Year: 1860

"A ioe0 uuiuocr vi Tue VfeuSu o S"s
has story of love affair which has deep
ly moved the whole population of Marseilies
but will be hardly credited by persons who
do not believe in supernatural apparitions.
However here is the story in as few words
as possible. --------


Charles R, born in a wealthy fami
ly of merchants, and an orphan from bis
childhood, had been broug ght up at bis un-
cie's with cousin whose beauty, sweet
ness and graces never failed to produce a
lasting impression on all persons of her ac-
qualntance. 1t is consequently not at all
surprising that Charles R., who had grown
up in her intimate society, should have fall
en- deeply in love with such fascinating
cousin. Nor was his love unrequitted, for,
when the proper time came, she decided
with the consent of her family that their
marriage should take place as soon as he
was twenty years of age. Just about that
time, his uncle received from Calcutta the
news of the failure of house with which
he was carrying on an extensive business,
sent the young Charles to that distant
port TO effect a liquidation. The marriage
was necessarily postponed, and the young
lover left Marseilles, promising to write as
soon as God and the ocean would allow,
and TO return as SOON as his business was
settled.


Four months passed on, and no news
came from the young traveller. His rela-
tions, and more particularly bis cousin, be
gan to feel uneasy, and were already ac-
cusing him of neglect, when one unhappy
day they read in the papers of the fatal
loss of the steamer on board of which they
knew Charles lad gone. The young
Marseillaise was almost mad with grief;
and after a long and dangerous sickness,
the poor girl disheartened, seeing before
her nothing but complete blank, resolved
to spend the remainder of her life in con-
vent to mourn, far from the world, for the
only man she ever loved. rrr


1t was in vain her parents tried to dis
suade her from that resolution. All their
entreaties, their miseries, their tears, could
not induce her TO change her mind, and
she soon entered convent of Marseilles as
a 'postulent.' st


Six months after that fatal day, just as
the time for her to take vows was approach
ing, her family was pleasantly startled by
letter from their daughter, informing
them that she had changed her mind, and
wished to go back to them. to the world,
to pleasures, to happiness. For the last
three nights, she said, she had seen in her
dreams her beloved Charles, entreating her
with tears in his eyes, not 10 fulfill her terri
bic resolution, not to complete sacrifice
which would be the death of them both.
For Charles was vet alive and would soon
be back to keep his sacred promise, and
end all her griefs. The nuns Of the convent
had good humoredly laughed at her, and
tried to persuade her to stay among them,
in that quiet retreat, where she might, un-
disturbed, lament all her life the dear COM
panion of her youth. For he was dead,
said they, and it was foolish to believe in
those supernatural apparitions. But she
was unshaken in her faith, and to all their
entreaties she would answer that her be-
trothed would soon be back, and of course
she must be at home to receive him..


Although The parents of the young pos
tulant' did not believe, any more than the
nuns, that such a strange dream would be
realized, they were so much gladdened by
the letter of their daughter that they de-
cided not say one word to undeceive her.
She might go on from day to day, hoping
all the time for an arrival which would
never take place, and by little and by lit
tie they thought the deep wound of her
heart might be healed. +


Accordingly on that very day they went
10 the convent, and in less than one hour
their only child was crossing again the
threshold of the old family mansion. Her
first thought was for her little room, where
she had gathered so many dear tokens and
souvenirs from her cousin. She hastened
up stairs, and went so fast that her de-
lighted parents could hardly follow her.
But when she was on the landing, whom
did she see standing in the door of that
room, SO long shut up9 Charles, her affi-
aneed, who looked at her, smiling with
happiness, and opened his arms to clasp
her TO his bosom.


1t was no longer dream! Charles
held her in his arms, kissing her, and ming
ling his tears with her own. But when be
opened his arms again, to receive the Ca
resses of her parents, she sunk and drop
ped heavily on the floor. . nj


She was dead dead with surprise and
happiness! dead without uttering one cry,
without heaving one sigh! $3.50