The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-27
FOR IS0BEL.


public excitement ran high in connection
with discoveries made when the old Bau
deret house, on Bourbon street, New Or
leans, was torn down, | was told tn
story of Augustin Verot.
II was in the year 1859 that this young
man, rich, gifted and handsome, came
10 New Orleans to spend a winter witt
Charles Marot Bauderet, whose acquaint
ance he had formed in Paris. The two
men were of the same age, and thell
tastes were similar. Eerot had been
captivated by Bauderot's wit, learning
and subtitle personal charm. In turn
Bauderet's imagination was touched into
singular activity and his sympathies
borne away by Verots magnetic genius.
1t is rare indeed that two young men,
poets both, find such an overmastering
mutual interest flowing between them.
Their friendship became at once a pas
sion.
When Bauderet left Paris after a
years soiourn there he exacted a prom
Use from his new friend that he should
come to New Orleans and spend some
months with him. Thus it came about
shat early in the autumn Of 1889 Vero
arrived, after q pleasant voyage, and
took up his abode in the Bauderet man.
sion on Bourbon street.
Charles Marot BauGeret, as some of
nv readers will remember, was bach
elor orphan, occupying the large, silent
DID house all alone, save that he was
surrounded with many faithful slaves.
The house was a low, far spreading,
gloomy brick structure, whose immense
ly thick walls and small windows gave
Il a Jail like appearance. Vines clam
Oered over it from base to roof, and 1t
was uncovered in dusily trees. Sur
rounding it was high brick wall topped
with picketiDg Of iron. The gates
were massive, and closed with huge
spring locks that could be opened only
from within. They We're attended by
statuesque keepers as black as night.
Bauderet was descended from fam
Sly of buccaneers. His wealth was the
result of ancestral piracy, murder and
vapine. In the young mans blood burned
the faint of unbridled passion, and in
his brain lawless imagination held
high carousaL His poems were, like
chose of Poe, Baudelaire and Villon,
suffused with something that suggested
madness, but the young man showed no
sign OF :.n unsound mind. On the con-
srary, he was brilliantly, fascinatingly
sane and logical in his conversation. He
went little into society and entertained
scarcely at all, in the general meaning
Of the word. A few friends, rarely
more than one at a time, We're admitted
through his protentous looking gates
md into his luxurious twilight parlors
and dusk dim library. He was con.
uoisseur Of wines, cigars and old books;
he smoked almost necessarily, rarely
drank to excess, read medieval poetry
snd in his conversation was much given
70 advancing preposterously romantic
theories touching almost all the relations
Of life.
When Verot arrived Bauderet met him
ct the wharf with every outward show
If irrepressible delight; but the young
Partisan at once felt that some great
change had taken place in his friend.
At first he was inclined to fear that
Sauderet was not sincere in his express
sions of affectionate JOY over his arrival;
but soon enough the mystery was ade-
quately explained. Bauderet was in
love. His whole nature was absorbed
In the new passion.
Nlla has ChoY,Tc H-os fba dor1Cbtar Of
lretired planter whose home was but a
lew steps from Bauderets gate. Recently
the poet had met her. To meet her was
20 love her, and now ne could find room
for no other thought. Isobel Des
Champs was the subject of his most
eloquent conversation, his strangely me-
lodious poetry, his curiously brilliant
sketches in water col0rs.
Verot found Baaderet's house a very
palace of enchantment; so vague and yet
10 effective were the impressions made
by its rich tapestry, its massive mahoga-
ny furniture. its dim yiStas of books and
pictures and its solemn silence. The
young patrician FreHchman had been
accustomed to old houses. but here, in
this city of the New World. his creole
friend had given him the freedom of one
that seemed filed with an antiquity far
greater than the Roman buildings of
France could boast ot-even the most
ruined in old Provence.
Bauderet was anxious 10 have Verot
see Isobel Des Champs. and. of course,
the young visitor, especially after Baude-
Tet's eloquent description. felt quite will
ing TO meet the beautiful girl. Nor was
ne in the least disappointed when he saw
her; indeed, her loneliness so far sur
passed expectation. SO dwarfcd al former
visions of maidenly attractiveness, that
Verot was struck TO the heart by her first
glance.
II lsobel captivated Verot it was not a
loss of love at first sight. for the hand
SOME Partisan did not fail TO impress her
imagination IN turf. From the moment
Of their first meeting they were ardent
lovers, as everybody could plainly see,
save only Bauderet So lost in the in
fatuation of absolute devotion was he
that be could see nothing but Isobels
dazzling beauty. couli hear nothing but
he rich. low music of her creole voice.
Soon enough Terot WAS in the seventh
esVon Of a success sui courtShip-not
sourtship. hut low Ting and love lis
llng--while poor Bauderet went right
in bhssful enjoyment of his imagi-
AIRY lordship Of Isobel's heart.
The autumn sped; the winter went
Ike dream, and out flashed the orange
blooms, out poured the mocking bird
songs, heavily dropped the roses by the
walls The braazas From, 3l,a ,-,,1e -,