The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-11-09
THE LIAR.

never loved but n woman. ! pass
ed five years with her in perfect happi-
ness. I can truly say that to her I owe
my success, because Of my freedom from
care and because she imbued me with
some Of her great ambition. From the
first moment we met it seemed to mo
that I had always loved her. Her beauty
and character answered all my dreams.
That woman never left me. She died in
my house, In my arms and still loving
me. But when I think Of her it drives
me mad. If I attempt to describe her as
she was during the five years. in all the
glory Of her love, with her tall, svelte
figure, her clear cut features. like an
oriental Jews, her luminous, pale face,
her cheerful talk, her voice soft- and
sweet as her glance; if I try to bring
again to my mind that vision Of delight,
it is only to say-I hate her!
Her name was Clotilde. In the house
in which l first met her she was known
as Nine. Deloche, the widow of q cap
tain long since dead. She appeared to
have travelled extensively. In her con-
versatiOn she would sometimes say,
when l was at Tampico,' or, perhaps,
"Once during a raid in Valparaiso"
Aside from these remarks nothing in
her manner, in her language, suggested
%anomadic life-nOthing of that disorder
and hurry incident to quick departures
or untimely arrivals. She was a Paris
ian, dressed always with exquisite taste,
without a burnOose or those eccentric
serapes by which one recognizes the
wives of officers and marines who are
perpetually III the
When l found that l loved her, my
only idea was to ask her hand in mar
riage. A friend spoke to her for me-.
She replied simply that she should never
marry. Thenceforth I avoided places
where I would see her, and as l was too
unhappy to work I resolved to 60 away
I was making preparations for depar-
ture, when, one morning, in the midst
Of the confusion of packing, Nine. De-
loche entered my apartment.
why do you go away" she asked.
Because you love me? 1 also love you,
only'-here her voice trembled a little
-"only I am married" And she told
me her history.
1t was a story of love and desertion.
Her husband was dissipated. He had
beaten her. They separated at the end
Of three years. Her family, Of whom
she seemed very proud, occupied high
positions in Paris, but since her mar
riage they had disowned her. She was
a niece of the grand rabbi. Her sister,
widow of an officer Of high rank, had
married for a~second husband the gen
eral Of the guard at st. German. AS
for herself, financially ruined by her
husband, she had fortunately been high
ly educated and possessed several ac-
complishments, Of which she now made
use. She gave lessons in music in the
wealthy families Of the Chausee d'Antin
and the Faubourg St. Germain.
Her story was touching, but quite
long, full Of the pretty repetitiOns and
interminable incidents which crowd the
talk Of women. l hired a pretty little
house in the Avenue de llmperatrice.
passed the first year listening to her,
looking at her, without thinking OF
y work. 1t was she who first urged me tC
enter my studio and fired me with am
bitlOn to become a great artist. l cOul(
not induce her to give up her pupils
This independence touched mo deeply.
/ admired the proud soul which made
me feel a little Inundated before the
expressed wish to owe nothing excep
to her w e1ertionS We were thu
separated every day.
With what happiness l returned home
so impatient when she was late, 81
happy when I found her there befor,
me-! From her pupils in Paris sh
brought me rare flowers. I often force,
her TO accept some present, but sh
laughingly said that she was richer thai
!, and the lessons must have been yer,
profitable, for she always dressed witt
great elegance and always in black
which she wore through coquetry ON &C
count OF her complexion.
Her beauty was enhanced by heav
v~elvets, shining jets. lustrous satins an
masses Of silky laces. All her pupils
daughters Of bankers and financiers
adored and respected her, and more tina
once she showed me a bracelet, a bang
OF a piece Of lace which one Of them la
given her.
Except when at work, we were nev'
separated Only on Sunday she went
St. German to see her sister, tho wi,
of the general, with whom, long ag
she had made her peace. l accompanic
her to the station. She returned Il
same evening, and often, when the da
were long, we would make a rendezvo
and 60 to row on the water or for
walk in the woods. She would tell T
about her visit, how pretty the childr
were and how happy they all We're
gether. Il seemed to make her SO q
happy that I rsdoublsd my tenderness
ordsr to make hsr forgs,\ Nor sorro