Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1911-04-06
ONCE VERY RICH
SHE BECAME A RAG-PICKER AND
DIED IN POVERTY.
Fatal Duel Between Her Father and
an English Admirer Blotted Hap
piness Out Of Her Life.

"Mademoiselle," the rag-picker,
had a name, though nobody in Ly-
ons. France, knew 1t til she was
found dead on the floor OF her gar
ret. dead of starvation and old age
combined. Her name was Marguerite
Carrel. And to her name there hangs
story.
Seventy years ago. in 1910. when
Marguerite was 20. the Carrel were
among the silk magnates Of Lyons.
The silk magnates formed ho
bility, an aristocracy as proud in It's
own way as the old aristocracy OF
France had been before the revolu-
ton. Marguerite was the CarrelS
only daughter. She was extremely
beautiful, and before she was 1S had
as many admirers as the Lyons silA
merchants had grown-up sons. But
she would listen to or look at none OF
them. And then one day a young
Englishman came to Lyons. HIS
name has not survived.
He was the heir OF an English SILK
firm. firm of importers which hao
business dealings with the Duyai
firm. a rival OF the Carrels. Between
the families was a feud as bitter as
that between the Montogues and
Coputets.
Marguerite Carrel met the young
English friend of the Duval house one
day and fell in love with him, and
he with her. The Englishman was
rich and did not care whether Mar
guerite came to him with or without
a dowry
One night Marguerite Carrel ana
the Fngliohman left LYONS in post
chaise. Their idea as to drive south
to mislead pursuit, to make for Mar
seilles, and from there to ship for
England.
But old Carrel got wind OF their
fight and followed. Forty miles from
Lyons he caught them, and there on
the roadside, under Marguerite Car
reTs frightened gaze, Carrel and the
young Englishman shot one another
dead. What happened after that to
Marguerite nobody knows for GER
tain. She was not seen again TIL
1870. the year OF the war. Then
one day an old man who had been
helping to carry food and drink tc
patients in the hospital recognized
in one of the lay sisters Marguerite
Carrel-a woman of 80 now-whon
he had known and admired as
young man. She was not nun, but
wore the dress OF religious order
and the Geneva cross. She did more
work than any two other helpers ii
the hospital.
All that the Lyons OF the last few
years knew about "Mademolselle
was that she was an old woman, benz
nearly double, with a witch's nose
and chin. She dressed in bits o.
sacking and oddments of clothing
which the old clothes merchants hac
discarded. She lived, literally lived
on what she picked up.
All night she was to be seer
prowling up and down the streets Of
Lyons, peering about for odds and
ends, begging a bit OF sugar here
picking up a cigar or cigarette enc
there, on her old feet till and
a. m, when in luck getting a copper
or two from the people who sat out
side the cafes, when out Of luck pick
ing crusts from the gutter for he!
breakfast.
And early in the morning mad
emoiselle," the beautiful Marguerite
Carrel 20 years ago, was found dea(
of privation in her garret. Her filth.
mattress fell to pieces when the po
lice lifed it. and ont OF gap in /
to the floor rolled $4,000 in gold.
@