The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-05-06
i FEW LEAVES FROM 4 WOMAN'S
JOURNAL.
FROM THE FRENCH OF OCTAVE FEU1LLEr.

As for the rest, my external appearance,
Is the cause of these false judgments.
am very brown and pale; my features O.
tiresome precision, a decided short sight
edness that lends an expression of sleepy
indifference to my black eyes, that would
otherwise be unbearably brilliant. More
over l have a quiet manner of speaking
and walking which adds to the illusion
Of an undisturbed serenity.
I have no desire and no means of rec.
tifying erring public opinion. and my
clasped journal alone shall know that
the grave, wise and well-balauced Char.
iotte Is at heart an excessively romantic
and passionate young person.
May 1st.-The scruples that I may
have had to registering my impressions,
fearing to heighten in me that romantic
and passionate nature so dangerous for &
woman, have been removed by few
words of my grandfather.
We were playing the game of "secre
tary, and one OF the guests who wished
to distinguish himself as wit always
managed to reserve for himself his own
question so that he might answer with
great brilliancy.
He asked, "Wbat is a woman devoted
to duty?" His answer was, "A woman
devoted to duty, is one who seeks for no
romances in ife-for there are none that
are good; in no poetry-for duty is not
poetical;. who seeks it in no passion
for passion is only the polite name of
vice.
My grandmother suddenly suspended
her knitting:
"Oh! oh! Pardon mel" she cried. 81
will not let such heresies pass before
these young women. Passion can be
combined with duty, and not only can
but should. You say that it is not poet
ical? That is my opinion, but it must be-
so to render the practice pleasant
"If you ever want to marry, marry an
woman, and you will see what
will happen!"
"What will happen?" said the young
deputy.
"Well, it will happen that every thing
IN life will appear to her fiat and insipid.
At trst her husband, then L. i-vr..s
even her religion! We are not perishing
from enthusiasm but from platitude.
Young ladies. try to have a little poetry
in the brain, you will the more easily be
good, and the more surely be happy
Poetry at a woman's tireside is like the
music and the incense in church-it is
the charm of goodness.
Thus my dear grandmother spoke,
God bless her, and this is why I dare
say to myself. ''Good- night, romantic
and passionate Charlotte. "
May 2Stb.-This morning I received
a letter from my friend Cecile de Steele,
urging me to visit her at her Aunt's
Madame de Journey, and to have my
accompany me.
Her aunt lives alone in an old chateau
with her sen Roger, who is half mad
since bis frightful wounds received dur
ing the war. Cecile says her cousin
Roger is gloomy aid ferocious, and re-
mains in hisroom only leaving it to drive
his vicious horses.
Cecile is to ME almost sister, and her
father and aunt think she is of marriage
able age, and during her visit at her
aunt's she is expected to make her choice
of husband. There is in her, as she
loves to say, the angel and the devil, but,
above all, the angel. This light, brill
liant and tender creature, requires, Think,
more than any other woman, to be well
married, well loved and well guarded.
June 6th.-Chateau de Journey. My
dream is accomplished; there is north
ern town, and l even am lodged in it.
1t is delightful. But let me proceed in
order We arrived this afternoon, my
grandmother and I.
My cousin Roger occupies the apart
ments of the ground floor and we are
lodged on the first floor. We have been
lodged in this sacred place, Cecile says,
as being the quietest persons of the party.
We are connected with the castle by cor
ridors and are not likely to meet Monsi-
eur NJ. Journey, unless we encounter
him on bis way to his library, which is
in the second story, but we should hear
his crutch on the stairs probably, and /
acknowledge I hoped an opportunity for
meeting this gloomy recluse would some
day occur.
June l2th.-The hoped-for encounter
has occurred. This morning we met
face to face. In suddenly perceiving me
he turned as pale as a ghost, and in bis
confusion dropped his erutch. l hastily
picked it up and replaced it under his
arm. He said to ne simply, in deep,
grave voice:
II thank you.
And we passed on. He is not nearly
SO repulsive rs Cecile has described him.
He is one-arnled, and he has limb short
ened, but his face is pure and clear, ana
the slight scar on his brow does not dis
figure it. When I told Ceeile OF oul
meeting she said:
sAh! mon Dieu, how he must have
sworn as his hot temper and violent ex
pressions made him the terror of all.
Not ct all, l said.
sYou astonish me. Well he is in goo(
humor to-day, as he expects his frien'
this evening"
"What friend2'
"The Col. dEbhs, You know.