The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-24
ANGIOLINA. )

Among the belongings of Sidney You'll /
laire, the lawyer, who died in St. Louis |
some 20 years ago. was found the portrait |
of a beautiful young girl. 1t had hung |
over his desk in his office on Chestnut !
street, opposite the Laclede hotcl. To his |
intimate friends Voullaire had frequently /
told the story of the original of the portrait
1t is chapter out of his own life 5 history, /
before domestic tragedy crossed the thresh- |
old of his own home and made cynic I
and almost a reoIuse of the once brilliant |
man. The beautiful oil painting found its |
way into a secondhand shop after You'll |
laire's death and has probably long since |
gone the way of all things earthly. The |
story still lives in the memory of a few to |
whom Voullaire has told it.
Shortly after the war wealthy Louisi- |
ana planter came to St. Louis to live. He !
brought with him not only fortune but |
a beautiful adopted daughter. Her name |
was Angelina. Sidney Voullaire, the !
lawyer, met her for the first time at the |
bedside of her foster father. The latter, |
after an exhausting illness, felt the end |
nearing and sent for Voullaire to draw up |
his will. A. prominent physician, who |
was also intimate friend of the lawyer,
was in attendance upon the dying man.
The invalid had been lying in a coma
tose condition all day. Voullaire and DR..
L. were constantly with him. Angelina
never left the bedside of her beloved parent
and was the tenderest and most devoted
nurse. Toward evening on the night of |
his death the old planter revived conscious |
ness. He recognized his beloved daughter
Tears came to his eyes as he laid one hand
in blessing on her beautiful brow, point
ing with the other at the doctor, Anglo
lima he stammered, "be her friend A
moment later the death struggle began and
before midnight the old planter had passed
away.
The acquaintance between the physician
and the lovely young southern girl begun
at the dying fathers bedside, soon ripened
into love. Instinctively the tender girl
turned to the handsome man of middle age
with all the fervor of her guileless, pas
sionate nature. She knew but little of her
early life. Reared among strangers the
Louisiana planter had one day taken her
to his elegant home. Unlimited money
was spent upon her education, and when,
after a winter passed in New Orleans,
Angelina conceived a notion to become
an actress, her indulgent foster father
gratified her desire and had her trained for
the stage. A dozen appearances behind
the fOotlights thoroughly disiluslon1zed
the girl, and she returned to her home.
According to his will, the old planters
estate was divided among his relatives in
the south. A sufficient annual income
was guaranteed to Angelina and Sidney
NOullalre named as executor and
guardian of the pretty girl.
She moved from the home of her late
benefactor to the Laclede hotel and occu-
pied a suit of rooms there. Three months
after the fathers death DR.. L. announced
his engagement to Angelina de MOntaney.
The fathers old friends, foremost among
whom was Lawyer VoulIaire, came to ten
der their congratulations and found the
young girl radiant with happiness. DR.. L.
was widower with three children. He
was devoted to his little ones and mex
pressibly happy in the thought that his
second wife would be to them an affection
ate mother. Since his first wife's death his
mother-in-law, an iInperiOus woman with
mind of her own, had taken care of
his children and superintended his house
hold.
A week after the announcement of the
engagement VOullaire called upon Anglo
lima to remit to her her quarterly allow
ance. Instead of finding a happy bride,
he was met by a deSpairing woman. Pale
and with disheveled hair Angelina gave
to Voullaire a letter she had received from
her betrothed that morning. In it the
physician cast suspicion upon her relations
to her adopted father, accused her of du-
plicity and hurled upon her unwarranted
reproaches.
3'He knew my foster father and his no.
BILE character, - walled Angelina. ''How
could he write in this way?" 1t was said
quietly and without resentment. Voullaire
was perplexed by the girls unusual man
ner and held out his hands to her in abject
sympathy.
MANY another girl would end her life,
she continued, 'but 1 only feel that I
must and will live. I shall not defend
myself; neither will kill myself. "
defend yourself you must, . cried VOul-
laire sFSome one who is selfshly interest
ed in your lover has uttered these vile cal
IrT1n
off,
''Who could have done sop
"The woman has had charge of his chill
dren since his wife's death. She feared =
Hurried footsteps were heard outside.
The door flew open, and the doctor dashed
into the room.
"AngeIiona - he cried, ''fOrgive mel'
He fell at the feet of his betrothed and
wept like a child. Voullaire took his hat
and left the room. On the following morn
ing he received a letter from her.
Farewell, dear friend she wrote.
"His mother was the cause of our trouble.
She is right. I would have robbed his
children of their father. I would have
robbed him whom love of his children.
Now I must die; now 1 will die. 1 was
born to tragedy. Sunlight and happiness
are not for me. FAREWELL
Voullaire hastened across the street to
the hotel Angeliona had left it early that
morning. She had taken nothing with
her but small hand bag. From the hotel
the lawyer went to the residence of the
doctor. He had just received similar
communication bidding him farewell for
ever. Together the two men secured the
town and had detectives search for her in
other cities, but nothing was ever heard of
the girl. The river was dragged for the
dead body, but gave up nothing. 1t seemed
as if the earth had swallowed the unfOrtu-
nate young woman. For years DR.. l.. and
Sidney VoulIaire continued their search
for Angeliona but all in vain. A few
months prior to Voullaire's own death the