Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-10-04
THE VENUS OF PARIS.
BY Richard PrNcn-

abuse, and he took a pride in her
social triumphs
She was not vain-the really beautf-
full are seldom so; and if her triumphs
were necessary to her life as the air
of heaven, at least they were brilliant
and great.
She made the art of being beautiful
her whole study. It became to her an
absorbing interest, ard admiration was
to her as food and drink.
Her eyes, blue as the sea, were the
inspiration of the young poets of the
capital; her lips were ideal, it was
said; her teeth were perfect, andsher
head the head of a goddess.
The very people knew her, and as
she drove she heard sometimes their
voices: VIA la belle cOmtesser'
''V'la la Venus de Parisr'
On her thirtieth birthday a great
terror came into her life, and would
not be Stilled. Night and day it
haunted her. 1t came to her like a
specter, and stood forever before her,
and sometimes it sat like ice upon her
heart.
A well-known figure in Partisan So
ciety Of the time was a certain veteran.
the Marechal Boutighy
He was grim and sinister He spoke
often to Nine la Comtesse of the great
beauty of his own day, the famous
Aurene de FrOntignac.
''She is dead, is she not?" said she,
one night.
''To the world. Nine Ia Comtesse"
"She lives, then! She must be TO-
Madame shuddered. A certain pallor
took her face and NJ. lie Marechal gave
his grim laugh.
Without doubt he said.
''She was very beautiful" she asked
later, seeming fascinated by the sub
iect.
He saw once more the whiteness of
her face, and he smiled She shud-
dered again
Yes, madame" he said.
There was silence; and then she per-
sisted:
More beautiful than I?'
Nay, that were impOssibler' he said
with grim gallantry.
The cold fear at her heart goaded
her on.
AS beautful?'
mime. la Comtesse will pardon her."
he said; "Aurelie de Frontignac was
as beautiful"
She moved away then, and sought
out all old woman, the Duchess d
Aniguo. This lady was so, and her
memory was fresh and true.
You must have seen women fa;rer
than I-Aurelie de Frontignac, for ex-
ample
"Ah, she was beautifulr' cried the
old woman; yes my dear, you have
had one rival within my memory
Then the countess knew what she
wished to know, and she passed on to
her husband; II am little tired, Jules
| wish to go home"
In certain village called Arbisson,
not many miles from Paris, stood a big
square house within walls. The great
gates were kept firmly barred, and all
communication with the outside world
door. In the neglected garden, Old
world flowers managed to grow in
rich disorder
The people Of the village had long
since lost their curiosity as to the
woman who lived her lonely life
within those walls
Thirty years ago the house had been
" oh lo6 nd NV
servants had taken up their abode
there, and had since lived quietly on
For ten years the lady never left the
grounds.
Old Pierre Roget, the notary, had
happened to be passing when the occu-
pants arrived, and the word had gone
round that the lady was very beauti
un reve," he had said J
But at the end of those ten years, it
who began to take her solitary walks.
The notary had gone to his rest, and |
his words were forgotten.
Though not far from Paris, this vii ,
lage knew little of the life of the
great city, and faces that were known
is known, might pass through 1.-THE
street of ADHESION unrecognized.
Still the cure said that the single
visitor who, perhaps once in a year or
two, called at the old house and was
admitted, was, he thought the famous
Marechal Boutigny, of whom they had
all heard.
The servants told nothing, and ma
dame was a hereto and did not at
tend mass, so that the cure had no
more claim to admittance to her house
than any of the other inhabitants of
the village, and could boast no more
of her than they.
There arrived one day in ADHESION a
very smart carriage. The coachman
drove through the village looking
about him as one who seeks land
marks and finally drew up before the
gates of the old house.
Here the occupant of the carriage
4 lady closely yelled and in a long
cloak aighted. She sought the little
1oor in the wall ard rang, and after
an interval sheswas admitted.
1t was the comtesSe de Tile dor who
followed the attendant up through the
burning marigolds to the house. Two
great dogs came bounding toward her
md rubbed themselves affecuOnately
against her skirts. The comtesse 5
stopped and caressed them. !