Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-09-02
CHAPTER XVII.
DREAKrNG TIE sEALR

must go Dack (So1d Mr.. BOStOck) 10 |
the time of my marriage. The lady
was a belle Of New Orleans-beautiful,
but not wealthy. was then, though
a young man, the richest planter of
the La Fourche- had rival, Napo-
leon Castex, who was settled in Cuba,
but who often came over to enjoy the
social festivities of the mild winters in
New Orleans. Our rivalry was close
and sharp. ] was successful. and
gained the mans lasting hatred in con-
sequence.
Why is it that men and women win
deliberately marry. when they are by
nature. habit and education, utterly
untitled TO mate together? Such things
always have been and always will be.
Less than three months of welded life
showed us that we were utterly uncon-
genial But we lived on together. MAX
ing the best of it. and enduring our
irlSsome bonds.
We had but one child, Conrad. viii
speak of him later. / desire now to
say that, so far as have been able to
see, he resembled neither of his par
ents in anything. He was bad. recl1-
less and profigate. from an age when
world. I have somewhere read that
hereditary vices, as well as diseases,
viii sometimes skip several genera
tions, and appear in child of parents
not given to evil. 1t must be so; the
accumulated sins of many ancestors
must have been inwrought in that boy.
attended one day at the New Or
leans slave-mart an auction Of the peo-
pie of a Cuban plantation, who had
been sent there TO obtain better prices.
l learned upon inquiry that their
owner was Castex, who had become ru-
ined by unfortunate speculation. A lit
tie orphan. thirteen years old, appar-
emily as white as myself, attracted my
notice. l became her owner and took
her home as n house-servant- She was
called Louise Bonfant.
Time passed; the coldness between
my wife and myself increased. Let me
not try to apportion the blame: per-
haps there was none. Our mistake
was when we mutually promised 70
love, honor and cherish.
But she was better than /; she at
least tried TO keep her vows Cherish
ing no affection for her / became care
less of those vows The pretty slave
| girl grew up; she was petted and edu-
Gated; she usurped the place of Emile.
For awhile the latter bore IL, silent
and indignant. At length her outraged
womanhood spoke out.
''It is better that we part quietly
and without scandal" she said 81
can no longer stay in this house. Make
| n suitable provision for me and / will
take the boy and join my people, who
have gone TO Paris. Tell what story
YOU please about my absence; It viii
not be contradicted."
was glad enough to make this ar
rangement- She went abroad and dice
there few years after.
Her parting words still ring IN my
ears.
AZ leave you In sorrow, not In an
ger" she said. The holy church, o
which am a child. has taught me tina
there is nothing more sacred in HEAVIER
or earth than the martial vows. Yo'
have broken them; you are laying N
wrath for yourself in days TO come. Al
offended God viii surely call you I
account. and you will remember NJ
words"
Often have / remembered then
Emile has been exquisitely avengedl
Conrad accompanied her TO New On
leans. but before the packet sailed h
returned home. l received him wit
surprise and displeasure. for had fel
: immeasurably relieved when Emili
proposed that he should live with he
I've thought the thing all owe
governor" said this boy of fifteeI
'and concluded to come back 70
see I've nothing to do with the OF
woman's quarrels; and as you've sc
the money, and I'm getting on wheI
!. shall want lots of it. / reckon l.
! stick TO You"
Within one week from the departul
;, of my wife you were born, Cory, yoI
q mother dying in the same hour.
!. The love that Emile should ha'
n was given to your poor mother, chill
was nearly distracted at her loss
y my frenzy it seemed to me the first fl
: hllment of Emilie's prediction
l. Soon my affections and hopes we
, transferred to Louise's child. Tn,
IT the crushing thought came that til
l. child was a slave, born of sla
r. mother. and that to manumit her wou
;. be to publish the fact to the world
could not bear the alternative.
n save il, | resolved on a course WIFI
is good judgment should have warn
1t me against ] would break up Z
At home here, lease the plantation,
\ four hundred miles up the river, al
IS in locality where no stories woU
lie be likely to come from La Fourche
ar would bring up this child of my aft
er tion. No one there should know
In tas tain. in her origin; no one sho1
ct Iver guess that she was born in boz
nd Ige.
We This plan put in execution imme
We ately. 1t promised to succeed. I
We fortunately, had not taken into
count the precocity and wickedness
that boy. He instantly OWNED I
LIE truth, and began to hold the lxno
x, edge of it over me like rod. For
ne wears he kent me in constant farr