The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-05-09
A Romance of Real Life.

| The following marvellous and interesting mar
rative is given in a letter from Paris, from the
correspondent of the St. Louis Republican:
| The venerable abbess of the Ursuline con-
vent of Neyers, whose life was perhaps, one of
the most eventful on record, died last week at
the advanced age of ninety eight. For fifty
years she had been an inmate of the convent
winning the love and respect of all who ap-
preached her. saM-t... ..-
In the summer of 1862, there broke out at
! Paris a disease very similar to what is now
called cholera, and which was quite as fatal in
its consequences. Although not contagious,
the immense number of persons attacked by it
led the people to think it was so, and terror took
hold of the minds Of all. Mothers abandoned
their children, wives their husbands, sisters
their brothers, and almost as many perished by
| fright as by the disease itself. In two months
| thirty one thousand persons were buried in the
different burial grounds around the city. The
hospitals were crowded-so crowded that the
physicians and nurses passsd with difficulty
among the beds, and the demand for admission
was SO great that every day long file of sick
might be seen at the door, some supported by
relations, but the most part lying on the ground
waiting until their turn should come to be ad-
mitted, but often before night the half of them
were carried to the cemetery instead of the in
frmary. AS may well be supposed, the task
of the physicians was no light one, and finally
they were obliged to organize their labor, and
| force themselves to repose a certain time
every day, and take the service in turns, in
order to be able to bear up under the extraor
dinary efforts they were called upon to make.
| One day, as a young physician, he who
! 1oto 1,lr foI
dr.. Soulie, was leaving the hospital to go and
take his turn of repose, servant man, breath
less and pale, met him at the gate, and asked
| if he was a physician. The doctor answered in
the affirmative, and the man begged him, for
Gods sake, to go to house in the neighbor-
hood and see sick person. Although against
the rule they had established, the doctor con-
sented, and was conducted to the house by the
servant who showed him into the large hand
somcly furnished room. In this room the doctor
remarked first a tall, handsome woman, with
her hair all in order, and her face pale as a
corpse, standing near and screening a child,
which lay upon sofa. Around her was col
lected group of twelve young girls, who
looked to the doctor to be of nearly the same
age, and made him suppose it was boarding
school, particular y as these young girls all
wore dark green silk dresses, and had their
blond hair braided and tied with blue rib
bons. The doctor could see no difference be-
tween any of them, they all had fair skins, small
blue eyes, light hair, long noses and large
mouths, but before he could ask any questions
about them, the women advanced hurrledly,
and seizng him by the arm. led him to the sofa
and in hoarse voice said. Look at chat child u
The doctor lo9ked-before him lay beautiful
little girl of about ten years Of age, but utterly
different from the others. Her hair was black
as midnight, and hung in ringets over hel
shoulders, her eyes were closed, and her livlc
complexion and contracted features SHOWED
that the dreadful disease had seized upon her
open that Window said the doctor,' ant
bring some vinegar Immediately to rub th,
child's BODY
"What?" cried the woman, ''she has not so
the plague?"
"Wby certainly, did you not know it?'' an
swered the doctor.
"No, no. take her away, take her away-sh'
shan't stay here to Viii us ALL Come, my
daughters, come away uick! OIL you wretchee
child she will be the death of youn' and sh'
pushed the twelve girls out of the room anc
went after them.
But the doctor sprang after'her.
care you the mother of that child?' h
asked.
Eyes but take her away-she shan't sta,
here"
'she must be put to bed and taken care of,
said the doctor.
"She shall not have a bed in this house--takt
her away
But where am l to take her? besides, sh'
will die if removed.'
Il don't care, take her to the hospital, any
where, only take her away from this house,
f Though horrfed by the feelings expressed
t by this unnatural mother, the doctor tried {
moment to persuade her to do something TO-
her child, but finding 1t useless, and seeing
that if he left the little girl in the house, sh'
would die from neglect, he took her IN his arms
wrapped her in blanket and carried her to th'
hospital, where he was fortunate enough to tint
a vacant bed for the little sufferer. The docto
then made some enquiries concerning her pa
f rents, and learned that monsieur Domergut
was manufacturer of large means, and BIZ
wife really the mother of thirteen children, al
daughters and duly registered at the mayor
office as having been born in seven years. Sl2
times madame Domergue brought a pair into
the world, all wonderfully resembling eacl
other, light hair, blue eyes, fair skin and SHARP
features. The mother adored them, and hel
pride and JOY was at its climax when she tounc
! her family again about to be increased Bu
alas! this time she was disappointed, tor ilttie
girl arrived, but without any companion. This
alone would have been enough to have turned
her mothers heart from her, but beside this
She was entirely different from the twelve others
The mother could see no beauty IN her clea1
brunette complexion, her black curing halr,
dark eyes and exquisite features, and from the
moment of her birth, little Esther was an $50
lated being, unloved and uncared for. While
her sisters were dressed in silk, she wore cottor
and while they were fed upon dainty food she
eat with the servants in the kitchen. AS she
grew she gave her mother fresh cause tor dis
like, for whereas her sisters were endowed Will
intellects of the most mediocre order, and learn
ed the simplest things with the greatest diff
Guilty, Ethers talents and quickness Of per
ceptlon made her the wonder even of her Sis
ters. Seeing this, and that her twelve pets
were likely to be thrown IN the shade madame
.+.,x,d Ectler's lessons entirely