The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-19
THREE PROPOSALS.

posals In one week from men who never saw
her before they offered their hands and hearts.
/, therefore, have a story to tell. OF course,
1 was not one of the three. Oh, dear, no! l
never would choose a wife. 1t is destiny with
me, or nothing.
In the fall of the year 1870 I was one of a num-
Der of guests at a French country house, situated
just out of the fine old town of Troyes, in Cham
payne; a magnificent old place with the caves of
the house meeting above the narrow street; with
its fine inns, where the traditions of the old
school of French cooking are still preserved;
where you can get a pastry such as Shakespeare
heroes would have honored, where the girls are
rosy-cheeked and malicious looking; where the
priests live with the people, are not addicted to
reforms, and where simple praise is the largest
part of Gods worship.
There are many interesting things in Troyes-
the old walls outside the city; the ancient college
with quite a reputation even outside the town;
but the GROWING glory of all is the cathedral,
where good King Harry of England did most
peremptorily, but gallantly, marry Catherine, Of
France.
How I happened to have time to spend in
Troyes is not a matter for narrative. In brief, 1
had been invited to spend three weeks in the
country. / accepted. Hospitality in the coun-
try has a delightfully."- inviting air. Your hosts
are prepared to entertain you. In fact, there is
nothing else to do. Your room is always well
aired, and full of subtle housekeeping attentions
which are absent in TIE whirl Of city life. In
the city you look after yourself; in the country
the house looks after you.
My hostess, Mime. de st. Cyr, and l were on
the best of terms. Nine. de st. Cyr was a most
positive, but amiable woman, not without good
sense. We never really agreed about anything;
but we always agreed to disagree. And to every
proposition that l would advance, however para
doxical, Nine. de St Cyr would answer with a
smile, and say sweetly:
You are quite right"
This is true urbanity. Have your own way,
but always agree with everybody.
The General de st. Cyr, a friend and old
schoolmate Of my uneles, was an excellent man,
also positive, and, for a F~renchman, singularly
independent. However, he never thought of in
terfering with his wife in any matter which he
thought came under her province.
The control, the education and the happiness
of his daughter, Mademoiselle de st. Cyr, he
left entirely to his wife. Was it that young
lady's lovely face and delightfully."- elegant car
riage, her small Cupids-bow mouth or a general
philanthropic interest in the sex which gave me
so lively an interest in her welfarel Who shall
sayl
Let it be sufficient that one soft, warm noon
day, just after a delightful IL o'clock break
fast, Madame de st. Cyr and l were discussing
the education of young girls in general, with a
latent reference to Mademoiselle de st. Cyr.
| think | have remarked that l was young.
If any evidence of this fact, other then my bare
evidence, was needed, it would be the delightful
manner in which, at that time, l was fond of ig-
nOrlng all Otner pfeJudlceS save my OWN.
Doesn't it occur to you" said /, that there
is something wrong in the education of young
girls in Francel"
Yes"
"When they should be out in the world, arc
they not in the convent And when they should
be in their own homes, are they not out in the
worldl"
Yes" again acquiesced Madame de st. Cyr,
with a honeyed smile.
"And then this thing of choosing a husband for
a girl: making the whole matter q mere transac-
ton of money! The young girl, say, has a dot
of 100, OO0O francs and a good character. The
young man has a fortune of 90, 900 francs and a
bad character. Which is he to make up-the
good character in which he is lacking, or the
:, 200 francs"
1.-THE 5000 francs, of course" again agreed
Nine. de st. Cyr, with graciousness.
Don't you see, madame, that your whole
system is all money! Marriage should be the
conservation of love. If your daughter is f1r-
tunate enough not to fall in love, why then
she need not be married. In fact it will be an
atrocity to ask her to do that violence to her
feelings"
And suppose, added Nine. deSt Cyr, quietly,
that my daughter shall happen to fall in love
with a young gentleman, and the young gentle
man shall not happen to fall in love with her.
What them"
''Then she'll have the consciousness of having
loved and lost Her life will be sweetened
with the ideal memories of hope unfulhlled."
But is not a girl like that in your country
called an old maidF"
This argument staggered me a little. freely
confessed to myself that the expression thus
wickedly made use of by Nine. de st. Cyr did
have an awful sound.
Besides, what will you say to the many
happy marriages which take place on exactly
opposite principles" continued Nine. de st. Cyr
suavely. OF course, l am speaking now really
for the sake of argument. am quite of your
opinion, as a matter of fact. But, in all fair
ness, we must often concede that there is some
thing to be said on both sides. Mile. de Cyr, as
| I cI1ppOCa n know 1G A11nafa6 n y A nOlaica y
IA la wbat'
GAP Anglaise-on the English plan. She is
allowed to make a free choice of her husband. "
my dear madame, you don't say SOL"
eyes, and this very day NJ. Frederic de Lam
bert will arrive from Paris on the noon train to
receive my daughters answer"
Poor fellow" said l, chow I pity his sus-
pense."
IN. de lambert is of excellent family; sufi-
GENTLY well-off, and, besides, quite good-looking.
He is not the husband l would have chosen for
Adele; but, then, he is a friend of her fathers
and, besides, Adele, as 1 told you, had been edu-
Gated al Anglaise."
81 suppose they have known each other for a
long timer
Mme. de St. Cyr drew herself up a little stifly,
1 fancied:
IN. de Lambertis very favorably impressed
with Mile. de st. Cyr's good qualities
Had | committed a breach of etiquette2 Had
L been guilty of some indelicate intrusion into
the family agairs of my kind hosts. 1t would
seem so, for, with a quiet smile, Nine. de st.
Cyr changed the subject, and took me out
walking in tho long garden behind the
house. We talked about peaches and
grapes. We sat down on a rustic bench
and watched the fountain play. Then we
walked back to the house again, Nine. de St
Cyr excusing herself. /, after a slight glimpse
at the tall poplars fringing the country road for
miles and miles, also retired to my room.
There the wind was playing with the white
lace curtains. A volume of Monsieur, Madame
ct Bebe" was lying on a little Tosewood table
near a comfortable lounge. l soon found my
self yawning over the book and fast asleep.
1 was awakened by the sound of wheels and