The border vidette., 1899-12-16
HIS SCARLET
SHAME!
Or
A Chapter from the
Life of a Living
Mephistopheles.

SAN BER~ARDINo, SEPT. 26, 1899
Sir:-I fear he story of my affairs in
somewhat tedious.
Pardon me for referring to my earlier
! history. 1 will eudeavor TO make it as
| brief as possible.
| l was brought up in the country
about 10 miles from the City OF Sacra-
mento, California. my parents owning
farm in that vicinity l married at
The early age Of sixteen, a man y years
my senior. With the help OF my
parents, my Husband and myself be-
came the possessors of IL ranch of about
500 acres near my fathers home. As
I time passed this property became quite
valuable. My husband became pos
sessed of IL speculative mania, and in q
short time the ranch was mortgaged
for $4,000. After my hu> band had
borrowed all the money he could on
the property, and had nothing left he
concluded 10 20 To Arizona and try his
fortune in the mines. He decided the
ranch to me, saying, that L had worked
hard to help get the place. and as he
mad spent his share OF it, what Was left
belonged to me, aud [ could do what L
pleased with 1t, aud if he never made IL
fortune he would never return. He
t:.en left aud L and my Two boys re-
mained with my parents. My husband
did not make anything and did not re-
turn, although L heard from him oc-
cdsiOnally.
Alter i've years had passed Mr..
....... .....- appeared upon the
scene. [ was at that time about 33
years of aye and considered an attrac
tive woman. --- pretended 10 TALL
desperately in love with me, using every
art and stopping at nothing to win my
affections, with such good SUCCESS, that
in d short time [ mad promised 10 get Il
divorce and marry him, feeling that l
owed small allegiance to my hus band
after his neglect OF me. Unfortunately
for me, W uIle IN Sacramento for IA few
days. L was taken seriously i'll, and
confined to my room at the hotel for
Two months under the influence of
Opiates most of the time. Mr.. ..
never left me, and In my weakened con-
clifton, both Of budy and mlnd, gained
co -plete cuntroI over me. SO that l,
who was his superior III education and
good breeding, and had been considered
up to this time, Il bright woman, be-
caIne his salve. l would DO anything
he told Inc, and my confidence III him
was unbounded. AT this critical time
my husband pectedly returned,
but l, acting under .... .... i'll
huence would have nothing to do with
hlm. My husband, angered at this,
sought revenge. and commenced suit to
recover the ranch. L was still too sick
TO consult lawyer, so...... .
retained Gen. A. L.. Hart for me, act
ing US go-between, going to the Cen
eral and bringing back any message he
pleased. The first thing was that to
save tie ranch, | had better make u
deed OF the place to some one else.
Years after, Hart told me that he never
said anything Uf tie kind) You will
guess that / deeded the property to
that he would deed the place back to
me whenever L asked him to do so.
At this time L was SO ill that 1 had to
be held up III bed, and the pen held in
my hand to sign the deed. My hus. |
bands lawyer tried 20 make some set
tlement but ....... ...... stubborn !
will stood in the way at every turn,
while 1, whom the idea of a lawsuit
filled with terror, was kept quiet by !
promises Of Il speedy and happy ending |
of ali these difficulties. 1 slowly re-
covered from my illness and went back !
to remain with my parents The law |
suit was brought up and put off from
time to time (being managed by ....
..-.) until nearly two years had elapsed.
My parents died in the meantime,
leaving me another ranch worth about
So, OOO. This | rented, putting my
boys In school, and going to live in
Sacramento. made him
self at home in my rooms, silencing all
my scruples by saying that as soon as
the lawsuit was settled, L could get a
divorce and we would be married, say
ing could not get it until then as NV
husband would not let me have 1t.