The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-07-12

tor, by a mere accident arising out of
the jealousy of one of the lady's suitors,
learnt that she whom he thought so in
nocent, so good, had, long ere she had
seen my friend, forfeited her reputation.
There was madness in the thought, des
pair in future life, but honor demanded
the sacrifice; and the broken-hearted
young man, in letter addressed to her
whom he could not but still love, de-
clared his knowledge of her guilt and
his resolution never again to see her.
This letter written, he instantly started
off to Join his friends at Dion. To this
spot she followed him, and having vain
ly for some weeks supplicated, urged
and threatened him, with a view of
making him marry her, she seemed sud-
denly to relinquish her purpose, and
entreated but to be his friend. As such
for several weeks she visited him. His
health gradually declined. In vain she
tried to cheer him. He hourly sank;
and, feeling death fast stealing on him,
he wrote me. / started off soon after the
receipt of his letter; but it was, alas,
too late. When L arrived my much
loved friend had been consigned to the
tomb, but not before post-mortem ex-
animation had taken place, from which
it appeared he died from slow, subtle
poison. Suspicion Immediately fell on
Adelaide Moran; she was seized and in
terrogated, but she would neither confess
or deny. Circumstances were scarcely
sufficiently strong to justify trial for
murder. She was therefore brought
before the Court for the minor
offense, namely, that OF forg-
ing a will, by which it would
appear he left her all his property. On
this charge she was tried and convicted.
Mitigating circumstances, however,
were urged, to save her from the gal
legs; and she was only condemned to
stand in the pillory and be branded on
the right shoulder. This sentence was
to be carried into effect the very morn
ing of my arrival at Dion. Impressed
with horror, / attended near the scat
fold. The lovely but wicked woman
was brought forth. Never can forget
that sorrowful face. Deeply imprinted
on my memory, it can never be effaced.
Judge, then, my surprise when beheld
that very woman, that identical female,
the person who destroyed my friend,
this day seated in yonder chairl'
Jules started up. His eyes dilated
with horror; he approached the MARIA
tor. you are mistaken by an acct
dental likeness; that lady's name is not
Moran, or Adelaide. Say you are mis-
taken, or the consequences may be
dreadful
"By the high heaven above, l speak
the truth. But why this agitation?"
"Stay, stay but five minutes, and you
shall learn the cause
And Jules Duvivier rushed from the
room, leaving the worthy citizen to
wonder at the interest he took in one
certainly very beautiful but depraved.
The time mentioned by the anxious
bridegroom had nearly elapsed, when
the communicative citizen was summon
ed to the apartment of the soldier. I'm
hesitatingly he obeyed the summons,
and entered with cool indifference into
the saloon, where he found the now al
most convulsed youth, who pointed to
chair; then advancing to the door in
stantly locked it and placed the key in
his pocket. Such strange conduct
naturally made the burgher look about
him. On the table lay some objects
covered with handkerchief; a sheet OF
recently written paper, and other things
of minor Importance. A door opposite
led from the saloon apparently to an in
ner bedroom; but this was closed.
There was nothing, therefore, save the
strange manner of the occupant to as
tonish or alarm the visitor.
For a moment Jules seemed to collect
his GOODNESS, then calmly spoke, at the
same time lifting up the handkerchief
and discovering beneath pair of richly
mounted pistols,
: "Sir, you have now entered on youl
death scene or mine. The person OF
whom you spoke to-day is my wife. Il
/ you have dared to assert a falsehood to
me; if you have coupled an innocent
name with foul dishonor, by all the
t powers or heaven, you die, and tha
| without further shrift. f"-and the
, young mans voice became almost dread
4 full to listen to-"if, l say, you have
a spoken the truth, L pledge you my sal
e walton you are safe. Speak not; answer
: me not. A moment more, and hersel
decides the fact
e Thus saying, Duvivier walked to thu
: inner door, opened it, and led forth hi
bride, who seemed much surprised a
], the abrupt manner of her husband.
p "Madam, | desire you instantly t.
t strip off all covering from your shoul
ders."
d The poor girl, thus taken by surprise
It perhaps conscious of her guilt, perhap
e overcome by modest ,scruples, unwilling
2, thus to unrobe before stranger, aston
d ished at the harshness of him who onl
e few hours before had sworn eterna
1t love to her, hesitated and attempted t
is demonstrate.
2 Nay, insist! No words, say!
IS almost shouted Jules.
e 81 beseech you, what does this cor
|. duct meanP Nay, on my knees"
r, "Do you then shrink? will prov
s. or falsify the damned suspicion" II
flew upon her with tiger-like avidity
l, and tore off her upper garments till he
g shoulders were without covering.
W One glance was sufficient.
l Plain and palpable the horrid bran
20 appeared confessed. The executioner