Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-12-30
A SENSATIONAL PALATE.


A SENSATIONAL PALATE.
The Stuff that Pleases New York Theater-
Gsers.
The following is the plot in the new
play, Rose Michel, that is so pleasing
New York theater-goers that the seats
are engaged weeks in advance. The
story of the play as presented Is as fol.
lows: Louise Michel, the daughter OF
Rose and Pierre Michel, is an appren-
tice in the employ of Master Bernard; a
wood engraver, with whom she is living.
Andre Bernard, the son of Bernard, is
her lover. The two young people have
formed most ardent attachment, and
the mother of Louise and Master Ber-
nard have favored it. The father of
Louise is miser and brute, and is de-
spised by both wife and daughter. Early
in the play Bernard signifies to Rose
Michel his intention of consenting to
the union. of the young people, but
couples his consent with certain condi-
tions which relate to the stainless char
acter of Louise's family. He empha,
sizes this point, and declares that he
will never consent to the union of his
son with the member of any family
which has the slightest stain upon its
honor. Rose Michel assures him Of the
spotless character Of her husband, and
there appears to be no obstacle in the
way of the lovers. When Rose Michel
returns to her husband to tell him of
the good news which she has learned
from Bernard, she finds to her surprise
and horror that her avaricious husband
has already agreed to sell his child to
the Baron de- Bellevue, ibertine. A
quarrel ensues between Pierre and his
wife, during which Pierre, realizing
that his wife's opposition will create in
surmountable obstacles to the consuma-
tion of his schemes, suddenly conceives
the idea of numbering thea baron LII
order to secure the large sum OF money
which he knows he will have upon his
person. He promises his wife to break
his promise to the baron, and succeeds,
as he supposes, in getting her off to
bed. Immediately thereafter the baron
arrives with 100, 900 ivres upon his per
son, which have been paid him by the
Count de Vernay upon the condition
that he will leave France forever, and
never again seek to see his wife, who
is now living under the protection of
the count.
This hbertine De Bellevue having seen
Louise and fallen passionately in love
with her, has already offered the father
an enormous sum of money to be per-
mitted to carry Louise with him to a
foreign land, there to make her in name
his wife, but in fact his mistress. he is
now present to pay Pierre his money and
take possession of Louise. Pierre
promises that Louise shall 60 with him
in the morning.
The baron, being wet and fatigued,
calls for glass of punch, which Pierre
drugs and offers him. Under its effects
tine baron is put to bed, and Pierrepro-
ceeds coolly to make preparations for
his murder. While he is committing
the act heis discovered by his wife Rose,
and horror struck, she falls senseless to
to ground. Startled by her cries,
Pierre rushes into the room, discovers
her presence and is about to drag her TO
her chamber, when she revives and &C,
cuses him with terrible ferceness of the
murder.
Pierre, seeing that she is determined
to denoupce him, is about to kill her
also, when they are both startled by
knocks at the door and the voice Of
Louise outside calling, "Mother,
mother" Bernard having heard that
Pierre proposed to sell Louise into de.
gradation, comes with his son Andre
and the Baron de Marsan, prefect of the
Seine, to demand an explanation. Be
fore admitting them, Pierre makes his
wife realize that to denounce him would
be to destroy the future CT her own
daughter and perhaps to kill her. he
then leaves her to open the outer gate,
saying: "Denounce me if you dare. >
While he is gone Rose resolves to be-
tray her husbands guilt, but when hel
innocent daughter enters her resolution
is overcome by the strength of her ma
ternal love. Pierre assures the prefeci
that be never intended to sell his child,
but that he gladly bestows her upor
Bernard's son. After they are gone
Pierre throws the body of the Baron dc
Bellevue into the river that flows be-
meath the window of his house.
Rose Michel, knowing the guilt of hel
husband, forces him to give up to hel
the money which he has taken from the
baron's body, and with it she goes te
the house of the Count de Vernay, where
she secretly places it in the counts sec
retary, feeling that as the money came
from him it should return to him. The
body of the Baron de Bellevue is discov
cred, and the Count de Vernay accused
of his murder. The circumstantla evi
dence against him is rendered over
whelming by the discovery in his secre
tary of the wallet of the baron contain
ing the money which he had previously
paid him. Rose Michel, Mortified al
finding an innocent man accused, be
haves so strangely as to excite the sus
picions of the Count de Marsan, who