Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-11-28
LOVES SACRIFICE.
THE REMINIsCENCE OF A RETIRED DE-
TECTIvE.


Orleans for San Francisco in the
spring of 1859; and I may add that
it is the saddest memory connected
with my career as detective.
In one of the fashionable millinery
establishments of that city was a
young girl named Mary Elliston. She
was very young, but with character
formed by sad experience which is
sure to be met with in the life of an
orphan. She had clear, beautiful
grey eyes, and cheeks soft and deli
cate as the leaf of the rose; brown
curly hair shaded low, broad fore
head, instinct with intellect and intel
ligence. She was small in figure,
but the petite form was taultless in
its exquisite delicacy of outline and
contour. 1t was impossible not to
love her, if to such physical beauty
be added the generous and kind heart
she really possessed.
1t is not surprising that such a girl
had many admirers. 1t would be
strange if she had not. But there
were two, who, from their devotion
and her treatment &C cquired a promi-
nence over the rest. Indeed, the
sphere they moved IN was far above
that of the little milliner. She be-
lieved they loved her; and, notwith-
standing the great difference in their
social position, believed they meant
kindly. That they loved is certain.
They were jealous; and more than
once hostile meeting wss imminent
between them.
Her way home from the store led
by Jackson Square. It was not as
beautiful then as now, but It's rich
foliage and elegant bowers even at
that day excited admiration. One
evening as she passed along the river
side of the square, she was met by
Luisand Lacour, the richest and most
persevering of her admirers, but the
one whom she favored least. In
| deed, it was said she disliked him,
| and on one occasion had resented bit
terly an insult he had offered her. A
passer-by heard her voice raised in
dignantly as she passed him that
evening in the front of the iron gate.
Standing there q moment they enter.
ed the square, from which a half hour
afterward she was seen to hurry away
with every sign of distress and in
tense excitement.
1t was but few moments after
this that young Lacour was fount
murdered, lying on the iron bencl
with short Spanish dagger through
his heart. The girl had been know
| to possess such a weapon-the gif
' of one she never named.
This was all.
OF course, almost every one he
licved her to be the assassin.
could not. l had seen too mucl
of criminal life to mistake its charac
teristics. That girl was innocent, J
knew. When arrested she protested
her innocence in language frantic ant
wild. Terror made her forgetful
seemingly, of look and action, ant
she gave Way to the most excessive
paroxysms of grief and distress. AT
ter she was taken to the station, Mr.
I. and myself visited her, to see i
we could learn anything Of the case
We felt more like friends than de
tectives. The sad orphanage of tn
young girl enlisted our deepest sym
pathy and touched our hearts-the,
would have been tlinty, indeed, ha
they not softened at her distress.
never saw such anguish before. TIL
pale, beautiful face was almost will
with terror. She was frantic on
moment, and sobbing, wailing, an
terror-stricken the next. As we Ell
tered the cell, she threw herself a
my feet, and lifting her face, so pal
and beautiful, walled out.
81 am innocent, sir-I am inne
, cent?
''I believe you are, Mary; and
was to help you that we came here.
"I could not do such deed, sir
!. indeed could not"
2 ~ know that; but, Mary, do 70
know who did?''
She lifted her face quickly, and
wild, frightened expression crosse
Q it, and then it grew like marble in a
e instant. She did not reply, but
never saw one in whom hope SCENE
so suddenly and utterly to have file
as that girl then. I repeated m
question:
s'Do you know who did, Mary !?
She shook her head and RENAME
silent. I told her that we were sal
isfied that she was innocent, but
establish this it was necessary T
J bring the real criminal to justice
She could help us in this. But sh
still shook her head.
: ssMary, Paul Villiel is the mani
She sprang to her feet and scream
ed out rather than spoke her denia
ssNo-no-no, not him; 1t was
lit ;. was I. / did.iti Ill acknow
= edge it now-punish me If you vii
but do not accuse him-do not Il
= l,..,> ~. nrroataI ~