Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-03-23
LEGENDS OF LADIES.
A DISCUSSION OF THE INFLUENCE OF
BEAUTY ON THE TENDER PASSION.

Did the Devil Ever Choke the Life Out of
a Beautiful Woman?-A Story Which Is
Very Lurid to Say the Least-A Homely
Woman Seen Through Loves Eyes.
A discussion interesting to the ladies
is running through some Of the French
papers. Briefly stated, the question is
whether OF not beauty has anything to
do with the kindling of the tender pas
sion. Handsome women say yes; home
ly ones, or, to be more correct, the less
beautiful, say no. In proof of the
soundness Of their platform, which re-
jects the plank of affection for lowell
ness only. the latter.have unearthed the
land Megnoun.
When the king Of Persia heard of the
smitten young man, he sent for him and
| asked him how it was that he had be-
come SO desperately spoony.
I'm order to understand that, re-
piled Megncun, "you would have to see
my ladyloye.
| "Well,' said the king, "let's see the
wonder"
I
was redheaded, scraggy, squint eyed,
stump nosed and freclzled face.
| "A thousand .blizzards!" roared his
majesty. us this the object of your
extraordinary ardor? Splinter my scep-
teri The meanest slave in my kitchen
is better looking than she!"
| 'Then judge how I must love her,,
said Megnoun, 'since she is as beauG-
full in my eyes as she is homely in
| yonrs!''
| So far so good. But here comes the
| lurid legend of the famous Ninon de
| Lenclos. Ninon flourished during the
| reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XIV, and
many enthusiastic descriptions have
| been given of her incompatible charms.
| Well, one fine dag Mile. de Lenclos
was quietly seated in her parlor when
| the servant came to announce to her
that a gentleman wished to see her, but
that he would not give his name. She
told the servant to say to the stranger
that she was engaged with company and
could not see him.
II know very WE'LL said the stran-
ger to the servant, THAT mademoiselle
is alone. Go back ard tell her that l
have matter Of the very highest i'm
portance to communicate to herr
This strange reply tickled the curios-
ity OF Mile. de Lenclos. She gave Or
ders to admit him. He appeared before
her. He was little old man, clad in
black, with sinister look. He wore
a black skullcap and carried little
black cane. His eyes were full of fire;
but, after all, his features were intel
lectual.
| "Mademoiselle, said Re, "be good
enough to send away your waiting
maid. Nobody but you alone must hear
| what have to reveal"
| Ninon was terrified at first, but at
last, remembering that she was in the
presence Of little, decrepit old man,
she took courage and sent away the
waiting maid.
| Don't let my visit brighten you,'
said the stranger. SIT is true that do
not honor everybody in this way, but
you have nothing to fear. You have
before you man who is obeyed, more
or less, by all the world, and who can
bestow at will all the gifts of nature.
was present at your birth. l fashion
the fate of all human beings, and l
have come here to learn from your own
lips how l shall dispose Of yours.
bring you the highest titles, enormous
riches and an eternal beauty. Which
will you have? Take your choice and
rest assured that no mortal on earth has
the power to give you SO much"
Really, SIR" said the woman,
laughing, "you are very kind, and the
magnifcence of your gifts is SO great
that
| "Mademoiselle, said he, interrupt
ing her, ''you have too much good sense
to make fun of a man whom you do not
know. Choose quickly. Which will you
have-titles, riches or eternal beauty?"
my dear SIR said she, ''there is no
room for any hesitation over the good
things that you offer me. I'll take eter-
nal beauty. But what must do to
obtain this precious gift?"
| "Mademoiselle, said the stranger,
"you must write your name upon my
tablets" And he presented to her an
old blackened tablet, upon which she
signed her name. Then he gave her
light tap of his black cane upon the left
shoulder. "That will do now," esaid.
','You will be beautiful all through your
life, and you will live for long time.
You will create passions at period in
life when other women are in the hor-
rors Of decrepitude. You will never
grow old. | give you the power to
| oh
l have Travelled through the universe
from one end to the other, and upon the
earth | have only found four women
who were worthy of this great privi-
lege. They were Semiramis, Helen,
Cleopatra and Diana de Poitiers. You
are the fifth and the last to receive this
gift. Ask me no question. You will
sec me again, once more only, and that
will be when you shall have. only three
days more to live. Remember my name
is Npetampnle!''
He disappeared, leaving Mile. de Len
clos frightened almost out Of her wits.
The career of the wondrous beauty is
too long to follow. 1t is enough to say
that three days before her death Moe
fambule appeared before her, showed
her her signature. and in dreadful
voice told her that she was captured;
that she lived all her life under the
power of Lucifer, and that her end was
at hand. On the third day he came and
choked her to death!
| It is consoling to think that there is
snIne doubt about the exact truth of this
story. Indeed it is said that it goes
back far beyond the birth of poor Min
on de Lenclos, and that it began with
Louise de Budos, the second wife of
Henry /, who died in 1599.-New York
Sun.
! Gathering wild fowls eggs has long
been sport for boys living along the
Atlantic coast of Maryland. The mar
row reef that guards the eastern shore
counties is famous breeding place for
many kinds of aquatic fowl, and their
nests are frequently invaded and wan
tonly destroyed.
Among the Greek, Roman and other
ancient nations titles were frequently
81 ool,i