Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-11-08
LOVE TRIUMPHs IN DISASTER
Human Drama Ends as Titanic Sinks
Into the Ocean.

L
Human Drama Ends as Titanic Sinks
Into the Ocean.
"The best story Of true love know, "
said the elder Of the two Frenchmen.
'is story which really happened"
writes John N. Raphael, Paris corre-
spondent.
The younger man laughed. II don't
think" he said, that any love story
which really happened equals the book
stories In interest"-he paused a mo-
ment-"unless, Of course, It happened
to yourself"
NO." said the elder man, "it is not
my own story, although I saw 1t hap
pen on the Titanic"
We all sat up at once. "The Titanic?'
said everyone, "The Titanic?
Yes. won't mention any names,
but those Of you who know Paris and
who saw the passenger list will possi-
bly, remember them. A and his wife,
as you know, had quarreled. CASTOR A.
was a bit of butterfly, but / think he
was one of the most fascinating men
ever met and Nine. CASTOR was not
only very pretty girl, but was very
rich girl, too, when CASTOR married
her.
AT first they were happy. The early
years Of their married life were like
the beginning Of fairy tale. They had
lots Of children-three children: then
CASTOR met Clara de B. at Trouville.
There was nothing wrong at first;
there was nothing wrong for a long
time. Nine. CASTOR, though she was
the mother Of three children, though
she was Gaston's wife, had not grown
up yet To all intents and purposes
she was a child. But she grew up sud-
denly one afternoon. There il no need
for details.
Tn one afternoon Nine. CASTOR sud-
denly became a woman, suddenly fac
ed the truth. suddenly realized that
her husband loved another woman, or
was fascinated by another woman, or
bewitched..
"At first of course, there was a
scene. Claire should never enter her
home again, her presence In 1t was an
insult she would go to her father, she
would sue for a divorce, she would
have the care of the children That
was the end of her wild talk.
when she spoke Of the children she
knew that there was nothing to be
done. She knew that they loved their
father, and that their father loved
them, and with a woman's intuition
she knew that CASTOR loved his chill
dren's mother as much as 1t was In
the man to love, and she knew, Of
course. that she did not really want to
be parted from CASTOR forever.
But there was the other woman
there was Claire, the woman who had
been her friend, whom she had trusted
with a thousand and one hopes and
tears which women tell cne another,
and which they could tell no man on
earth, were he husband or father or
brother.
Il am talking of some years ago. !
see some Of you looking surprised, for
all Paris thought that CASTOR, his
wife and Claire de B. were the best Of
friends always. have heard remarks
about them. have never heard any
thing ugly said without an immediate
and angry denial from sudden cham
pion.
And yet the scandalmongers were
right, though nobody knew It except
the three people concerned.
"a. had to go to Philadelphia He
had business interests there, and he
had arranged to go alone. Claire was
going to New York. II was when Cas-
toms wife learned this that she insist
ed on crossing the Atlantic with them.
She did not say much. There was no
recrimination.
"She merely said that she wanted to
go. and that her presence would pre-
vent the possibility of scandal. CASTOR
did not argue. All three went on the
Titanic.
when the crash came the two wo-
men were In their cabins. CASTOR was
playing poker In the smoking room. He
ran below and went to his wife's cabin
to tell her to put on q lifebelt. He left
her, saying that he would return In
half moment. Neither of the women
was at all surprised when they met to-
gether, each with lifebelt on, at the
head Of the companionway.
Il remember them all three now as
they stood on deck. There are very
few things about that awful Sunday
night that I do not remember. And
now, as speak Of It, see the pic
ture Of those three, the two women
who had been close friends and who.
though they hated each other now stood
in the common danger with their arms
round each others shoulders, while
CASTOR, few PAGES OF. gnawed at his
long, fair mustache and assured them
that there was very little need for fear.
"As you know, we all thought for
some hours that the lifebelts had been
ordered on as a precaution merely. We
knew that the wireless was calling help
to us, we never really believed that
there was any danger.
Then things took tragic turn.
When all women are ordered into the
boats on q night at sea one realizes
what a fragile thing life Is. ! don't
know how it happened. remember
standing watching Claire, CASTOR and
Gaston's wife.
"one of the officers passed. He was a
man who spoke French. I remember
thinking how wonderfully well he spoke
1t when he raped out sharp order to
the women to get into the boat which
was going to be lowered. He said,
remember, that 1t was one Of the last
boats.
claire held out both her hands and
CASTOR took them. He dared not look
at his wife but he caught Claire to
him and kissed her. His wife did not
stir. Claire was helped into the boat,
and CASTOR turned to his wife.
"'You will pardon me, dear, will you
not? he said. shall never forget her