The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-02-11
BENTON, LOUISIANA, FEBRUARY
Lopez smiled and refillins his glass

OeSdn.
Certainly; l have much to say and
will not shrink the task. have story
l wish you to hear. but before relate
1t want you all to drink toast with
me-"
All raised their glasses and waited.
Lopez turned to Margarita. saying:
"You will drink out of my glass this
time, drinking only half, leaving the
other half for me-"
Smilingly she put down her glass and
Lopez began:
Il drink to the most beautiful, the
most outwardly perfect woman in the
world. to Margarita Toreno."
All glasses were drained and after
Margarita had drunk half of what was
in Lopez's he swallowed the rest, adding
with a smile:
"This is our love troth,' and he re-
sumed his seat. Now for my story"
Silence" cried the others, Lopez
has got story. Listen to the story"
After awhile the noise ceased and Lo-
pez began:
This is true story, every word OF
1t is true, so note well what say. 1t
was three years ago, a young mas. pass
ing by cigarette factory saw a lovely
girl in plain dress leaving the building
She was beautiful. with beauty which
came from pure soul and a noble heart.
Well, he was young, ardent, and she
pleased him. He sought her out, saw
hot oh ynoc VII ~, oh II
unable to get her any other way he mar
ried her in secret, since his rank and
his parents pride forbade him to do so
openly"
He paused and turned with smile to-
ward Margarita. She had suddenly be-
come very pale and her dark eyes met
his in startled question; but without
seeming to heed her emotion he contin-
ued, measuring each of his words:
"Only those who have truly loved.
loved with all the strength of heart and
soul, can guess what hours of bliss, what
exquisite joys filled the lives of the two
married lovers. For two years that hap
piness continued, then g cloud rose in
their sunny sky, and that cloud took the
shape of a woman, divinely beautiful,
but satanically cruel.
"She was one of those lost creatures
which the world supports yet scorns.
She had princes and kings at her feet.
but her vain heart wanted to possess the
man who scorned her. What's the mat
ter, Margarita? you are pale; does my
story move you?"
BY powerful effort she overcame her
weakness and answered:
Go on; I am interested. Only pass
me more wine, feel strangely dizzy"
And she drank eagerly the glass one OF
her companions had filled for her. But
Lopez continued:
Seeing that she could not win him
she decided to take her from him. 1t
was an easy thing tc accomplish, for
one night well-paid assassin struck his
blow in the dark; one young life was
cut short; one love dream was brought
to an end and the next morning all
Madrid was shocked to hear of the mys-
terious murder of the Villa del Rosa
A smothered cry from Margarita
caused all eyes to turn in her direction.
She was standing in her place, pale,
CHASTITY, wild Some Ct the women rose
to go to her, but Lopez said in the same
calm voice:
Don't worry, ladies'; will take care
of Margarita. she will soon be well"
The smile had fed from all lips, a cur
rent Of dread passed among the guests.
l Ia nd In ~
of each was fear that something was
going to happen. Lopez alone remained
| calm and after forcing Margarita to re-
sumo her seat he continued. his words
falling like dirge on the oppressive ST.
lence:
"You all know the details of that mur.
| der, but what you do not know was the
oath the man took over the body of the
woman he had lovti. He swore tina,
he would find the guilty and avenge he,
death. He has this night kept that oath.
Margarita gave a wild cry as shs
started to her feet Lopez, with a laugh
of triumph, concluded:
| "The hero of my story is myself. The
guilty woman stands yohder. AS to my
vengeance l achieved 1t as l drank my
death and hers while pronouncing my
| toast. The wine we drank was pois
oned. There is no cure and in an hour
we both will be dead. drank my toas
10 the most beautiful, the most out
wardly perfect woman of the world, bu
I drank it with a wine which. like her
vas venomous. yet which hid its dan
ger in the glitter of its sparkle. A ser
pent she was; with the venom of ser
pent she dies!"
| Margarita. had remained spellbount
by horror, but at his last words she CAV
one wild cry and fell writhiIg to tn
floor. The affair was hushed up an,
thanks to Lopez's high position, til
story was kept out of the papers. bu
those who witnessed that terrible seen
Of refined vengeance never forgot tn
horror of the tragic toast Of DEATH"
Judging by Appearances.
Does the drum major belong to TIL
band. pop?"
| "Well, to judge by appearances. m.
son I should saw that the drum jn