The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-10-12

VA fNsS5 SI<NMRO ana then, to put |
lY by by some money,
have good dowry for his daughter,
Rosetta, pretty lass, blond as the
harvest field and as fresh as May
morn.
Rosetta had entered her eighteenth
year, and was much sought after. She
drew some lovers by the hope of find
ing in her good match" others she
attracted by her beauty and fascina-
ton. Time lost Rosetta only laughed
at her suitors and found much to ridi-
cule in this one and that one.
She laughed, besides, for that best
of reasons with young girl, that her
heart was no longer her own. At
country festival she had danced sew
eral waltzes with Paolo Laurent, the
son of rich dealer in Ligny. The
brown hair, large, dark eyes, regular
profile and caressing voice of Paolo
had produced upon Rosetta an in
effacable impression. His gentle and
affable manners contrasted especially
with the roughness of the youths of
Revigny. Having received good
education he talked with marvellous
facility, and Rosetta was not slow in
listening to him.
On the evening of the festival this
true daughter Of Eve, having lost her
family voluntarily in the crowd, re-
turned to Revigny on Paolo's arm.
They were at least two hours on the
way, walking slowly, and compelled,
from time to time, to pause when the
wind blew too strongly beneath the
great poplars which lined the avenue.
They arrived at the village, which was
deserted, and under the field of azure
studded with stars, exchanged their
first kiss.
Very frequently after this Rosetta
had met Paolo. Then his father had
sent him to Paris, to study medicine,
and the lovers, exchanging VOWS of
mutual fealty, sadly separated, and
this was why Rosetta laughed at the
suitors who came in handsome Paolo's
absence.
For the first months after his de-
parture he wrote regularly to Rosetta.
Then the letters became more rare,
with intervals of month. Gradually
they became laconic billets, scrubbed,
no doubt, in haste, at the corner of a
table in a cafe, and giving evidence of
growing Indifference. At last they
ceased entirely. Paolo had forgotten
her.
1t was an old story. At first Paolc
had refused to take part in the diver
sions of his ow-students, the balls
and brewery meetings. Then they
leased him and accused him of having
left love in the country. This made
him, being fond of pleasure, angry
but he soon decided to take his par
in the play.
CATER all, he said to himself, "they
have reason to sheer. Why quarrel
with pleasure? Leave sadness to the
graybeards and profit by the present.
"But Rosetta?" his conscience mur
INJURED.
"Bah I" he thought. ''She vii
console herself. Let her go. Per
haps she has already forgotten me
Lovers oaths are quickly broken, say
the old proverb, and why should our:
prove an exception to the ruler"
But Rosetta was not to be consoled
On the contrary, she suffered terribl,
at this abandonment, and many time
turned her mournful eyes towar
Paris.
Several years went by. Paolo ha
known how to divert himself and ye
study. After having passed his ez
animation with honor, he wrote to hi
father for permission to establish him
, self in Paris. 70 this, however
, Father Laurent could not consent
He desired his son to return i'm
mediately to Ligny and establish hin
self there.
= Gas for the repugnance you seer
a to manifest for your native country,
I he wrote, "that is not the point i
question. The workshops of Lign
{ have made you gentleman, and yo
! belong to the people here. You ov
}. a sacred debt to your country, and
sure as you are a gentleman, tn