The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-06-11

EYES," replied that gentleman, ''she
that was little De St. Saone. Poor Bel
roy died last year, and she is plunged in
grief 1t was q great loss"
"Whop BelroyP"
"No, his wife, who is charming, but
always invisible. Society sees her no
more"
Merisi now waited anxiously for an
other find in the coupe. But, alas! for
a whole week neither notebook nor any
thing else was forgotten. But the little
"saint," who spent her time so piously,
occupied his mind necessarily. So he
said one evening to the coachman:
81 have discovered that my coupe is
also used by Madame de Belroy. Do
not deny it. l am sure. Now, [ am
curious to see this lady. Tell me where
1 might do So"
"Well, sir, every morning at nine
O'Clock l take her to mass at the church
of st. Philippe"
Next morning Monsieur de Merisi was
punctual, and saw his saint at her devo-
tons. 1t seemed to him that never be-
fore had he seen such a lovely face.
She was still in mourning. She wore q
SIlldu UOuu6G VI uIdCh GuliO, WIlSh
framed her lovely blonde hair; long
veil of black gauze hung down on the
train of her dress, which was of dead
black silk, trimmed with black surah.
In her black-gloved hands was missal
full of saints pictures and Illuminated
texts.
Merisi paid little attention to the mass.
"Ah," thought he, if l had known
there was on earth such woman
beautiful, young, modest, and stunning
society, oh! would have adored her.
How gracefully she makes the sign of
the cross. She is a little saint. But
that Julius-who the deuce can he be?''
From this moment Monsieur de Merisi
hung upon her steps. He saw her every
morning at the church of St. Philippe,
and followed her coupe in another one.
Her route was nearly always the same:
To her grandmother's, to the parish
priests, to the Sisters of Charity, to her
lawyers office, and long stay at a
house on the Boulevard St. Michel.
At last De Merisi came to the conclu-
sion that he was a fool. He was occu-
pied with Madame de Belroy to such q
degree that he neglected for her sake the
affairs for which he had come to Paris.
There was only one thing to be done, to
ask permission to be presented to her,
and to pay his addresses. His state of
mind was becoming intolerable. So
one day, at the club, he said to Monsieur
Villeperte, who was nicknamed the ''elite
directory"
"Do you know the Belroy family, Vii
leperte?"
every well indeed; but there's not
many left-only the grandmother and
her daughter in law?"
"Could you present me?"
"Hum-not easily; the grandmother
is eighty years old; the young widow is
nearly always in the country, and lives
very retired since the death of her hus-
band"
"Come, now-as a great favor to
me-"
"Well, I'll see."
But at once, because I'm going
away"
"Well, I'll go tomorrow and see the
grandmother.
care you acquainted with the young
widow, too?"
"Known her ever since she was born,
my dear boy handsome, distinguished
and graceful woman"
The grandmother had been very anna
BILE, and had given Monsieur de Vile
perte permission to present his friend.
This was soon done, and Monsieur de
Merisi fell deeper in love than before, if
it were possible. The old lady be-
friended him, too. He was her partner
at the card-table, and used to read to
her the newspapers and the newest
novels. He was a clever fellow, was
De Merisi.
But he was suspicious fellow, too,
and he had retained the coupe hoping
again to find the note book which had
SO deeply interested him. "Julius -
stuck in his memory. But his researches
were far from being successful. Being
more and more captivated by Madame
de Belroy, he at last dared to declare
his intention, and he was strongly sup
ported by the grandmother. Madame
de Belroy did not say "No," and so the
engagement began.
One day De Merisi leaped into his
coupe to make purchase required by
his new situation-an engagement ring,
of fabulous value and exquisite taste.
Instinctively he looked into the carriage
pocket. The gray notebook was there.
He opened it. The memoranda had
changed very little: "The lawyers {;
the priests; the milliner's; flowers !;
bring Julius shako.''
A shake! Not one of the friends of
the Belroy family was in the army; what
could it mean? With feverish haste he
turned the card over. Alas! he found
too easily its meaning: "He looks
adorable in his new shake. How silly
am! He would not leave my room last
night, and pretended to be angry
Tingling with jealous rage and shame,
Merisi ordered the coachman to drive
him Immediately to Madame de Belroy's
house. She was waiting for him at her
window.
"Why, how funny!" she exclaimed
"you are in my coupe! How did it hap.
pen, and what does it mean?n
Merisi was deadly pale,so angered was
he. He choked with rage as he endeav
ored to find words to upbraid her.
Suddenly an unexpected visitor made
{ his appearance. 1t was little boy
, four or five years old, adorned with .
shake and a Sahar So friohtanad xuat