Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-03-20
N MORAL
REVOLUTION
IOriginal.l

tue trOplcal beauty or the country .tnaC
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 retting away
| in time went to New Orleans with his
only child, daughter. Old Charlier
was younger brother to duke, who
before the reign Of terror had supplied
him. with an income which the younger
Charlier pleced out by gambling with
others of the nobility. When he came
to America, broken down in 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. A 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 1t methodically.
He made old Charters acquaintance,
invited him to his city residence, played
cards with him and permitted him to
win quite 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 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 IL Denise were to be eX-
posed in the slave market he would
gladly give $4,000 for her. Thus he
insidiously put 1t into the old mans
head to gamble the girl against $50, 1000
at a game Of cards BY this means
Charlier saw himself I'm possession of
$4,000 and his daughter as well. He
considered DuvOll no match for him at
cards
And so 1t was agreed that IL Charlier
lost he should sign papers declaring
that Denise, who was brunette, had
negro blood In her veins and that he
had bought her Of 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 Duyoll were
playing and saw at once that an un-
usual stake was being played for. Du-
vol, whom she had always noticed
playing carelessly, was concentrating
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 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 II 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 ms
looked Charlier would manipulate the
cards.
Denise was horror stricken Had II
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 ! have just Sc
cured?"
certainly, mademoiselle." And, aris-
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. persisted on the Place de la
Revolution In Paris. My father es-
capped I'm 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 SC
low Stop the game, monsieur. My
father is"-with an effort she finished
cheating you"
Duvoll stood looking at her without
speaking. A 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 chattel, he had been
led by love the sacred nature OF
which he was unconscious to a deed
compared with which her fathers eff
fort to save her from the results sof
his own weakness was noble.
"Mademolselle," he said at last In a
faltering voice, should tell you Of
the guilt lying at my own door you
would despise me. Were worthy of
you would ask you to be my wife.
II ! ever find way to atone for the
wrong I would have done but for the
quick change you have made In me
you shall certainly have the privilege