Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-02-15
A MAN OF HONOR.
The Fate of Letitia and Her Lover
Lenorne.

81 remember her very WE'LL" said the
old Colonel, stroking his gray mustache.
"She was the daughter of Judge Bar
ayne, and one of the most beautiful
girls in New Orleans. Her name was
Letitia. There is sometimes q strange
perversity about names. She should
have been called Dolores"
"Why SOP" | asked, scenting story.
The Colonel could tell romantic tale
most knowingly when he was in the
vein.
s'Oh, there's not much to tell" said
the gallant gentleman, with medita-
tive gaze into the abyss of memory.
''Just simple episode of life, love and
death, as those things went down in
New Orleans, before the war. But it
does bring out one point pretty clearly
One that you northern folks are slow
to appreciate. 1t is your idea that in
tensity of passion opens way to immo-
rality; that an ardent temperament is
prone to license. That may be true in
some cases-and races; but it was not so
with us Louisiana creoles. Never were
natures more passionate than theirs;
and never were women more chaste, and
men more honorable. With many faults,
they had that virtue.
"Well, it was this way. Letitia was
in the center of the best society and, as
said, a most beautiful girl. Her COM
plexion was creamy white, like mag
nolia blossom; golden hair, and large,
clear gray eyes, with dark rims around
the iris In figure, she was neither tall
nor short but just right; and the lines
neither too full nor to severe. Her move
ments were grace itself; low, vibrat-
ing voice. Very accomplished, too; and.
in a charming, feminine way, very wit
ty. AS you may suppose, she had all the
young fellows around her; and Letitia
seemed fitting name for her in those
days. The world was at her feet.
''The man she chose was clerk in an
insurance office-Frank Lenorme. He
was good-looking young fellow enough,
and of good family, but he had no
money, and was not considered any
thing of match. No matter; two peo-
pie never were more utterly in love than
Frank and Letitia. If she had been
beautiful and attractive before, this
passion of love transfigured her till she
seemed absolutely to radiate light As
for Frank, you may imagine his state,
if you can. They were both very young.
according to your Northern ideas, and
this was first experience for them both.
Paradise bloomed around them wherever
they went.
''But there's Satan in every Para
disc. The part of Satan, in this case.
was played by Mrs. Barayne, Letitia's
mother, though she was an excellent
woman intrinsically. She didn't like
the match from the outset; and then, as
luck would have it, the Baraynes were
Roman Catholics, while Lenorme was
strict Presbyterian. Mrs. Barayne
worked on her daughter to demand of
Frank that any children they might
have should be educated in the Catholic
faith. But now poor Frank had strong
vein of tho bigot in him, and he couldn't
bring himself to consent. Painful
scenes cnsuod, rising at last to great
bitterness Of feeling. / fancy Letitia
mighthaye compromised, but her mother
kept her to the point, and children
bbeycd their parents in those times.
Finally the old lady gained the end she
was really aiming at, and the engage
ment was broken of. During several
months after Letitia grew thin and
arooped; and some fears were felt about
her. Meanwhile, Frank, poor, miser-
hble dcvilthat he was, paid ostentatious
attentions to another girl.
'It was at this juncture that Captain
Alexander, of the regular army, came to
Now Orleans with his regiment, in which
was subaltorn. Alexander had for
inerly been suitor of Letitia's, and
had offered himself to her, and she had
yofuscd him. He was as handsome o
man as ever saw, and one of the rich
est mon in the army. His social posi-
tion and family were eptionable.
Whore could be found better match for