The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-08
MARIETTA.

ECOTn y p 10 muCl hDOVe WuAL ~
have a right to suspect, | will take speed
" and ample revenge. Consider we'll.
offer you, on one hand, a position whiC
most young ladies would eagerly grasp a
to make you my wife, with a settlemer
of $1,000 francs at my death, and on tn
other, should you be mad enough to II
fuse, | solemnly declare that youshal ri
in q way that you little expect"
"Your proposal has no inducemeut 70
me, monsieur" replied Mariette "you
threats have nc terror. l am strong Il
my purpose. l came to Paris from allttl
provincial town in which | hope to pas
my future life, after l shall have enteret
. certain sum Of your sisters governess
| do not blush to tell you that in tina
quiet retirement | have left a true hear
that beats for me. | beseeCh you, mon
sieur, to 20 your way, and suffer me to g
mine, which DIVORCES wholly from yours
| do not coVet the houors and riches witt
which you are trying to tempt me-"
"AhP' said Paul, Caught, l suppose
by some handsome upstart OF q Clod
hopper. Think well before you decide
~ have decided" said M&riette. an
mortal can alter that decision. As to mer,
outward beauty in q man, simply de
spise it,"
"Then your provincial sdmirer is o
course not handsome, as l at first con
CludedY"
"Not handsome, certainly" she replied
ION the contrary, he Is dlshgured by
wound across the face, and has lost al
arm. Had it been otherwise, he woulC
have gladly worked his fingers to the bonl
Tor me, And gladly will l do as much
for him."
"a pretty match, truly" said Paul
$50 you refuse me, after all, for q de
formed crippleT"
II did uVG say 3d." replied the gov
erness. HE Is unfortunate, 1t Ia true
but let me tell you, monsieur, since you
drove me 10 1t, l would not exchange hin
for you II he had no more than body
enough left to contain q soul so mucl
more noble than yours as Is that which
animates his fragile Frame"
Little did the brave girl know what
mine she had suddenly lighted, or how /
would one day explode upon her defense
less head.
Mariette DurQnt had been betrothed q
her fathers deathbed to Jean Mallett. Al
attachment had sprung up between tn,
two almost in their childhood, and thu
father, knowing that his days were draw
ing to q close, had encouraged that attach
ment in the hope OF leaving his mother
LEES child to a worthy protector. Duran
had nothing to bestow upon her, but h
had given her more than riches, an eduCa
ton by which she could at any time sup
port herself should death overtake he
atianCed husband.
Not long after her father died Jean wa
summoned to Join his regiment, for he hat
become q soldier from a feeling Of purt
patriotism, and Mariette, while she de
plored the separation, vas proud Of he
soldier, sympathized heartily with tn,
sentiment he cherished towards his coun
try, and cheerfully babe him adieu.
It waa the spring Of 1895 when tn
young Corsican, Napoleon Bonaparte, wa
beginning to astonish the world by hi
wonderful and unexsmpled success Ii
Italy. On the 18th Of April the battle 0
Montenotte sent her hero home, crippled
and dishgured; and, doubtful Of his re
ception in this state by Mariette, he wa
thoroughly disheartened. His low spirit
acting In concert with his wounds, threV
him into fever, from which he recovered
to find that the brave and high.mindeC
girl, regardless Of his mutilated appear
ance, had watched beside him both da,
and night, without q single thought Q
dissolving an engagement made unde
such solemn circumstances. But the.
we're both poor, and but slender provision
was made for the manned soldier who hal
spent blood and limbs in his country
service. Mariette, therefore, proposed y
spend q single year as goyerness in SOM
Partisan gentleman's family, hoping to b.
able by that means, TO set up some bust
ness which Jean and himself could man
age together, and which would relievI
Jean from the intolerable pain which h
suffered at the thought Of. being hence
forth useless In the world.
Full Of her noble object, she sought ant
| obtained q situation, with q high salary
as governess to the little daughter Of Mon
steur Paul Dubois, 0 wealthy citizen: Q
Paris, who was q widower, with one son q
mature age, and adaughter Of - years
Marietta rejoiced that she had obtained g
desirable q situation. The salary wa
high, in consideration OF the child havinI
no mother, and Mariette willingly devoteI
her whole time to her pupils improve
ment. Only when little Amelie slept sh
poured out her soul in writing TO- Jean
whose sole consolation were these letter.
He, too, wrote to her, having learned :
substitute his left hand for that which b
seriously missed.
al am counting the weeks now, love,
be wrote, in scarcely declpherable chal
aCtefs, which only the eye Of love Coul
have recognized. ~ say to myself, On
week more, poor, crippled jean, and 70.
shall behold her who Is the only star lei
in the heaven Of youthful hopesp
Alasl he did not dream how muCI
more " be pitied than he was, was tha
being on whom he depended GO, much
Her trouble came 10 her In the shape {
voting Paul Dubois, who had unhappil
fallen in love with her. Brought up Il
unlimited indulgence, his passions unrt
strained In those laWleBs times Of anarch
and crime, and his temper %tnsovernet
Paul Dubois Thought that II he CoadC
scended to ask his sisters governess 10 b
his wife, enriched as his family Is know
10 be with the spoils Of the Revolution
abe would at once consent 10 his propose
and become his wife.
Il was as unexpected a. II was madden
ing, when the beautiful girl Coolly thanl
ed him for his preference, but begged hit
never again to name the subject, as II WI
one, however latteEing that preference
which she could not entertain. He Coul
not understand her clear, Saskatchewan
way Of answering. He believed II WI
only Q trick 10 enhance The, prize. A
women whom be had seen had affected |
be shy, but their shyness wA9 not Of lon
duration, and he confidently thought tha
after q few struggles, Mafiette would "a
into his arms, thinking her iate, tor sue
a termination 10 what he considered hi
slavery, And endless, In consequence
were The struggles which marked his pc
Estent attentions 10 the unwilling, gu
who had several times resolved 70 leaN
The scene Of her relentless p~efaecuuoi
has haJ hsaN HntaSfnd from III by 1l