Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-11-28

OF a merchant who had been of high
standing during his life and who left
q handsome fortune to endow his
daughter on her wedding day, OF, if
not married before, she was to receive
the property on coming to the age o.
20 years Her mother had died In her
infancy, and her father, when she was
10 years Of age, placed her In a con-
vent to be educated, where she re-
mained until his death. which occurred
suddenly six months previous to the
period Of our sketch.
After his death Julie became the
ward of her uncle, by the tenor of her
fathers will, and the period of her
educational course having just closed
at the convent, Hubert Meurlce, the
uncle, brought her home to his family
circle. Nine. Meurice, itappears was
a scheming, calculating woman, and
knowing that Julie would be an heir
ess she tried every way to promote
her intimacy with her own son, who
was an uncouth and ignorant youth of
iS years, without one attractive point
in his character.
Hubert Meuric", the uncle of Julie,
was a sea captain, whose calling car
ried him much away from his home.
During his absence his wife treated Ju.
lie with the utmost tyranny, even keep
ing her locked up in her room for days
together, telling her that when she
would consent to marry her son, HUI
bert, she would release her and do all
she could to make her happy. But to
this Julie would not consent. Impris-
onment even was preferable to ac-
cepting her award and repulsive cous
in.
One day she overheard a converse.
tion between her aunt and her hope.
full son, wherein the mystery of her
treatment was solved,
The boy asked his mother what was
the use of bothering and imoortuning
Julie so.
If she doesn't want to marry me,
mother, drop the matter. I like Ju-
lie, and she would make me a nice
little wife, but l don't want her
against her will
You are a fool said the mother.
You know nothing about the matter.
Her fathers will endows her with a
fortune at her marriage, even if 1t be
at ! Z, just her present age. At 20
she receives the fortune at any rate.
Now, don't you see if you marry her
we are all fixed for life?'
Does Julie know about this money?'
he asked.
No, of course not
Its little sharp on her. said the
boy.
I'm looking out for you, said the
mother.
Just so,' mused the hopeful
Il am resolved that she shall marry
you, and that is why l keep her locked
up, so that she may not see some one
she would like better. Your father
is expected home next week. I want
you to oe married before he returns.
He approves of it, but is little too
delicate about pressing matters so
quickly. know that no time is like
the present time, so have been max
ing arrangements to bring this about
Immediately. l have got Protestant
clergyman who will perform the cere-
mony first, and then you can be mar
ried at any time afterward In the
Catholic church, to make it valid on
her side, for her father was a Catho-
lie
This was enough for Julie. She
understood the situation fully now,
and saw that her aunt would hesitate
at nothing. The poo- child feared
her beyond description, and yield
ed to her in everything, save this one
purpose of her marriage with Hubert
Julie was gentle girl; one upon
whom her aunt could impose with i'm.
punlty. She had no idea of asserting
her rights, much less of standing up
for them. But she was thoroughly
frightened now, and resolved to escape
at any cost of the tyranny which
bound ier. No fate could be worse,
she thought, than to oe compelled to
marry that coarse, vulgar and repul
sive creature.
The next day after Julie had heard
this information was Sunday, the CAV
est day of the week IN Marseilles, and
fortunately, Julie succeeded in making
her escape from her aunts house. Still,
undecided where to go, and in her
desperation fearing that at any mo-
ment she might be seized and carried
back, she had wandered into the
flower market, where she came upon
US, already described.
AS she explained to Harry after
ward, she was intent only upon escape,
aud believed this to be her last chance.
When she saw half dozen young
Americans, who seemed perfectly re-
spectacle, the idea that positive safety
lay only in marriage dawned upon
! her, and she actually ran toward us,
as we have related, the moment the