Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-02-21
A LOUISIANA

Crofts, at his extensive mansion in
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. On
the 10th of No:ember, 1913, to Chas.
Long, a wealthy young P~ennsylvan-
ian, who was a distant relative Of his,
and who had come down from New
Orleans to spend several days at the
Crofts plantation.
shave always heard that woodcock
shooting in Louisiana" replied Long,
twas a most exciting and entertain
ing kind of sport"
81 I'm sure you have nothing like
it in Pennsylvania, Mr.. Long. Would
you like to go out with us tonight?
The birds are very fat and the weather
is just mild enough for the sport"
81 accept your offer with the
greatest pleasure, Mr.. Crofts. / am
passionate hunter"
"You will see some capital shooting
tonight. / am looking for some
guests for dinner this evening, among
them will be Mr.. Clrman, a neighbor
OF mine, an ardent Nimrod, and q
crack shot. He will Of course join
our party"
At hat time the dinner parties of
the wealthy Louisiana planters were
truly grand affairs. There was no end
of the palatable dishes, and generous
wines were handed around in the ut
most profusion.
Mrs. John Crolts, a dashing young
brunette, at least twenty-five years
younger than her husband, presided
at the table.
On her right sat Mr.. Long, the
Pennsylvania; ON her left, Mr.. Mark
Carman.
Crofts had buried already two
wives, and had married his present
spoues, Jennie, during a recent So
journ in New Orleans, after a very
brief courtship. With the strange in
fatuation~ peculiar to middle-aged men
of amorous proctivities, he not taken
special pains to inquire into her pre-
vious life. Otherwise he would have
learned that her character was not al
togher unsullied, she having had a
number of liaisons and given birth to
two illegitimate children.
There were vague reports in circula-
ton about her ~antecedents among the
neighbors OF her husband, but no one
vcntured to repeat them, for John
Crofts was not only o very influential
but also an exceedingly choleric man,
anu it was by no means agreeable to
incur his displeasure. He was inor-
dinately fond of his young wife, who,
on her part, treated him rather coldly.
A month after her arrival at the Crofts
mansion she had entered into a secret
liaison with the above mentioned Mr..
Carman, who, despite his fifty years,
was still noted for his admiration Of
ONE He paid her the most deli
cate attentions, drove out frequently,
made her costly presents, and in a
few days became the frail woman's
paramour.
While Crofts seemed to be abso-
. lutely blind to the illicit relations pre-
vailing between his wife and Carmar,
the latter was furiously jealous of her.
If she took the slightest notice of a
younger man he would violently re-
proach her for it. To-day, at the
dinner table, he became enraged upon
perceiving that his inamorata seemed
to be struck with the good looks of
her husbands young guest from Penn
~sylvania, and when the latter paid
her some well turned compliment
about her beauty, which
caused her to blush with pleasure,
Carman, who had turned pale with
passion, sprang to his feet and said
he would have to go home, he having
been taken suddenly i'll.
81 am sorry for it, Maxi" said
Crof1s, ''for / promised to go out
woodeock hunting with Mr.. Long,
and / had hoped that you, IL crack
shot, would accompany us and give
nay Pennsylvania cousin some excel
lent proofs Of Louisiana markham
ship.
Carman refused at first almost rude
ly, but then he changed his mind, and
replied:
Let me take an hours ride. / may
feel better, and go with you to-
Night"
He left the room and called for his
horse. A few minutes afterward lie
galloped at a furious rate toward a
lone cabin of most dilapidated appear
ance, situated in n deserted old cane
brake. $40
The owner of the cabin, an old man,
whose face plainly indicated that be
was of Spanish descent, came out
upon hearing the noise of Caravans
horse.
s'Hallow, Cujaraos," said Carman
to him.
"'Wouid you like to earn two hum
dred dollars?"
The old mans eyes sparkled with
delight.
''How can / earn so large a sum of
money, Mr.. Carman?" he demand
ed.