The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-09-19
NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 10, 1863,

tanned. The jealousy of the lovers had here
totore prevented their individual knowledg,
OF the treatment which each. had respectively
received-at the hands of the cruel Ninette
and II was only with the shame and anger
I aroused 4 ny the diGeoyeryes it slowly dawned
equally favored and that all had been runous.
~ deceived, that they unanimously resolved to
throw aside, for the while, their Jealous rival.
~, and mutually concert n scheme which
| should make Ninette the bride of one of them
which one, it was uncertain-but ali agreed
to JOIN IN the plot, and abide by the event.
The matter was undertaken without anger
and without the slightest intention of harm to
the unsuspicous girl; but rather as q peremp-
tory measure to finally settle her preference,
! and to do away with the uaeasiness which had
r4ong tortured them although it is more than
possible that more than one of the youths Sc
cretly regarded the mental sufrerngs which
were being prepared for Ninette as measure
OF retrlputlon. Happily for the plotters, none
oil them anticipated the terrible and disastrous
results which were destined to flow from their
| thoughtlessness
| AsANinette was lightly trippipr home one
| evening, without the slightest intimation of
danger, she was suddenly seized and hurried
INTO covered vehicle, close by. Her cries
were mu1ited in cloak, and her person closely
confined in the arms of her captor. Overcome
by the violence, and terrified by dreadful APP
prehensions of her fate, she tainted, and re-
NAMED some time in Il state of insensibility.
When she at last regained her consciousness
hit was to find herself in u damp, dark room
surrounded with stone walls dripping with
moisture The apartment was evidently sub
terranean She was lying upon the cold floor,
stood beside fer ToW9ssss99 gs HAD nd ifs feet fggt
she piteously implored to be released and con-
veyed to her friends, but was rudeiy repulsed.
These are the conseq of heartless
quetry," the-disguised man sternly said. "And
here, Ninette, shall'yOu 1ie-aye, if it>}e even
to the day of your deatll-u1itfl you/consent to
accept the hand of one of those whom your
heartiess conduct has we'll nigh driven frantic
L return hnurStD Il
cision; and remember that this is to be your
dungeon, with neither food drink, nor compa-
ny, until your chsice is made"
Pierre, ol>~Pierrc, pity me-rclcase me y
the unhappy sirl cried, as, recognizing the
voice, she threw herself again at his feet. But
the prison door was harshly closed between
THEM, and she found herself alone. The ter
-Tors of her situation was too much for her meek
spirit-again she lnsped into O swoon, and this
time so deep, so deathlikc, that her breathing
could hardly be perceived. Her jailor returned
at the expiration of the hour, and so alarmed
did her situation make him that he caused her
to be conveyed instantly to her home. The
same night all of her abductors precipitately
lett the village, to await the event of her i'll
ness.
For weeks poor Ninettc suffered in the insen-
SlbilitY OF u burning fever, imagining herself.
still inhe power of her cruel captors, and dis
tressing the ears of her friends with her RAJ
wings. She recovered at last, and regained her
strength; but it was only with the total loss of
her sght-the blasting heat of the fever had
forever closed her bright eyes to the light.
This intelligence was received with such
distress of mind rs may be imagined by the ex-
lied youths; and fearing to return to incur
punishment at the hands of the authorities,
they became miserable wanderers over the
continent. Most restless of all, demon of un-
happiness seemed to possess the wretched
Pierre. He Feproached himself n thousand
times with the guilt of the whole transaction
since he had been the ringIeader in the plot;
and for several months lie roamed restlessIy
about. seeking peace, but finding it not"
Growing desperate at-lasb, he determined to
return 10 the village Ho-fsRHtt Niuette sad
and responding under her heavy atfliction
aud most earnestly did he plere AeF forgive
ness, which the gentle girl did not withhold.
Nor was this all; with heroism which did
honor to his noble heart, Pierre beSought her
TO become his wife; pleading with her to per-
init him to atone with the devotion of his
when she sadly shook her head, that he had
never loved her so well now. Ninette hest
tated long, but his fidelity for several months
conquered her consent. And never, since the
hour of their marriage, had Pierre failed in his
unwearying assiduity to anticipate her every
en-, if possible, this fidelity: and it was indeed
beautiful and touching to this strong man.
thus nobly employing his days, striving to re-
deem his own error. One by one, too, the err
ing lovers of Ninette returned to their homes. |
being hidden by the husband to come without
fear and the forgiveness of the wife was free
ly extended to them.
The renewed interest which this story with
its simple hrevity, excited in its characters |
drew me the next day to the little shop of
Pierre, where purchased, from the hands of
Ninette herself, several relics of the field. L |
have carefully cherished and preserved them, |
not so much souvenirs of the great battle, |
as of "The Blind Girl of Waterloo" /
], w, Long, Mammoth News Depot, corner of |