Year: 1877

LOVE Il AS f Eli HXSlG1AN.


BY EsTELLE GRAY.


In the environs of Paris, a short dis
tance from Morfontaine and Ermenon-
vile, stands a pretty country-house,
carefully built and tastefully ornament
ed; the traveller in passing stops to gaze
upon it with pleasure, as one would be-
hold an abode where seem to dwell COM
| fort, peace and happiness. This resi-
dence had neither the appearance of a
chateau nor the luxury of villa; it was
not farm, still less a cottage; it was a
citizens house, but had served as a re-
treat to an artist, and the inspirations OF
talent had passed by there, for persons
who cultivate the arts have a secret of
giving charm to the most simple things.
The house of the painter, the garden of
the poet, the pavilion of the musician,
all unpretending as they may appear,
always have an aspect that the rich CAPT
talist can never attain to in his sumptu-
Gus property. And what more beauti-
ful residence could you choose, if you
would fly from the noise of the city,
than the country situated between Nor
fontaine and Ermenonville?


Morfontaine! delightful place, where
so many sovereigns have come to lose the
cares OF royalty, and seek beneath its
shade some hours of quiet, repose and
happiness Ermenonville! whose name
recalls the great writer, the celebrated
philosopher, and whose tomb is for the
French, and for the stranger, a goal for
pilgrimage.


Thus it was with joy that the poet re-
tired to this charming dwelling, all the
attractions of which l shall not attempt
to describe, because description gives but
a faint image of the reality. l viii only
say that nothing was wanting which in
the country could add to the happiness
of life. There was a pretty drawing
room, with piano; a large hall, with
billiard-table; q beautiful garden, with
grottoes and shady spots: poad of
water, and all that was necessary for
fishing it is no use for those living in
the country to renounce ali that can en-
belish or charm life. The true sage, it is
said, is he who uses everything yet abuses
nothing.


Delvigny left the city, after having
lost wife whom he almost worshiped !;
though still young he could not be con-
soled for the loss of her whom he hoped
to have had for a companion and friend
until the end of his days. This will
prove to you that there are still some
husbands who regret their wives. True,
he was a poet, and that exalts the i'm
agination.


A son was the only pledge that Hymen
had left TO Delvigny, son beautiful as
his mother, and who promised to have
also her gentleness. The little Adolphe
was the idol of his father, who already
resolved to make him celebrated artist,
and saw upon his forehead all the indi-
cations of science, genius and art. With
a little Willingness there is nothing so
easy as to find these indications in ones
children and ones friends. But death,
which 50 often deranges our pro-
jects, did not permit Delvigny to ac.
complish his plans for the education of
his son; the poet died three years after
his wife, leaving only to watch over the
little Adolphe two good aunts, who had
Taf. 8hafr fO
him during his illness.


Behold, then, a little boy of five years
of age, lett to the care of two women,
one of whom has only passion for
sweetmeats, the other very decided in
clination for the game of the goose"
Do not think by this that the child will
be unhappy; on the contrary, his two
aunts cherished, watched over and idol
lied him. For the sake of little Adolphe
his Aunt Ursula sometimes forgot to eat
sweetmeats, and his Aunt Babolette neg
lected her favorite game.


Delvigny had left to his son yearly
income of thousand crowns this was
considerable for poet; each aunt pos
sessing the same, and all that would one
day come back to Adolphe He would
then be sufficiently rich to live happy.
and need only trouble himself to drive
away from his heart all wicked inclina
tions, all ambition, and finally to be con
tented with the lot fortune had granted
to him.


The two good aunts educated the lit
tie boy like girl. They did not allow
him TO read Greek history, for fear he
would have a taste fer war; they kept
from him Roman history, fearing that he
might imbibe ferocious and savage fan
cies; they did not give him mythology,
because the history of the gods and god
desses seemed to them too scandalous
and they would not allow him to take
drawing lessons, because it would be
necessary that he should copy from
models.


These gentlewomen still suppressed a
crowd OF things which they Judged as
useless or dangerous for little AdoIphe:
butin return the pretty little boy learned
to sing and to read in some old books
very we'll. He could do needlework.
wind silk, and make netting. Finally
they early incuIcated the love of sweet
meats and the game of the goose.


Meanwhile Adolphe grew larger. He
was as beautiful as Cupid, gentle as a
girl-or rather as lamb (for all girls are
not gentleE he cast down his eyes when
any one locked at him, and blushed
when spoken to. he was neither very
learned nor very industrious, but instead
he adored sweetmeats, and willingly