Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-09
DAILY STORK
A MORAL REVOLUTION.

attracts the deniZens of the sunny land
of France. Soon after the French revo-
luton an old aristocrat who had eS
capped the guillotine by getting away
in time went to New Orleans with his
only child n daughter. Old Charlier
was younger brother TO duke, who
before the reign of terror had supplied
him with an income which the younger
Charlier pieced out by gambling with
others of the nobility. When he came
to America, broken down i'll mind and
body, he eked out small living by
his skill in cards.
About this time a Creole, Felix Du-
VOL, came into the possession of sew
eral large plantations. \ man of the
world he denied himself no luxury
money could buy. One morning he saw
Denise Charlier at the flower market.
where she had gone to sell some roses
she had cultivated, or, rather. which
had grown unassisted in her fathers
little back yard. Duvoll purchased her
roses and learned from her where she
lived. He determined to possess the
girl and went about it methodically.
He made old Charters acquaintance,
invited him to his city residence. played
win quite Il sum of money. Charlier
invited Duvoll To his little house and
introduced him To Denise. 1t was rather
the fault of Duvoll's surroundings than
natural predisposition that led him to
evil. He was Il fascinating man to wo-
men and Denise fell in love with him.
After permitting Charlier 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 $4,000 for her. Thus he
insidiously put it into the old mans
head to gamble the girl against $4,000
at Il game of cards BY this means
Charlier saw himself in possession of
$4,000 and his daughter as well. He
considered Duvoll no match for him at
cards.
And SO it was agreed that if Charlier
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
bill OF sale for the girl.
One day Denise entered the room
where her father and Duvoll were
playing and saw at once that an I'M
usual stake was being played for Du-
VOL, whom she had always noticed
playing carelessly, was concentrating
all his mind on the game and played
with great skill. The girl stood by
and saw her father lose 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 it came his turn to
deal he would direct his opponents at
tention to some object in the room or
out through the window, and while he
looked Charlier would manipulate the
cards.
Denise was horror stricken. Had it
indeed come to this? She had borne
the terrors of the revolution. she had
seen her family dwindle 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 1 have just Sc
cured?"
Certainly, mademoiselle." 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:
Monsieur, 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. perished on the Place de Ia
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
cheating you"
Duvoll stood looking at her without
speaking. \ revolution more impor-
tant than that through which France
had passed-a moral revolution-was
at work within him. Born to regard |
human being as a chattel, he had been |
led by 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. I
'Mademoiselle,' he said at last in |
faltering voice, SHOULD 1 tell you of
the guilt lying at my own door you |
would despise me. Were l worthy Of
you 1 would ask you to be my wife. |
If 1 ever find way to atone for the |
wrong 1 would have done but for the |
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