Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-02-11

\IIuut ~ (llc dIluIs >tASA Ivy NNAS> shsAs
arose to Heaven interrupted the mar
riage benediction. was near you also
on that proud day. when bontircs
blazed and bells were rung. and oxen
roasted in honor of the christening Of
your heir. and my curse neutralized
The blessing Of the babe. Then 1
pressed my own discarded child to my
heart. and recorded VOW of venge-
ance upon two men and all their race,
even though it should take ME a long
lifetime to work it out. How long 1
pursued YOU secretly. how often l fail
ed, need not here he told. One. day l
found myself in Paris, among con-
genial spirits. where career opened
before me: where evil is recognized in
to perfect working system. having
its constitution and by-laWs-its forms
of government and schools Of training
its lovely girls and handsome boys.
educated into accomplished women
and men to become the sirens and
satyrs of society. OF this secret band
l became a member Men called me
beautiful and gifted. l went upon the
Stage. not from necessity but to Ia
cilitate my intercourse with a certain
set of wealthy dupes. for l Still con-
tinued a bond member of the secret
society. Years passed and l became i
cele brity. At last l met the aged and
decrepit Gen. de la Comte. He offered
me marriage Esd accepted him. H.
had daughter but few months
Younger than my own. He died in
the second year of our marriage. leav-
ing me to bring up the two girls:
When these young women had reached
a marriagcable age. your son. grown
tc manhood. appeared in Paris"
Here the woman paused. and looked
wistfu:ly into the blanched face of the
old man: then. with a dreadful smile,
she said:
But you know the story"
"Woman of Belial. yes!'
"But YOU do not know whom you
have doomed to death to-day
.'Ha, There is something more than
meets the ear in this reiterated ques-
ton! Whom do you mean"
Your own daughter! She who. but
for your black treachery, would now
be ruling in these halls, heiress of Ell
verton. instead of lying in prison
cell. a convicted felonw
Great Heaven! This is most horri-
BILE! Pvt tlen-h,.s then--if this story
is true. the communication that SOU
made to my unhappy son. upon that
fatal night which drove him to mad
ness from his home. 4 fugitive and
wanderer over the face of the earth.
and turned the fair home into &c
heDna Of remo"s' and despair. was
false-must have been utterly false"
exclaimed the baron. in uncomfortable
agitation between the horror he felt
at being told the criminal he had inst
condemned to death was his own dis
carded daughter. and the joy that
rushed upon him with the thought
that another and a deeper curse was
removed from his house.
His condition between these two eE-
ceSsive and antagonistic emotions Dor
dered upon insanity.
"Ahr' muttered the woman to her
self. with an expression of perplexity
and pain traversinS her fine features.
as she passed her hand over her brow:
81 did not mean to betray that fact:
but my brain! my brain. I am not
well.'
.sHarriette. exclaimed the baron.
excited beyond all measure. as he
arose and dropped his hand upon her
shoulder. 'Harriettc. as you hope for
Gods pardon in your dying hour"
II do not hope for his PARDON inter-
rupted the woman. gloomily.
Tell me-. who is she that lies doomed
to death in yonder cell!' demanded
the baron. without noticing her inter-
ruption.
Il have told you! Your daughter
and mine! the rightful heir of Elver-
ton, if justice had been done"
And she whom my son married."
Il have unwillingly betrayed that Sc
cret, too! Take it, since you have it.
Your sons wife is the daughter of the
Late Gen. de Ia Compile. by his first
wife, and was, therefore. not within
the prohibited degree of kindred ac-
cording to the marriage code. Cur
daughter never married; she was des-
tined to another doom; to work her
mothers will; to avenge her mothers
wrongs. For this l kept her always
near me: won her Whole heart: alb
sorbed her will: mastered her spirit.
Whatever she has done in this world
has been done for me and often
blindly by her. She had but, one hui
man affection-filial love. To-day the
daughter stood before the fathers face
to receive from him the doom of
! death. But the doom was unmerited.'
Woman. what do you tell me:'
she was guiltless of the death of
the Leatons-
Who. then. was the Destroyer
u shouted the monOmaniac. 81.
the Avenger! I. who in the same hour
that l turned away from your trium-
plant wickehness. with my discarded
child pressed to my bleeding heart-l,
,, who. in the same hour that was trans
| formed from woman to a fiend,
vowed Il VOW Of exterminating wrath
against two men. with all their race.
and sold MY soul to Satan for the
power of accomplishing the work!
Had not Satan failed me- at the last,
the race of Leaton would have been
| distinguished in blood and shame.
That of Elverton would have lived in
| misery and dishOnor-worse than
death and perdition."
Woman. you wildly rave. Come
to your senses-collect yourself. ex-
plain: you SLY that your daughter was
! guiltless: that you were the criminal;
| if this is not a mere trick to attempt
To defeat the ends of justice. how do
you explain away the direct evidence
| of Antony More, who swore that he
WAS empln.'sd by the so-called Primo
I