Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-03-31
ATALE OF TWOCITIES
A REAL ROMANCE THAT RIVALS ANY
 WOVEN IN FICTION.


 planted Her spinster Aunt-Driven From
 Home on Heinous Charge, Her Lover
 FolIows to Find and Marry Her.
 Miss Lula Fletcher, an erstwhile so- ciety belle of Cincinnati, is very much wanted young woman. Chief of Detect ives Desmond has several of his men searching St. Louis for her. There is also young business man from Cincin- natl of the name of George Minturn, who has been in the city for several days searching for the same young woman, but for a different purpose.
 Chief Desmond wants her on infor- nation received that warrant for rob bery has been issued against her in the Ohio city, and if his men find her she will languish behind the bars until an officer arrives to escort her back to Gin cinnati.
 On the other hand, if she is found by Mir. Minturn, she will go back to Gin cinnati ill high honor, and. if willing, will become the bride of man of wealth, who claims to be able to have the charges against her withdrawn and her name cleared of nll suspicion of wrongdoing. Behind all this there lies a story which created quite a furore in certain aristooratio families in Cinein- natl and caused the young woman to hurriedly leave that city,
 Miss Lulu Fletcher is q very hand some young woman, 20 years of age, and for the last year has made her home with Miss Annie Fletcher, 8 spinster aunt, who is quite wealthy and who occupies high social position. The niece is the orphan daughter of Miss Fletcher's only brother and was her prospective heir. The aunt has never married, because until she met George Minturn she had seen no one who had won her somewhat aged affee- tions. But when she met him she decided that he was the man she had been wait ing for these many years, and the feeling was apparently mutual. Everything went along smoothly until the niece ap- peared upon the scene, and her beauty caused the young man to gradually transfer his affection from the aunt to the niece.
 4 few months ago the aunt noticed this change on the part of her lover and sent the niece away on visit in order to get her out of the way, while she attempted by all the wiles known to the feminine mind to win back her recreant love- She was successful, and the wedding day was set. After this important event the aunt felt secure and recalled the banished niece.
 The aunt closely watched the pair after the nieee'S return, but noticed nothing to arouse her suspicion until about two weeks ago. when she decided that Mir. Mintu&n cared entirely too Much for the niece and taxed him with it. He then declared that the niece was preferable to the aunt and that the en- gagement was to be considered at an end. A hysterioal seanee followed, dur ing which the niece was ordered to leave the house and forever remain away.
 Miss Lulu Fletcher left her aunt s house and went to live with friend of her mothers who resided in another part of the city. About the same time that Miss Fletcher left her aunt's house diamond brooch also disappeared A few days later the aunt called at the house where Miss Fletcher was stopping and accused her of breaking open her jewel box and stealing the brooch. This Miss Fletcher indignantly denied. but the aunt insisted that it was true and informed the young woman that shs would prosecute her if she would not consent to give up the affections of MT. Minturn and leave the city.
 Knowing her aunt's vindictive dispo- sition and fearful of arrest, Miss Fletcher agreed to do this and left at once for St. Louis. After Miss Fletcher's departure from Cincinnati MT. Minturn refused to have anything to do with the aunt, who decided that there was collision be- tween him and the niece and had the warrant issued.
 As soon as Mir. Minturn heard of the warrant he at onoe began to search foz the young woman and claims that he is able to disproye the charges against her and will marry her and take her back to face the spinster aunt. St. Louis Re. public.