New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-08-11
THE BALL N BOHEMIA

lit OHIlssltv. OOtJIJvy1Jl
BY BELLE G. WARREN.
copyright, 1909. by American Press Assoc
citation.
This is a true story of M. Claude,
chief of police under Napoleon III.
Claude greatly resembled in person
the poet Beranger, the idol of repub-
licans France, having the same bald
head and the same benevolent counte.
nance.
One night ball was in progress in
the Latin quarter Of Paris, that por-
tion ofsthe city given over to students
and grizettes. 1t was in those days a
veritable Bohemia, in the height of
that splendcr pictured by Du Maurie1
in his novel ''Trilby." Among the
dancers was Gustave Rieux, who had
been active in opposing the assumption
Of imperial power by the president.
Upon the enforcement Of Louis Ma.
poleon, Rieux, realizing that he was
not safe in France, fled to America,
but after a time returned to Paris,
purporting to be Henry Underwood.
an American student of art.
Rieux's. partner in the dance was
Clochette Verier, at the time the ac-
knowledged queen of Bohemia New
ertheless not word had ever been
spoken against her purity. Born in
higher class, fond of social life, but
denied by poverty entrance to the So
c1ety of the upper circles, she entered
Bohemia destined rather to rule 1t
than to be ruled by it. There, on his
return from America, Rieux met her,
and the meeting resulted on both sides
In what the French call grand pas
sion.
Rieux had been warned that the
government had trumped up charge
against him Of completely in case
of murder and if caught he would be
tried under imperial influences and
doubtless convicted. He had delayed
fight because he could not tear him
self away from Clochette Verier. She.
realizing his danger, had begged him
to leave France, and he had promised
her to do so on the morrow. LET us
spend one evening together" he said,
lin that bohemian life amid which we
have met and loved. Then we will
part, if it must be, forever" She con-
scented.
They were standing as first couple
in a dance which was then new in
Paris, but which was later imported
to- America and is occasionally danced
here even at the present day-the lam
GERS. A figure had been danced, and
the musicians had stopped for brief
interval before beginning to play for
the next. Suddenly Rieux, who faced
the door, saw 1t opened and man
enter. Clochette, who was looking at
her lover, saw him turn pale and, fol-
lowing the direction Of his eyes, dis
covered the cause. But she could not
understand it. She had seen the poet
Beranger and supposed the man who
entered to be he. ..s.,y-s.s..
II 1T is NJ. Claude whispered Rieux.
"He has come for me. I am lost!''
Claude glanced quickly about the
room, and, his eye, lighting upon Rieux,
he advanced straight toward him. But
Ikea flash Clochette's wit came to the
rescue. tsi'a-s.r,T sEa:s@ a.5s
"Berangerw she cried, pointing to
Claude. t.s
"Beranger, our idolp Rieux shouted,
taking up the cue. '8.@
"Beranger! Beranger! Berangerw
rang through the hail.
Clochette advanced to meet the. de-
tective, whispering to every girl she
passed, Come; let us greet the poet"
At that moment the music started for
the next figure, but no one paid any
attention to it. A bevy Of girls block
ed the way between Claude and the
man he had come to arrest. Snatching
the flowers from their corsages, they
tossed them at the detective, enough
Of them striking his face to shut out
a view Of his victim, who was retreat
ing to the door. Clochette, having seen
the people in the hall crowding around
the man they supposed to be Beranger,
followed her lover, and together they
gained the street door, where Claude's
carriage was waiting to take Rieux to
jail. Avoiding it, they hurried away,
called cab and drove rapidly toward
the barrier.
Meanwhile the detective was the
center Of attraction at the ballroom.
To tell the admiring throng that he
was not the poet they idolized, but an
agent of the government sent to arrest
one Of their number, was more than
he dared do. He did deny that he
was Beranger, but even this they
would not believe. Finally he made
his escape loaded with flowers
"Clochette," cried Rieux, throwing
his arms around her as they rolled
away in the cab, "you have saved me.
Go with me to America as my wife.
There, free from the Sights of my
family and my friends here, we can