St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-05-09

a long brown cloak over her ST az e dress.
what are you going to do?'' h. ex.
a,

claimed.
81 am going to Roger"
'But, in heavens name, Jeanne. sta
little while. The curtain will be goin
up. Think what you are doing. Yo
will be ruined-you will spoil YOU
whole life. Wait till tomorrow"
Listen = said Jeanne, in a clear. d.,
cided tone. 1T is now quarter to ter
| know there is a train from the Gar
| de FEST at II. for I have sent my letter
by friend of Rogers who is going b,
| IT. II you prevent my going by tha
train, you see this dagger; well, / vii
| kill myself with it.''
Louis stepped back, dazed and hor
ror-struck. Jeanne opened the door
went quickly out by a back door AM
Louis followed her, watched her hail
cab and drive away.
| When Belcourt reentered the theatcl
| he found everyone behind the scenes il
a terrible stateof excitement.
/ Mile. de Bolney could not be found
The house was impatient and the man.
ager desperate. He was sending foi
| the police, that she might be found and
arrested. Suddenly Belcourt, at the
idea of the possible consequences OF
Jeanne's fight, determined on bold
move.
He stepped up to one of his friends
who had been taking part in the play,
| whispered to him and appeared to be
| begging him to consent to what he had
asked.
Finally the friend yielded, opened the
door and walked towards the stage.
Then Belcourt, pushing away the d.
rector and stage manager,Who attempt
ed to stop him, gave the signal to lift
the curtain and appeared himself be-
fore the house. A deep silence cnsued.
Ladies and gentlemen said Bel
court, Mile. de Bolney has received a
telegram announcing that there has
been disaster on the German frontier
and our army has sustained defeat.
She is overwhelmed by the news, and we
must ask You to have patience until she
feels able to continue her role
Adismal silence followed these words.
Belcourt's friend now stepped forward
and executed the order he had re-
ceives.:
We, too, are surely as good patriots
as Mile. de Bolney! Surely, the play
ought not to be finished before French
audience, who has just heard that our
army is defeatedi''
Cries of 'sBrayo!" were heard, and
unanimously the whole house rose and
prepared to leave the theater.
Belcourt had saved the honor of
Jeanne and of the theater.
The rumor of the defeat of Reich
shoffen, which the government was
keeping secret, was soon spread abroad
IN Paris by. the spectators who had
heard it from Belcourt, and the news
caused fearful calm in the gay capi-
tai.
Belcourt had heen congratulated BIZ
all the authorities of the theater on his
happy idea, but just as he was prepar-
ing to leave the theater that same night
he was seized by q police official and
conducted to the .Mazas prison on a
charge of having disulged a state Sc
cret, crime always punished at least
by hard labor, and in time of war by
death.
For more than q month Belcourt had
been iii Mazas prison, with nothing to
lcok forward to but dishonor or death.
He had been questioned over and over
again as to how he had discovered the |
secret, but in vain; nothing could in |
duee him to give any details, for he did
not know whether Jeanne would for |
i've him for having said SO much as he
had. The next day sentence was to be
passed upon him.
Successive defeats had embittered the
minds of his judges, and it was pretty /
'ure that he had little chance of getting
If without paying the full penalty Of
lis crime. Belcouft was thinking sadly
# his hopeless love for Jeanne which
lad caused him to act as he had done
II order to save her, when suddenly the
loor of his cell opened and the porter
Nine. the Countess de
dorfeuille.s It was Jeanne herself,
Iressed in the deepest mourning.
Her beautiful hair had some silvery
breads, her face was cold and severe
s marble, her beautiful mouth was
igid, her eyes seemed to be gazinga at
ONE invisible object, and she had a
eathly pal1or-such as one sees ON the
aces of those who have received some
Mortal wound.
It was pathetic to see so fair and so
oung a girl in such hopeless despair,
nd Beleourt was deeply touched byit.
you are free, Louis, she said, gently
ut sadly. The empress herself has
sked for your release. Thank you 50
ruch, my friend, for all you did for me.
came directly heard of your impris-
nment. My husband had only just
cen brought home and buried at Nor
euiIle.'
Very soon after, Jeanne returned to
er husbands stately home, that she
light visit daily the tomb of him she
ad SO dearly loved and who had mar
ed heron his deathbed
When Louis had tried to console her
nd gently hinted that she was too
oung to go through the rest of her
fe alone she had answered, decidedly:
DO not ever speak to me of anyone
Sc. will live and die the widow of
oyer. and will certainly never be any
ne else's wife,
1t was thus that great artistic was
st to the French stage. but the mem {
y of that debut viii never be lost to
~ of those who witnessed it.-Fronl