The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-09-12
A TERRIBLE STORY.
The Folly and the Fate OF Three Bcau.
ttfB1 sisters.
from the ST. Louis Times !

Our readers may possibly rccollcct the
circumstances of a fatal duel, widely pub
li>hcd at the time, which occurred on
the 81 of April, 1874. on the old ducllng
ground on the sandy stretch OF shore
fronting Bay ST. Louis. The participant,
were Artclla Blenvcnuc. broker, auu
Andrea Phillips. u lawyer. OF New Or
leans. II was on the same spot where
the fatal bullet of Rhett of the Picayunc,
sped 10 llight the gallant spirit OF the IN
trrpid Cooley; HE ground on which the
rifle shot, OF Badger and Carter were rN-
changed: where Scott and Campbell met
and where many previous bloody cpl
sode had eXpiated real or imaginary
fault
Aside from the fatal termination OF the
meeting, the contest between IhlliiPs
and Benvenue would not have been I'M
usually remarkable but TOR the fact that II
was the final scene in the tragic welded
! lives of thr, women-si.tcrs-who hus-
bands fell by the hand of violence, melted
by the evil courses of their wives.
Born of reputable creole parents these
sisters were inheritors of vast wealth and
Il stainless name, and distinguished for
personal beauty in "a land where the
lOyclincsss OF women was proNcrblal.
Icnderly reared and brilliantly educated.
with possessions that rivalled in extent
and eXcelled in value a German princi-
patty, 1t is not surprising that they he,
came the battered bellies OF society. anu
were the boast and pride of the mcr-
chant and planter bcauX in all the wild
coast country. That these brilliant pro-
tcgrs of the haughticst ari.tocracy oil the
old regime should be destined to cXcr-
else the fatal influence they cXcrted on
the men who loved them. and made them
their wives, is indeed surprising. But
they were tlrts from their cradles. Born
to admiration, their lives We're spent from
youth to maturity in IN atmosphere of
fictitious sentiment and unreal passion.
They looked upon men as merely The
ministers of pleasure, and rs the mcdi-
ums through which their iattcred vanity
might expand, as the flower
blooms in the warmth Of sun
life were bounded by the ambitions
OF society. Admiration to them wa, APP
probation. laugh, to regard their indi-
ridllal pleasures as superior to all consld-
erations of convenience to others, it is
not surprising that selii,hncss, indiiler-
ence and folly became the maiuSpringS to
their actions.
Nor is it astonishing that they exercised
the fatal influence they did upon men.
There beauty was glorious. The young
est was the living type of the other two.
As the writer saw her but little over
year ago, she rises before his vision now,
a tall, graceful. slender woman, 1.-THE
willOwy torn of splendid contour and eX-
quisitc symmetry. The oval, tinted face
glows with health, and is radiant with III
telligencc. Deep, slumbrous black eyes.
untathomable in their depths, which
al
aglow with passion a queenly woman,
regnant IN youth, grace, and the empire
OF mems hears. The rich coils of hair,
black and intense. were wound above the
low, broad forehead, and formed a raven
like crown to the dusky splendor of the
dark Egyptian face. Men paused to look
at her. and women sighed with envy a.
she passed. What she was in her YOUTH
ful bridehood has been imperiecty de-
scribed; what her sister, were in their
matured aud splendid womanhood the
enthusiasts Imagination alone can pic.
turc.
And now for the story of their lives.
The Oldest sister was married to ID. Sharp,
| OF Tuscaloosa, Ala, polished, graceful
gentleman, whose love and devotion
might have contentcd any woman less
prone to the allurcments OF society and
the admiration of men. Ii was in the
first year of the war. and the most bril-
liant society In the South was gathered
at Mobile and New Orleans. With an
appetite wheltcd to fever heat by Il few
! months abstinence from social pleasures.
she plunged recklcssly into a whirlpool
OF gaiety. The married ilirt wears no
armor OF innocence. Her love of admi-
ration Is pitted against mans duplicty
and cunning. She stakcd and lost From