Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-06
FOLLOWED WHERE LOVE LED
He Forgot His Sacred vows For a
Pretty Face.
THE STORY OF MANON LIE SCAUT.
Remarked After Forty Years-Cupid
As an Evangeiist-Ensage We'd
ded and Widowed in One
Short Hour.
THE STORY OF MANoN LIE scAUT.

Gath thus tells the story Of Nanon Les
caut for the readers of the Cincinnati En-
quirer Far back in the eighteenth century
IA priest OF the Roman church, the Abbe Pro-
vost. who wandered from his brethren in the
monastic life to consort with Cyprians, wrote
"a classical story, which is still b2ing printed,
and which owes its longevity to its fidelity to
human nature. He is supposed TO have taken
the story from an incident in his own career,
as Goethe took the story of ''Marguerite and
Faustn from an amour OF mis- own middle
life The story of "Manon Lescaut' by this
priest relates how young man intended for
the church was travelling from home to his
monastic school when he saw beautiful
girl in the yard of an inn in care OF her fam
lily servant, she was bound to another school
Instantly, from a wantom disposition, she
began to ogle the young man and make signs
TO him. His nature fell down in an instant,
and he sought ner acquaintance, and within
the hour these two, whose paths had thus ac-
cidentally crossed, were travelling to-
ward Paris In carriage, aud before
they reached that city their folly was COM
pleted. Abandoning his family, the young
man takes UP his abode with the girl,
having mutually seduced each other, aud
they como to the privatiOns OF such people,
yhereupon the woman discovers her innate
want of fidelity and breaks the young mans
heart. She leaves him, and his parents find
him; he returns To the study OF divinity, and
perseveres in that line until his piety, tinged
with the wound in his heart, has IN ide him
most precocious neophyte, whose preaching
is the wonder Of the monks. He stands in the
pulpit upon the eve Of taking holy orders to
preach his trial sermon; attracted to the
church by the announcement OF his elo-
quence, Manon Lescaut comes. AS he looks
down upon her while preaching tho wound
in his heart bleeds anew; his sermon is dissi.
pated He leaves the sacred desk to upbrad
the woman who has so deceived him and
whom he so tenderly loved. In her turn,
affected by her first passion and by pity,
she leads him off afresh, and again they
fall into privatlon, and she again renews her
predatory schemes TO make money out OF old
and rich men, and Quo of these who has in
fiuence in the government has her arrested
for attempting TO rob him, and she is thrust
into prison. There her behavior was not un-
like that of Mrs Hamilton, SO called, at At
lantic City but yesterday. When her lover
visits her in person she throws herself into
his arms and sobs from the bottom Of her
heart: "Oh, get me out OF herel III you
love me, do not leave mep He hears the
cry in his deepest emotions, and attempts 70
get her out of the prison, ana being inter
rupted by guard he draws his ready sword,
which the young men OF the period wore at
their Sides runs the guard through, and he
falls dead. Erratic love and its feryor have
made a murderer OF the Chevaiier Grleux.
HIS family, however, have influence enough
TO spare him prosecution by paying money
70 the surviving family Of the slain person.
but the girl Manon, who has caused ali this
suffering and expense Dy her wantonness, Is
condemned TO bo sent TO Louisiana among
the criminal prostitutes, there TO be
sold as wife TO any person whom
her charms will attract and who will
buy her. The young man, still sym