The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-05-14

- the blade was CFlNtn nome hiH
looking up recognized who struck
Not long after secured
furlough and returned
home. While there ] showed my |
father the fatal note and explained
to him tho true circumstances sur
rounding tho generals death. Then
he told me the sequel 20 my story
About three years before Lcspard'S
wedding HIS father, n wealthy sugar
planter and real estate owner or New
orleans, had died, leaving the bulk
Of his estate to his son. Not long
nitcrwnrd the young man purchased
u beautiful octoroon slave girl ana
installed her In n pretty cottage in
the suburbs. For nearly two years
he was very devoted, tho girl during
that time presenting him with
son At length, however, he began
to weary Of her, ind when he met
Lucille Mnllon and fell in love with
her, be ctSt about for the best means
of getting rid OF Celeste. Quietly ne
madr arrangements 10 send her ana
the child to Cuba. He purchased u
home for her In Havana, placed
money to her credit In bank and
employed man to keep an eye upon
her
"rhcn he told Celeste. In vain she i'm
plorrl, then threatened. He was mex
prahle. She refused to go. He told her
be would separate her and tho child.
She yielded, hut for weeks WAS pros
rated. My father was called in, and
never he said to me, have ! seen
so great transformation In hui
man being ms took place in her upon
my last visit All along she had
hoped against hope. but realizing at
last that she had been hugging n
shadow, her dark eyes famed ON
inously, and she exclaimed, "As |
have loved him with every fiber of
my being 40 now | hate him and Will
live for revengcl" Poor soul! She
has had her revenge at last, but not
until he had added immeasurcably to
the heavy debt already due her!
About three years after thcy
reached Cuba, Leopard received let
ter from his agent In which he stated
that both mother and child had died
of yellow fever. Celeste, 1t appcara,
won the agent over and returned to
this country with her child
I'VE were both deeply interested in
the matter and | determined tn find
out more about 1t. Having ut last
| I n
Havana | acquainted him with that
officers death aud obtained from him
an account of the movements of Cc-
lcstc during her stay in Cuba and
afterward. For months, as a young
widow. she remained closely ut home.
Then she put of her mourning garb
and extended the circle OF her ac-
uunintnnccs. Among these was IL
wealthy Cuban named Lancra. When,
later, he offered himself she accepted
him, and not long after their mar
rlagc she persuaded him To make his
home during the summer months III
baltimore.
Here for II time / was at loss,
but persisted and finally my efforts
were rewarded Lucille Leopard, rs
have said, was "A Miss MaIlon, of
baltimore. She had n sister living ut
, the old homo aud when her daugh.
ter the only child living WAS old
enough she sent her to shat sister
that the girl might bc educated at
the convent where she herself had
been taught II was during this pc
. riud that she met Francisco lhurri
and they fell IA love with each other
The Young people kept their lnY" q
secret, he because LanCra had al
I rcndy selected sweetheart for him
/ aud she because her father hat
, promised her to IL man named GWalt
. nry, Older than Lcspard himself, but
wealthy; and, as developed later
, holding mortgage ON most Of Les
, pard's property, which Ii" had III
D. VOWED by gambling and specializing
when hostilltics commence
: young Lanrrn entered the northern
, army and his mother, who nlwhy'
, kept ~ near him as possible, wa
less than n mile away when he wa
, executed Lucille evidently informed
4 her lover or h'f hl"N''''h'7 ""'
. must have secured ana communicate
D +" him in some way th' paSS""r"
= and on that fatal night ne h"d 'n
/ tered oar lines for the purpose o
seeing her. AS II ch"h'rh' however
1 Gen. Lespard had sent h'r in"th''
r and herself several lh'ieS 10 th' Tc'