A FRENCH ROMANCE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2150, 24 November 1875, Page 3

A FRENCH ROMANCE.

A charming little story is told of a pretty little French actress in one of the theatreß of Paris. While the theatre was closed for a short time she made a wager that, though ignorant of the English language, she could travel alone for a week in Hampshire, England, supporting herself by. singing in the villages the favorite chansons of France. Cleverly disguising herself as an Alsatian peasant a few weeks a"go, she sailed for England, and avoiding Southampton, where she feared recognition, she took the train for Farnham, an]^:with guitar, in hand, was soon singing Beranger's charming little songs in a market village. The coppers; of the; rustic; villagers-poured into the pockets of the "sweetrvoiced Bohemienne, and her eyes sparkled at the thought of how soon her voice befriended her in the land of the stranger. During her rambles she caught the eyes of a party of young, oflScers-fcom,the .regiments of Ald.ershot, who chaffedi eiich-pther after the manner of/their: kind itond threw handsful of silver ,to > the little , French SO ng-bird. Among ' them was one who,; educated in France, had not forgotten the ■weet charms of the daughters of,that ■tinny lahd^and 1 became fascinated with ; the girl's faultless singing ' arid A lovely form. - Madmoiselle was pressed to dme wilt the officers wheia the day "was done. butlfecHned with a thousand thanks and^ suck?* grace that the young:officer became, as the novelists say, madly m lore. She t*ayelledv on foot to a neigh- : bour% h.aml^t, obtained lodging:, and, ftfteriatighingly counting,over the gams of theiday,, wrote back.to.Parisapiquante story of her first .day's campaignj ■ not forgetting to mention the " lovely young officer.?' < f^eXt day the warbler was agam heard in the streets, and anew came her officer to drink in her sweet notes and: gazeinto thei lustrous depths of her wondrous > eyes; and again his hospitality was refused, but she deigned to accept a crust of bread arid a'glass of claret. The | officer ibid his love, " arid begging ,to; accompany her had for an answer, " You f may accompany, me if yw will travel «»' troubadouiK'^ '; He .shpot^is head and shrugged his Shoulders. This was. more than ,he ; had,.asked for. To travel en troubadour, through the neat.; and dust gathering coppers with a strollinr«in«er,was to© much.; Loye.s >youpe dwamrwft? not bright enough- to ./justify himoffiihus rendering himself conspicuous as'tfttrtt of the jokes of the garrison at AldeJsiot hard by. And thus they parted, he going back to ; his barracks,- and Fw;she, after wmmng her wageri- to' Her "place in the theatre at Paris.. Again? she stood before the' footlights,;atif among those who sat m her audience* was a pensive young English officer. *„ Wh^¥-cu rtain had fallen, and she was'sypjngjjnfe. her couph a voice at her vfc t#?# dher, and a few hurried. words^ige^"' spoken 'm > her ear. 3lademb>selle, lS tjirne,a;.- aFay with a saddened expression, and quickly said, in an almosfe mousing :tone,>as only a French women can'siy it, "No, no! monsieur could not -travel en troubadour. Adieu! adieu!" and she was gone, while the love dream of two young hearts lay in-the dust beneath their feet. Frenchy, is it not? : ■',■;'.' ': ;■''', _.■ , . :.. , „