The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-10-08
THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF ELoPEMENTs.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF EL0PEMENTs.
"Ah," sighed the Duchess, "the
good old days of elopement are dead"
"All the better" said the abbe, Sc
verely.
Monsieur" replied the Duchess,
"you don't know what you are talk
ing about. 1 tell you that the end
of elopements is a misfortune for this
country. 1 will not seek to convince
you by argument, but by stories.
"You know that elopements have
been a tradition in our family. All
the daughters have eloped. 1t has
been handed down from generation to
generation. Alas My daughters
and granddaughter have all married
without any silken ladders and with
out any post horses
"To return, however, Twill choose
but one of my honored ancestors.
Do you see that little round portrait
between the windows? Such pref
ty little lady, with sparkling black
eyes and curly hair.
"She was Hardincourt, and she
eloped with that splendid gentleman
that you see next to her in his long
perruque and armor. He was Fer
raille Latour, and he became Duke
and Marshal of France.
He was splendid looking follow,
and he met my charming ancestress
at ball at Rennes, when the King
returned from one os his journeys.
He was then eighteen and not very
tall, but, so far as fighting blood went
he was more than worthy of the name
he bore.
"She was sixteen, and although her
name was Angelique and in spite of
tad fbgeet fbgeetni itfft tffftoni fef cradle, She Vas the
worst little mischief that ever lived.
To be brief, they met each other and
fell deeply in love at once.
1.-The two families were equally
wealthy and equally noble. Ferrialle
asked for her hand. They told him
that he was too young. He egrew f1ri-
Gus and drew his sword.
Finally they calmed him and said
that his love was not repulsed but that
such a sudden sentiment could only
be fire of straw, and that time alone
could prove its permanency.
"A fire of straw 7 cried the little
Ferraille. You shall see !
"He was right. Itwas not mere
blaze, quick to die away, but regular
confagration that filled his heart.
Not night passed but he stationed
himself beneath her chambers bal
cony, watching for a chance to send
her note.
Zone beautiful evening Angelique,
alone by chance, saw a stone fall at
her feet with a piece of paper tied to
it. DO youl love me?' read the note.
IF you do, am ready to undergo any
thing to win you.
"The abbess was not one to hesi-
tate, as you may see from her eyes.
She answered letter for letter, love
you.'
1.-TWO hours later Ferraille scaled
the balcony and eloped with Angel
ique, according to rules with the ira
ditional ladder and post horses. But
the news soon became known and a
warning was sent out. The fleeing
lovers were caught and separated.
"Angelique was brought to her room
and her windows were barred with
iron. Ferraille, punished by his faith
er, who was a man of stone, was hon
ored with letter de cachet.
"He had not been imprisoned six
months before he discovered way of
escape. You can imagine the aston
ishment of the Count de Hardincourt
when one fine day his carriage was
stopped by a troop of cavaliers, with
Ferraille, whom he thought still in
prison, at their head.
ION this occasion Ferraille showed
himself to be an audacious, decided
courtly nobleman. He respectfully
bound his future father-in-law, utter
ing thousand apologies as he did so,
which did not, however, prevent the
knots from being very securely tied.
Then lie sent him back to his castle.
AS for Angelique, he took her upon
his own horse and rode away with
her. But it was their fate to be caught
and they were"
"When?' inquired the abbe.
"The next day, or the day after.
Then followed year in dungeon Of
the Bastile for the poor Ferraille.
They thought solong an Imprisonment
! would cool his fiery blood, and at the
end of that time he was set at liberty.
Hardincourt, warned of his freedom
and acting like prudent father, con-
sidered it advisable to multiply his
precautions.
| "Angelique never went out alone.
Even when she went to church or
walked in the park, she was constant
ly guarded by two footmen, armed
with formidable swords. But Ferraille
was not to be deferred by so little.
I" There are only two of them, he
said to himself. L don't need any
help with them. And alone, like a
lion, he threw himself upon the
bodyguard, severely wounding the
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