The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-12-10
WONDERFUL STORY OF ALE
The Evolution of the Greatest
Humbug in the World.
ROOTED IN CREDULITY
Old Daurionac Original impostor-Hls
Offspring the Notorious Madam
Humbert-Her Career Of Swind-
ling Began While Yet Child OF
Fourteen.
The story grewl


II was not lie, created by one
magnificent stroke of inventive genius
but little by little it grew, roofing 1T
self more and more firmly in the hooks
and crannies of human credulity and
vanity and avarlce, adapting itself to
circumstances, creeping round obstruc-
tons. attaching its tendrils to the pill
lars of the church, the Hall, of JUS
uce. and the Council Chamber, till by
and by It seemed as strong and firm
1y planted as the great Third Repub-
lie itself At first It was poor, mod
est little seeding of lie of which no
one took much notice, in remote
country village in the South of France.
Among the ignorant. superstitious
peasants of Aussonne nifty years ago
there came n curious old man of shah
by mlen, who secured employment as
sacristan at the parish church. and at
the same time represented the oppo-
site interest in the district by traf-
icking in spells and incantations to
drive the blight from the vine or Sc
cure TO some village maiden the af-
fections of her swain. Old Daurignac,
as he was called, was a thriftless,
shifty dreamer. always whispering to
his clients strange stories Of a mys-
terious parentage and of wealth to
come Now he was the unacknowl.
edged son of a titled lady of enormous
wealth. now a Portuguese priest OF
rich and noble family. Close by him
there lived poor farmer named Ca
pella. whose wife was the mistress of
the village usurer and tyrant, old
Pere Duluc a miserly old wretch. who
It was believed would leave his wealth
TO the three girls of whom all knew
him to he the real father. One OF
these married Daurignac, but the
wealth of Duluc was left to a more
fortunate sister.
Into the neglected, squalid home of
Daurignac and his wife, with their
Irregular parentage and family legend
of a coming inheritance, was born the
little girl whom the world knows to-
day as Madame Humbert. Therese
was an apt pupil of the elderly charla-
tan she owned as parent AS child
she was q liar and a thief. At II she
ndulged her love of finery-and prob
ably also of Exceptionally obtaining
from the tradesmen of Toulouse fash
ionable gowns and luxurious orna-
ments, on the strength of a story that
she was to be married to the son OF
a wealthy hipowner at a distance,
This little exploit caused her father
70 be sold up and reduced the family
to miserable penury.
However. Therese was by no means
daunted The lie, which had gained
some pretty frocks, might secure more
important boons. There was in Tou-
louise a poor professor of law NJ. Gus
tavc Humbert, we'll known for his
fine, stern integrity of character, n
Republican and a very learned man.
When the Empire fell there was need
of such trusty persons for the new
State, Humbert was elected to the
Chamber of Deputies, made one Of
the seventy-flve Life Senators, and
rose to be Minister of Justice, after
ward filing one of the highest posts
in the judicial service. The Hum
berts lived in a village close to There
Sc, and she won the affections of Fred
eric Humbert, the young law student,
when he returned home at 10. lgnor-
ant, coarse, with a villainous accent.
the peasant girl won over the boys
mother and father by tale of lit
tie fortune of G12,000, which would
help him in his law career-the lie be-
ing discovered on the very day of the
MARRIAGE But Therese had accom-
plished her purpose; she was now al
lied to a family of repute and consid-
Grafton.
Paris was the next scene Of her ex-
ploits. Wife of young barrister,
with her father-in-law, though poor,
honored, and in high position, Therese
made constant use of NJ. GuStave
uumbert's name. With her passion for
luxury she was not long in making
, bid for the enjoyment of the de-
lights of the capital. Madame Delat-
ire, a neighbor, was one of the first
subjects upon whom she practiced.
Madame Delattre had some shares,
and young Madame Humbert, worm
tHS utl Stll llAO iuC Spoh ioby . Nch
idence, learned of these, and warned
her that the company was about to
eail. Her father-in-law had told her
so!
"But, dear Madame, give them to
me, and | will sell them in time and
pay you ten per cent on the money"
When Madame Delattre applied for
he interest Therese laughed in her
face.
In the course of the reckless bor-
nowlngs that ensued the lie very soon
Negan again to assert itself 1t was no
'ongor the modest little lie of an ex-
sected E12000 that had procured the
marriage at Toulouse. 1t was a big
lie and daily growing, changing it's
shape with wonderful adaptabilty,
improving in its plausibility, adding
10 itself new details, even accumulat-
ing proofs ntil It began to look like the
truth! First there was vague talk OF