St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-05-24
CONVICTION, ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. MAY a. 1884,

| lioH VI ueteItulnatiOn WHICH suggested
that the young lady would be more de
sirable as a friend than as an enemy
She said she was an Italian. having
been bern at Rome; but her parent.
were Bohemians, who travelled through
all countries dancers by profes.
sion.
La Severina had conceived TO,
Eugene passion as violent rs it was
hopeless. When she heard of his pro-
posed departure she was wild: when she
learned the motive of it. she turned a
demon. Failing in determined at.
tempt to baulk his plans by stabbine
him with stilett0, she assured him
with her last words that she would be
revcnged. De Nalmont laughed at the
threat. /, however. determined to keep
an eye on the actions of the Young lady.
In this resolve. however. l was foiled.
She left Algiers about month after,
and never knew what became of her
. Nearly four years had passed since
Eugene's return. We kept up Il
constant correspondence, and learned
of his marriage and the birth of one
! son, whom he called Lucien. He con-
| tinuallv pressed me to exchange and go
back to France.
=" AT length 1 got appointed to a
cavalry regiment quartered in Paris.
and left AlgierS to take on my new
duties. Landing at Marseilles. L put
up at the Hotel Castellane, where the
| first names | read in the list of arrivals
were. those of the Count and Countess
de Ealnont. We met with Joy after
our long separation. Eugene intro
duced me to his wife-a lady as lovely
As she was charming-and showed me
with pride his son-a fine. chubby
child. with curly hair. and the splendid
blue eyes of its mother. He simply
worshipped this boy-poor fellow!-and
his life and soul seemed wrapped up in
its being and existence. And now, as
to the sad sequel to my tale.
g DE Valmont was on leave, and at
his wife desire they were about to visit
Italy. Not to fatigue the child their
route was mapped out in short stages.
They were resting two days at Mar
seilles before going to Genoa by La Cor
niche. SO l decided to stay and see them
off.
g In the afternoon of my arrival, as
was sent with his nurse down to the
sea, on that magnificent beach where
the splendid palace of Prado stands.
Two hours after this nurse returned
alone, looking like a mad woman. The
eyes were starting out of her head. and,
sobbins and CRYING, she threw herself
at the Countess's feet. and said she had
lost the child. She and her charge
were playing on the beach, where they
were attracted by the performance Of
some acrobatS. A small crowd had
assembled. and the boy was not out of
her sight for half a minute. On looking
round he was gone; and she sought him
in vain. He seemed to have been
spirited away. She called his name at
the top of her voice, and ran up and
down the beach until exhausted. By
ISLANDERS who heard her cries helped
her in the search; but they found
nothing"
WAS Lucien drownede" asked the
Sub-Lieutenant.
This was the question started, but
it was well-nigh impossible. The child
could cnly toddle, and the seas was too
far from the place indicated by the
nurse. So this hypothesis was given
up. The police considered it case of
kidnapping and went to work, but
failed to find clue. They searched
for weeks through all the slums of the
city-the low quarters where the dregs
OF the population congregate, the scum
of the Mediterranean with no sue
cess. A description of the child was
sent to every consul, with orders to
make full inquiry: De Valmont him
self obtained special leave of absence
from the War Office aud spent year
in trying to solve the mystery. He re-
turned more dead than alive to bury his
wife, whom grief had killed.
'.As to the Colonel, at first he had
serious intentions of joining the Trap
pists and retiring from the world. But
hope sustains him still. He believes, if
his boy was not drowned, that Provi-
dence will take pity on him and yet re-
store him. Vain delusion. But we
humor him in his hope. He has since
devoted his whole life and soul to his
regiment: but the wound at his heart
has never healed. and when it breaks
out afresh he becomes sad and sor-
Ao"Aui ssuu toihS auOut pIe>euttiueut
LA Severina. believe, has kept her
word and wreaked terrible revenge:"
Brisac finished his story and wished
all good night.
I'VE have six hours for sleep, my
boys, and then-r'
On the morrow. at the early hour of
six o'clock. double line of smoke ex-
tended for distance of two miles on
each side of the plain. The French
had brought almost all their guns into
action. The Austrian batteries posted
on the opposite hills replied with WELL
directed fire. In this artillery duel,
which lasted for some hours, the adj
remained with the French. The
of the Austrian position was
more than counterbalanced by the
deadly effect of the rifle guns of the
French, which were first employed in
warfare at the memorable battle of Sol
ferino. The carnage was frightful and
the result disastrous to the Austrians,
who were obliged to retreat.
At three o'clock on that day-23d |
June, lS50-the French were formed |
up to advance under a withering mus
kerry ire to assault the Tower of Sol |
ferino. the key of the enemy's position. !
NarShol Ropolo.G thon .,1laA IN h. /