1 fly to his rescue.
Alb, Duty, Duty! Not till this moment
have known how cruel and inopportune
thou canst be! My house is yours; dis
pose of it as you please-as you would of /
me-" LAMARTINE.
The visitor waited till next day at noon; |
then, as she had rec, ived no news of her |
host as she was, after all, a woman who, |
though she would throw herself at her ]
favorite's feet, would not remain there for /
an indefinite period, she ordered her post
horses, left a royal tip for the servants, and
departed