Louisiana capitolian., 1879-12-13
A Remarkable 1mposture
BY HUBERT II. DUVAR.

It can be substantiated by the criminal
records of France, under tho Empire,
and even yet in the Partisan detective
bureas, ono will hear them speak of tho
Affairc dc Maurn.
Mademoselle Manrin was an actress of
unmistakable talent and remarkable
beauty. She had been the favorite OF
the people for several years, and had
managed, by her talents as well as by
many tokens of admiration private
admirers, to accumulate quite large
fortune. She owned an elegant bijou
house, the furnishing of which cost n
little fortune, where she gave the most
recherche suppers to, if not the most
aristocratic, ut least tho most brilliant
part of Partisan society. just, however,
in the height of her popularity, rapid
consumption, that utterly bntlled: the
doctors skill, attacked her, and shielded
in less than three weeks.
There could attach to no one the Sigh
test suspicion of foul play. That he,
death was a natural one was evident to
everybody. She lay in death placisi as
if asleep, and even o faint rosc-tint
seemed to linger on her cheeks. and
lips.
The whole of Paris, almost, followed
her body to its last resting place i'll
Pere Ia Chaiso, while her executors, two
cousins from distant province, come to
take possession of her property. Her
house was offered at private sale, while
the furniture was advertised to be sold
ut public auction.
Tho tastes of the dead actress had
been something dclletani, and she had
collected together choice little bits OF
painting and statuary, rs well as other
valuable articles of vertu. The sale
was largely attended, and large prices
were anticipated for everything. Hardly
had the auctioneer put up the first lot,
however, than u man, with u lady close
ly yelled upon his arm, came up to
the desk and said, in % voice that could
be distinctly heard through the room:
81 for id the salew
In M instant all eyes were turned
upon him with surprise.
Recognizing in him q well known
notary, the auctioneer asked by what
authority he did So
"By authority of hislady, tho owner,
Mademoiscllc Julie Maurin."
As the words left his lips the lady
raised the veil she wore and showed the
faco-palcr and timer indeed-but un.
mistably that of the actress who had
been buried week before in Pere Ia
Chaisc.
Her story was soon told, and was con.
vincing from its very simplicity. The
first sensation she had known was ol
lying out in the open air with the starlit
sky above, and three rough looking men
their faces concealed by black masks,
standing over her and regarding hel
with every expression of amazement, by
the light of dark lantern. Realizing
ut once that she had been buried fol
dead when she really was only in d state
of trance, and that she owed her escape
to these men who were professional res
urrectionists, she offered them an amount
so large that they saw instantly that il
was to their interest to save her life and
restore her to her proper position. Tho
reaction of the shock upon her nervous
system, however, had been SO great that
she had been utterly incapable Of any
exertion, and unable to rise from the bee
upon which she had lain FRUSTRATED unit
that very morning. Q
Her appearance confirmed her words
for she still looked so exhausted as tt
be hardly able to stand. OF the trutl
of her story there could be little doubt
but when it was found that tho gray,
had been opened, and the men who hat
done so were recognized by the police
as having before been engaged in similar
nefarious adventures, it became % Ger
tainty, and her property was at once
restored to her by the executors.
The public only awaited tho oppor
tunity to give her an ovation such as i
seldom, even in Paris, accorded to th
most celebrated queens of the. boards
but in this courteous determination the,
were doomed to be disappointed. Mad
emOiselle Maurin refused utterly to re
sume her position as leading lpdy at th
theatre, and announced her invention
of leaving the stage forovorl A grca
change, in many things, had come owe
the actress. Her glorious voice, whic1
had been the cause of most OF her fame
was irretricvably lost, and the terror O
the terrible experience of being entomh
cd alive seemed to have seriously i'm
paired her memory.
That she was not Insensble of thi
was evident. Her face would flush an
tears spring into her eyes With mortit
cation at thus being surprised, and
gradual dislike growing upon her fo
the society of those to whom her misfol
tune was known, no one Was antOnishe
when she signiied her intention of sell
ing her house and furnitute in Paris an
purchasing small estate in the rura
district of Normandy.
Once more arrangements were mad
and the day of sale fixed, when the sl