Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-05-14
PERsoNATING THE DEAD.

/ ple narration of facts that actually
/ took place. It can Be substantiated
by the criminal records of France and
even yet in the Partisan detective bu-
reaus one will hear them speak Of the
| afaire dc Mdurtn. Mademoiselle Mau-
rim was an actress Of uumistakable
talent and remarkable beauty. She
had been the favorite ofthe people for
several years, and had managed by
her talents as well as by many tokens
Of admiration from private admirers
TO accumulate quite large fortune.
She owned an elegant byelt house, the
furnishing Of which alone cost a little
fortune. Just, however, in the height
of her popularity, rapid consumption,
that utterly bafiled The doctors skill,
attacked her, and she died in less than
three weeks.
There could attach to no one the
slightest suspicion of foul play. That
her death was natural one was evil
dent to everybody. She lay in death
placid as II asleep, and even a faint
rose tint seemed to linger on her cheeks
and lips.
! The whole Of Paris, almost, follow
ed her body to it's last resting place
in Pere,la-Chaise' wlilila her execu.
tors. two cousins from a diatant pro-
vince. came 10 take. possesside Of her
nronertv Her bonse was ofFsred at
nrivate sale while the furnitnrs was
adyert;sad Il he sold at nubl;o auc.
ton
The TASTES Of the dead actress had
been Something dIlleto,,h and abe had
collected together many tid-bits Of
painting and statuarv "a we'll as 9th.
ar articles of vertn The sale was
largely attended and large prices
were antioipated for everything. Hard
| ly had the auctiopeer mt nm The first
| lot. however than a man with q ladv
closely yelled unon his arm. came nm
| to the desk and said. in voice that
could be distinctly heard throughout
the room:
~ forbid the sale r.
In an instant all eyes were turned
upon him in surprise.
Reooonizino In him A we'll. known
notary the auctioneer asked him by
what authority he did so7
"By. the authority Of this lady, the
owner. Mademoiselle Manfin. As
| the words left HIS lips the Assoiy raised
the veil she wore, and showed the face
--paler and thinner, indeed--bnt UNI
mistakably that of the actress, who
had been buried a week before in
Pere-l la. Chaise.
Her story was soon told, and was
convincing from its very simplicity.
| The first sensation she had known was
of living out in the open air, with the
star-lit sky above, and three rough.
looking men. their faces concealed by
black masks, standing over her, and
regarding her with every expression
of amazement. BY the light OF dark
lantern. Realizing at once that she
had been buried for dead when she
really was only in a state Of trance
and that she owed her escape 10 these
men. who were professional resurrec-
tionists she offered them an amount
I'd largo that thew saw thaf u was 10
their i,,.erest To save her life and ra-
store her to her proper position
The reaction Of the shock unon bar
nervous svstem however had bean 90
great that she had been utterly ineana.
Re ~ anv eYart;on and unable n r;sa
from tho bed mon which sha had lain
nrostroted nnt;l that verv ,norn;no
Her anneara nee confirmed her words
Cor sba still looked 20 exhausted .as n
he hardly able 10 stand 0ftbe trn,b
| If her storv there conld be littla
| donbt. hit when Il was nTtbot
The arave bad heen onenad and 'the
men yho had done 40 We're recoonizsJ
bv the polioe as having been engaged
IN similar nefarious adyantnres f Re-.
oama q csrta;ntv and her nronsrtv
was IL o,,cs yaatorsd 81 har by bsr az
scntors = 4,
TIE n,hl;c onlv aps;ted tba o,,or
tun;tv II give her AZ, ovation snc6 o.
4 aeldom syen in PARA accorded ~
,be- nost celahrated nusan of,be
hoards. Int in Cthis tbey war. d;sans
no;ntad MademoiselIe refused rttsr.
" 10 resn,oe her poailion 81 leaJ;no
adv - file theatre ami annonnoo3
her intertion Of leaving The STAGE for-
| A $3.50 ..est 80