The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-10-14
AN UNMASKED SHARPER.
A STORY FROM THE FRENCH.

They were discussin the latest scan
dial. young man of good connections
had been ignominiously expelled from a
club. Playing in collision with a pro
fessional gambler, he had cheated at
cards and in n few months had won a
.noansiderable sum.
IDS Stand has he killed himself9" asked
fore one.
.yr,,ahw replied another "Do men
~ themselves for so little nowadaysl
6o,sas different in the good old times. "
Accr In the good old times, as YOU call
( qhem, said old General Roy, Those who
!. adopted the card -sharper's profession
] KILLED themselves no more than do those
J of the present time A few exceptions
there may have been among those who
were detected at the outset. But if the
first attempt succeeded, they aid as they
do to-day, they quickly accustom them
selves to their degradation. All, it is so
easy When respect for his own good
name will not restrain a man at the first
step, it is entirely dead within him, and
even a scandal will not revive it. By
the way, / can tell you of a curious case
in point. wlpre the hero blew out his
brains, but it was not suicide. No.
strange as it may sound, it was not a
suicide. Listen:
ut was some fifty years ago. The
press OF that time was not the terrible
gossip that it is to-day, and sensational
news never passed certain bounds. There
were not fewer scandals, but the scan
dals were less known. In fact, | think
there were rather more. Not that we
are more virtuous, but the fear of pub
licity is certainly great check.
Among the elegant young fellows,
the gilded youth of those days, who fur
nished the greater part of the scandal
GUS gossip by their eccentricities and
duels, was young gentleman attached
to the kings household. / shall call him
the Vicomte Roland. The name was
not an iilustrious one; in fact, the Vi
comte was the fruit of one of those
mixed marriages introduced by Napoleon
l. General Comte Roland, whose heavy
cavalry charges are matters of history,
had married the daughter of the Marquis
de Bransac, member of one of the
wealthiest and most powerful families of
France. His son was then about TWEEN
ty-six years of age. He had not the re-
bust, plebeian beauty of his father, who
AoA bSSh OiS VI Allb lldlhsOlutSl ulcu III
the army. His was rather the delicate
and distinguished grace of his mother,
whose idol he was. Having loved her
husband passionately, the countess was
now wrapped up in her son.
"The extravagant life led by the son
had caused quarrel between the parents.
The countess lived in the Brausac Hotel,
one of the finest in the Faubourg Saint
GERMAN, while the general, secludlng
himself in little chateau in the forest OF
Senart, passed hs time in the pleasures
of the chase. They say he had threat
ed his wife, but it was utterly untrue.
The fact is that tliefe had been between
the general and his wife two terrible
scenes.
''The first was caused by an idea which
took possession of the countess. She
found this name Roland too plebian fol
her son, and tormented her husband tc
obtain the kings authority to add to il
that of DeBransac. The general ener-
geiically refused.
"'My name has sufiiced for me. said
ne, for me who have made it famous.
II will de for this fine gentleman, my
son. If he does not find it brilliant
enough, let him try to add to its luster.