The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-12-01
From, Wealth to Poverty.

Among the shabby, dirty, and ragged
unfortunates who came TO the Southern
station last night to obtain nights
lodging was an old man bent with years
and showing the evidence of fatigue and
travel by his tottering footsteps and
wretched apparel. He gave his name to
CAPTAIN Delanty as Paul Veniler, of New
Orleans, and was shown back to the room
assigned to tramps. A glance at his rags
and carewOrn face would never suggest to
the observer that Paul Veniler was at
one time leading business msn and a
prominent citizen of the crescent city,
but such is indeed the case, and the his
tory of his life has in it all the elements
of dramatic story, which we may read,
throw aside, and say it is improbable. A
few points in the life of this unfortunate
individual may not be uninteresting.
About thirty-fve years ago there arrived
in New Orleans young and handsome
man, accompanied by his wife, creole,
in the full bloom of her youthful beauty.
The couple had come from Martinique,
and brought with them large sum of
money, which Veniler proposed to invest
in trade. They settled in magnificent
house on the bank of lake Ponchartrain,
which became, on account OF the social
qualities of its masters and mistress, the
central point of attraction for all the ar
istocratic people of the neighborhood.
The husband had in the mean time en-
barked in the shipping and commission
business, and was very successful. Real
izing largely on his investments he be-
came one of the wealthiest citizens, while
he. at the same time attained
reputation for umblemished busi-
ness integrity, probity, and honesty:
Three children had been born, and
every bright prospect in life seeemd at
tainable without effort to the young
couple. About this time a gambler, well
known in those days for his success with
cards, and remarkable for his handsome
exterior and pleasing address, met Nine.
Veniler at bal masque. Other meet
ings followed, and the foolish woman,
abandoning her luxurious home, her
children, her husband, and her honor,
listened to the seductive addresses OF her
DESTROYER. and fled to Cuba. The hus-
band followed, but never succeeded IN
coming up with his wife, to whom he
had forgiveness to offer; nor with her
seducer, for whom he had vengeance.
He gave up the pursuit and returned to
New Orleans. But business had no
longer any interest for him, now that she
for whom he labered so earnestly had de-
serted him. The three children fell vic
Tins to the cholera, and Veniler,
broken-down man, aged before he was
old, sold out his business interests and
disappeared. Some weeks later he was
discovered on the levee wandering up
and down homeless, and without penny
of the large sum he had realized by the
sale of his property. He was taken to
madhouse, where he remained for twenty
three years, and finally, when former
friends had forgotten him and he was no
longer an object of interest to the out
side world. he was released, helpless and
penniless, to live or die as chance befell
him. In his wanderings he reached Bal
timore last night, carrying with him as
a link connecting him with happier days,
the New Orleans and Mobile papers
which told the story of his wife's deser-
ton, the subsequent death of his chill
dren and of his immurement in a mad
house. Poor old man he has but a few
steps to take in life before he will go out
with the tide, tue wreck of life blasted
by woman's perfidy.