The Portland daily press., 1873-07-22
Mrs. Tretherick.


In 1858, Fidd.etown considered her very
pretty woman, She had quantity of light
chestnut hair, good figure, a dazzling com.
plexion, and certain languld grace which
passed easily for gentlewomanliness. She
always dressed becomingly, and in what
Fiddletown accepted as the latest fashion.
She had only two blemishes; one of her vel
vety eyes, when examined closely, had a
slight cast, and her left cheek bore a small
scar left by single drop of vitriol-happily
the only drop of an entire phial thrown upon
her by one of her own jealous sex that
reached the pretty face 1t was intended to
mar. But when the observer had studied
the eyes sufficiently to notice this defect, he
was generally incapactated for criticism, and
even the scar on her cheek was thought by
some to add piqnancy to her smile. The
youthful editor Of the Fiddletown Avalanche
had said privately that it was an exaggerated
dimpe." Colonel Starbottle was Instantly
reminded of the beautifying patches of the
days OF Queen Anne, but more particularly,
sir, OF the blankest beautiful woman, that,
blank you, you ever laid your two blank ewes
upon. A creole woman, sir, in New Orleans
And this woman had scar-a line extending,
blank me, from hei eye to her blank chin.
And this woman, sir, thrilled you, sir, mad
dened you, sir, absolutely sent your blank
soul to perdition with her blank destinations.
And one day l said to her, Celeste how in
blank did you come by that beautiful scar.
blank your And she said to me, Star.
there isn't another white man that I'd con-
fide in but you, but l made that scar myself,
purposely, did, blank me- These were her
very words, sir, and perhaps you think it
blauk lie, sir, but I'll put up any blank sum
you can name and prove it, blank me.''
Indeed, most of the male population of
Fiddletown were or had been in love with
her. or this number, about one-half believed
that their love was returned, with the excep-
ton possibly, of her own husband He alone
had been known to express skepticism.
The name of the gentleman who enjoyed
this Infectious distinction was Tretherck.
He had been divorced from an excellent wife
to marry this Fiddletown enchantress. She
also had been divorced, but it was limited that
some previous experience of hers in that legal
formality mad made it perhaps less novel and
probably less sacrificial. / would not have it
inferred from this that she was deficient in
sentiment or devoid of its highest moral ex-
preston. Her intimate frien had written
ION the occasion of her second divorced, '"The
cold world does not understand Clara vet"
and Col, Starbottle had remarked, blankly.
that with the exception of single woman in
OpeousaS Parish, Louisiana, she had more
soul than the whole caboodle of them put to-
gether. Few indeed could read those lines
entitled 'Infelissimus," commencing s.Wby
waves no cyyress o'er this brow,' originally
published in the Aualdnche over the signature
of "The Lady Clare" without feeling the tear
of sensibility tremble on his eyelids, or the
glow of virtuous indignation mantle his cheek
at the low brutality and pitiable jocularity Of
the Dutch Fiat Intelkgencer, which the next
week had suggested the exotic character of
the cypress and its entire absence from Fid-
dletown as a reasonable answer to the query
From "An Episode,G Fiddleto,cn;" Scrib-
ners for August.