The Opelousas courier., 1884-07-12
. BUSINESS WoMAN's ROMANCE.
How Frs. Frank Leslie Was Won by
q MarQuis-Her Career

self yet" laughed Mrs. Frank Leslie to
q Journal reporter, as q blooming little
blushldyed her cheeks and she glanced
coyly at a distinguished looking gentle
man seated at her side. II Marquis de
Leuville has only been in America this
time o few weeks and we have not had
time to fix a date for our marriage, much
less to determine what kind of a we'd
ding we'll have, land the beautiful man
'ager of the great publishing Shouse of
Frank Leslie cast down her eyes and
igazed at her dainty little white fingers as
modestly as an inexperienceds school
girl. Mrs. Leslie was seated at her hand
some apartments in the Victoria hotel,
and the manipulating foreigner at her
side was the Marquis de Leuville, the
gentleman who has had the good fortune
to win her heart and the premium OF her
hand.
. 1t was nearly three years ago that Mrs.
Leslie and the marquis first met, and the
manner of their meeting and subsequent
betrothal is as interesting as it is roman
tic. The Marquis de Leuyille had come
to this country to enlarge the scope OF
his literary and scientific studies.@ One
day while he was in this city he started
out to call upon a friend. = AS he was
about to ascend the stoop at his friends
house a carriage dashed up to the same
house.
"The door few open and the prettiest
little foot I had ever seen in my life was
placed on the carriage step, and the next
instant the most charming little being
eyes ever rested on sprang out all done
up in Grape" said the marquis IN de-
scribing the meeting to a friend. eve
both stood on the steps a moment before
the door was opened, he continued,
''and I caught a glimpse of two beautiful
eyes almost hidden by a big Grape veil.
We went into the parlor. l was so in.
fatuated at first sight that I walked up
and down the room with the utmost
impatience until our mutual friend came
down and introduced us. / really d mt
know whether it was that dainty little
foot. or the large, dreamy eyes that first
captivated me-"
After their introduction the marquis
paid the most devoted attention to Mrs.
Leslie, but she was so deeply immersed
in the cures Of business at that time
and so earnestly engaged in extrlcating
the enormous business that had be, n left
to her charge from an almost hopeless
tangle, that she had little time to think
of matrimony. -
One evening a theatre party was ENJOY
ing q play at an uptown theatre, and
among them was Mrs. Leslie ana the,
| Marquis de Leuville. Mrs. Leslie, being
in the deepest mourning: preferred to sit
in the back part of the box, and the
marquis as usual occupied a seat close at
her side. When they got up to go Mrs.
! Leslie drew off her glove and in doing so
drew her wedding ring off with it, and
it fell on the floor. A hunt was imme-
di.tely made for it, but the marquis,
calamity slipping up to the anxious
little lady while the others were busily
hunting, drawing his family crested ring
from his finger, gently put it in place Of
the missing circle, and leasing over,
softly whispered. to aer to wear that as a
wedding ring in place of the one she had
lost.
Mrs. Leslie, however, would not at
that time entertain the idea of matrt-
mony until she had indicated her late
husbands honor by placing his enor-
nous business upon a firm financial foot
ing. Over a year ago she achieved the
victory. and her success has placed her
among the wealthiest as well as the best
known business ladies of the world.
About a year ago Mrs. Leslie was lying
almost at the point of death and the
chivalroas- marquis, on hearing OF 1t,
fastened to her bedside, and by every
little attention conceivable endeavored
to soothe her bed of sickness. Still the
little lady's heart was not altogether won,
and it was only when the Marquis az
Leayille came to this country for a thlro
time two weeks ago and pressed anew
his suit that she finally consented to be
come his wife.
Mrs. Frank Leslie is one of the mos
remarkable women living. She possesse'
far more business sagacity and %acutenes
than most men, and at the same time sh'
combines with it the delicate refinemen
!, which the highest culture alone can give
! Her literary attachments alone woui'
have won for her an enviable reputation
had she not become renowned for he
l business ability. In personal appearance
. she is a most charming little lady. Beau
tiful blue gray eyes peep out from be
: tween long dark lashes, and sparkle a
9 quickly in an appreciation OF pleasantr
q as they soften at the touch OF q tende
sentiment. Her long, s%lenGer, ariste
: cratic-looking hand is of the kind artist
! rave over, while the pretty, little, grace
fully arched foot that peers from beneat
her dress may well excite the envy 9
{ schoolgirls vet in their teens.
When Mr.. Frank Leslie was about I
n die he called Mrs. Leslie to his bedsid
and said to her: go to my office an
!. sit at my desk until my debts are paid.
y The weeping wife gave her solem
l. promise to the dying man to fulfill b
wish. This was five years ago. lmmt
diately after the funeral she took her sea
7 at her husbands place, and to-day II
8 mammoth publishing house that stu
bears his name is free from debt.
Both Mrs. Leslie and Marquis de Lei
Vile are extraordinary linguists, an
u speak several languages beside their Ms
J. tive tongues with remarkable case ar
) grace. Marquis de Leuville says tn
Mrs. Leslie is the first lady who ever cal
- tured his heart on this side of the Alta
tic. He never before proposed to
American girl.
The Marquis de Leuyille is a han
7 some, manipulating fellow, fully 9
: feet in height. He is an adept N I
70 the manly sports, as well as . Tam
b. writer, painter, and q descendant OF q
of the Oldest families in Europe. s Wi
= his pistol at twenty PAGES he can sho
IS his initials in a board as easily as his sc
ut brush can paint the most charming
water eolors, or his facile pen write I