The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-03-25
METROPOLITAN GOSSIP.
The Remarkable History OF Lady Well
Known in the Literary Society of New
York.


Known in the Literary society Of New
FCorrespondence st. Louis Times.
NEW YORK, March o, 1S75.-The daily
papers of yesterday announced the death
of Mrs. Henry Field, wife of the Rev.
Henry. Fi4d. editor of the well known
New York Evangelist. The notice in the
Times of Mrs. Fields last hours upon earth
is very beautiful, and doubtless very just
No one would suspect from this obituary
that shadow has always hung over this
lady's career--that history OF her early
life has been repeated In private circles,
and been published through malicious in
tent SO frequently, that it is almost as IA
miliar as her name but Malame Rumor,
ever ready to revive a scandalous tale,
while saving s'peace to her ashes" brings
the skeleton from the closet and again
shows it TO the world Very briefly will
write this story. which may net be old to
all readers, giving it as it was told TO me
BY o lady who is friendly TO the family of
the deceased. "a have heard other versions
not so favorable, and probably the truth
lies between the two. ~ $3.50 -
Years ago. during the reign of the ''Cit-
izen King Of France, d gentleman con-
nected with the court, the DUO de Praslin,
and his wife were found murdered, In their
private APARTMENTS, early in the morning,
nv their servants. The goYerness of the
children had recently Eeel discharged I'M
der neci;li. ifcircumstances by the Duchess.
This governess was arrested, imprisoned,
Hand tried for this terrible crime, but for
want OF evidence was not convicted, and
was set at freedom. The name of this gov
erness was Hademoiselle l1artong, who
few wears later became Mrs Henry Field.
When the Duchess de Praslin discharged
Mademoiselle las it was said through bitter
jealousy, she refused positively to give her
a letter of recommendation. Without
this Litter the goverhess could not obtain
another situation; She was very poor,
and without relatives or friends, with the
exception OF lady who kept a boarding
school tor girls, in the city of Paris. To
this pension Mademoiselle fled, in her sor-
rowiuf disgrace. Again and again she
sent to the Duchess for the letter of recon-
'mendation, but was never successful.
Some weeks after her discharge from the
Prasln mansion, one evening her late en-
plover and his children visited her. bring
ing gifts of 1owersiand some other things.
1t was agreed between them that Made
moiSele should the next day visit the
Duchess, as they reported her COW willing
to see her and to have promised to give
Inc much desired letter of honorable dis
charge from her employment.
Madem0iselle went early to the house
of the teacher who gave the Prasln chill
l-dren lessons in drawing, as it had been
agreed that she should 90 with this ger
tleman to the residence of the Due dc
Fraslin. It was about ten or eleven
o'clOcl. in the morning. When she enter
ed this teachers presence lie looked at her
in surprise and asked, 6 Mademoiselle,
where did you come from; did you not
hear the newsboys crying terrible MUIR
der?p AIatlemoiSelle had noticed the
cries, but did not learn the particulars.
Judge of her horror when told that she
was accused ofthis horrible crime. The
trial was very remarkable in every way,
and was the sensation of the day in Paris.
Mademoiselle, free to leave her prison,
went forth entirely friendless. She wan
dcred through the streets and ont
to a suburb. aimless, hopeless, not
caring whittier. The sound of
singing from a little chapel arrested her at
tentiOn. She entered the porch and heard
- Come unto me, all We who are weary,
and will give you rest,p as it seemed 10
heI from Heaven. She waited after the
service, and told the pastor of the chapel IA
Protestant clergyman), her name. He
knew her story as told in the papers, but
when she gave him the true version, he
pitied her, took her home to his parSOn-
are. and he and his family became her
fast friends. Within a few months, Made
moise!le opened school in this city for
Young ladies. She was very successful,
and after the lapse of two or three years,
married Mr.. Henry Field, with the appro-
= q tino tirl1a Il
brothers, Dudley and Cyrus, who we're ac-
uuainted with every detail of Der remarka-
bic history. -...... .... .......
Mrs. Field has been very conspicuous as
leader in the literary circles of this city,
and although nota woman of pleasing per-
sonal appearance, has been a fayOrite IN
society. Many of the leading editorials in
the EUaRqeList are said to have been writ
ten by this lady, who was Il person of great
culture, and almost positive genius. Her
mastery of the English language was per-
feet. which is remarkable in French wO-
man. As have written in the beginning
of this letter, often this scandal has been
brought to light in the newspapers. Only
a wear since. while Mrs. Field was begin
ming TO suffer the Dreaded malady which
! brought her to the grave, she wrote a
| leader in her husbands paper, on French
| history. which excited some one to pub
1 Iish fresh account eff this never-to-be-f0r-
| gotten story. But now. as ever, she treated
! the publication with silence, it being her
1 own, and the policy OF the Field family.
never to rake open the embers of fire,
which they hoped might some time be-
come extinct. The deaths of the Due and
| Duchess de Praslin have never been salts
! factorily accounted for-and viii doubtless
| ever remain a mystery. tC