Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1906-09-01
II MORAL
RE EVOLUTION

Ne" oIIedllS mas always Dctu inc
chosen spot In America among the
French people There IS something in
the tropical beauty of the country that
attracts the dcnzcns of the sunny land
of France. Soon after the French revo-
luton an old aristocrat who had cs-
capped the gullotinc by getting away
in time went to New Orleans with his
only child. daughter Old CharlIcr
was younger brother to Il duke, who
before the reign of terror had supplied
him with an income which the younger
Charlicr picccd out by gambling with
others of the nobility. When he came
to America, broken down in mind and
body, he ekod out small living by
his skill in cards.
About this time Il Creole, Felix Du-
voll, came into the possession of scv-
cral large plantations \ man of the
world, he denied himself no luxury
money could buy. one morning he saw
Denise Charlicr ut the flower market,
where She had gon" to sell some roses
she had cultivated. or, rather which
had grown unaSSiStcd in her fathers
little back yard. DuyOll purchased her
roses and learned from her where she
lived. He determined to possess the
girl and went about 1t mcthodicaIly
He made old Charters acquaintance.
invited him to his city residence, played
cards with him and permitted him to
win quite sum of money. Charlicr
invited Duvoll to his little house and
introduced him to Denise. 1t was rather
the fault of DuVoll's surroundings than
Il natural prcdiSpoSition that led him to
evil. He was fascinating man to wo-
men and Denis" fell In love with him
After permitting ChArlcr to win va
riouS small sums DuVoll gradually led
the old man to understand that he de
sired his daughter, but could not ask
for her in marriage without great pc
cuniary loss Then he adrOitly init
mated that if Denise were to be ex-
posed in the slave market he would
gladly give SJOOOO for her Thus he
lnSidouSly put II into the Old mans
head to gamble the girl against $4,000
at a gam" of cards. by this means
Charlier SAW himself in possession of
10000 and his daughter as we'll He
considered Duyoll no match for him at
cards.
And so 1t was agreed that if CharliCr
lost he should sign papers declaring
that Denise. who WAS Il brunette had
negro blood in her veins and that he
had bought her of Il negro trader. 1t
was also agreed that he should sign n
bill Of sale for the girl
/
where her father and Duvoll were
playing and saw Mt once that an I'M
usual stake was being played for Du-
VOL, whom Sh" had always noticed
playing carclcSSly. was concentrating
all his mind on the game and played
with great skill. The girl stood by
and saw her father lose Il number of
games In rapid succession. Looking
into his face. she noticed intense agony
pictured there Then suddenly there
came a change, and her father began
to win. She went over and stood be
hind him, where she could see his
cards. 1t was not long before the turn
of the tide in her fathers favor was
apparent. When il came his turn to
deal he would direct his opponents at
tcntion to some object in the room or
out through the window and while he
looked Charler would manipulate the
cards
Denise was horror stricken Had it
indeed come to this? She had borne
tie terrors of the revolution, she had
seen her family dWmdle by the guillo-
tine, but thus far there had been no
dishonor Her resolution was at once
taken.
can you not stop your game long
enough, NJ Duvoll to come out and
see some new plants have just Sc
curcd?'
"Ccrtainly. malemoiS"llc." And, arts
ing from the table. he went with her.
She had no sooner reached the gar
den than she turned to Duvoll and
said:
"MouSicur. promise me to take no
action to punish an act am about to
reveal to you"
Il PROMISE" said DuvOll. surprised.
My father has passed through an
ordeal that has weakened his brain.
His elder brother, his son, my own
brother. besides many relatives and
friends. persisted on the Place de In
Revolution in Paris. My father es-
capped In disguise From comparative
wealth he has been reduced to want
1t has broken through that sense of
honor for which our family has been
distinguished for centuries. Oh. that
one of our name should have fallen so
low. Stop the game, monsieur. My
father is with an effort she finished
"chcatng you"
Duvoll stood looking ut her without
speaking. \ revolution more impOr-
tant than that through which France
had paSSrd-a moral rcvolution-Was
ut work within him. Born to regard
human being as Il chattcl, he had been
lei by Il love the sacred nature of
which he was unconscious to Il deed
compared with which her fathers eff
fort to save her from the results of
his own weakness was noble
"MadcmoiScllc," he said at last In
faltcrin@ voice, should | tell you Of
the guilt lying mt my own door you
would deSpiSe me. Were | worthy OF
you would ask you to be my wife.
If | ever find Il way to atone for the
wrong | would have done but for the
quick change YOU have made in me
you shall certainly have the privilege
nF< ,iI1f DS I ~