New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-01-10
a Curious storv q su n,

superstition. Wecften meet people whodo not dare
to sit at table where there are seats for thirteen
could pardon this superstition In religious people
Then it Is like those little valueless gold rings they
carry on their fingers in order not TO lose ring OF
inestimable value. Bat the superstition OF ncredu
lous l. big copper ring. badly gs, carried bya phi
losopheF who scorns gold rings and precious stones.
heard. not many days ago, . Colonel, who fought
brayely In the Crimea, say
a felt no emotion d the taking of the Malakot,
yet tembe ct the bare thought OF thirteen attable
What would be have said had he heard the follow
Last tuesday WAS riding with the Count de p
We were 10 have been fifteen, but one Of the guests
had gone TO Baden, and another was sick. Conse
quently two plates were removed.
We had arrived at the second course without no
ticing this iact when one of the guests, NJ dA---
auditor Of the Council Of State, cried out,
thirteen at table," = : i -e
Thirteen at tablet. exclaimed man Of sixty
pale. - f-S,'ee' ~" =
He counted the guests, and then said to the host
NY dear P, you told me that we were to have
Trne,n replied De P with regret, AT had in
fact fifteen guests but M isat Baden, and D.
Is sick was foolish enough not to make this simple
calculation, that two from fifteen leaves thirteen
Believe me, my dear Albert, that am sorry. I'll
ask the landlords SON to sit with us at the table,
O, it 10 useless answered the one they had called
Albert; Aiea jaeta est! shall not live after this
week."
No one Of Us feared the number thirteen, but the
resigned apprehension Of Albert saddened US. De
P, especially was much affected.
Last evening met De P in the Champs Ely
z What is the matter ~ I asked. "You look
!. have Just come from the house of that poor al.
bert Curtel' -
Well, is he ealmer7"
He is dead.a 5se..e.y-s s5g
r =
Come said De --, l will tell you shistory
and you shall see why that man Of mind and vii
feared the number thirteen
e TWAS in 1872. The Duke de - a man of influ.
ence and intimate adviser Of Louis XVIII, was living
ct his hotel ia Rue Grenele.StG ermain He had
With him his daughter, aged 81 his two sons aged 10
and 10, and his sister, an old girl romantic and more
proud Of her nobility than the Duke himself. The
PLeceptos o. the two young men, an old able, had
just died, and they were awaiting his successor, .
young man Of twenty five or six, who was Breton,
teaubriand. ~ ~
One Day the Duke had some guests to dinner, and
especially N. de Series and two minister's The yonr
preceptor arrived two hours before this dinner He
made conquest OF the whole family. The young
people saw 10 him companion, the father was drawn
towards him BY his character. He was the son Of a
yendeean who.had shed his blood for the egitimist
and consequently was strong legtmist himself. He
was naturally silent and melancholy; he wrote well,
could paint, was an excellent musician.
Well, be took sent at the table at this dinner and
charmed every one BY his intelligent and unaffected
conversation. The Dukes daughter seemed to listen
70 him with great pleasure, but all at once she trem
bled turned red, then pale, then refraned entirely
from eating. After dinner one of the sons took this
tator whose name was Albert, and presented him to
his sister.
All, sir, said Louise, " you will bring me mis.or-
tune. We were thirteen at the table,
from that day the number thilteen seemed to
weigh on both Albert and Louise. 1t became an in
day the Duke perceived that his daughter had com
United fault, the consequence of which it was ne
cessary TO hide. The Duke asked his daughter the
name OF her betrayer. Knowing bis violent charac-
TER she neither allowed bis threats nor promises to
She was 10 the habit Of sitting every evening on a
balcony which overlooked her garden. One night il
suddenly gave way throwing her to the ground, and
killing her Instantly.
Singular rumors were circulated. Justice inquired
into the cause Of the accident. 1t was whispered
that Louise was enciente, and that this means had
been taken to destroy her, But these reports sradu
any died away The Duke being powerful, the just
the judge of his 0,rn honor. f77 d
The Duke and his sons suspected Albert, and his
grief changed their suspicious into certainty They
would have been avenged on him, but the next day
he quilted the hotel, and was not seen for mary
years. He went to Spain, where he rendered some
brilliant services, for which he obtainsd mission to
Mexico. : "
, When the revolution OF 1880 broke out, he was
French Consul ina Northern State He gave in his
resignation. and went to establish himself at Riga.
IRE Duke died in 1884 bequeathing to his elder son
all bis hatred against Albert. The Younger became
Q priest, and the world attributed that action to
rem0rse. III - -
In 1910 Albert returned to France. The aay after
MS arrival he was attacked, in the evening on the
2ual 'Orsay, by four armed rufians. He only owed
MS safety 70 the unexpected arrival of some soldiers
who put his assailants to fight. The next day the
young Duke Of " died Of malady to which be
chung to life til the day when he thought he could
ayenge himself, and that he died when hisplot failed
Since then Albert lived, alone and retired, in
mail room in the Rue de Grenee, whence he could
zee the place where Louise was killed. +" He only
vent out Of his retreat once or twice year. and then
o see me, said NJ de p, in concluding.
was distant relative Of the Dukes During
ny visit to the house learned to become intimate
With Albert. When she died, knew Of her intrigue
WITH Albert. and myself concealed him until his de-
,arture for SPAIN
never formerly believed in the influence Of the
lumber thirteen, but on the day when Albert said, I
hall not live after this week. was convinced that
lie would dien -1'''