The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-28

GeT tale-the old. old tale OF q WOm-
ans folly and mans Wickedness In
low voice she began:
Il will not trouble YOU with the
story Of my wretched youth, in lone
~ country house, my father always
away in Paris on some business or
other, and myself given over to the
s"re OF cross, hard, bigoted maiden
Sunt, supposed TO replace my mother,
%Aom l have never known. When
WAS nineteen | married NJ. R. l
hardly knew him, but l longed to get
away from the maddening, dull life in
that melancholy country house, with
no other company than that of my
old aunt, and a few old ladies Of the
same stamp"
She clenched her little fists, and,
fixing her eyes on me with a frighten-
ed stare:
"Monsieur Goron." she cried, you
come across terrible misery and trou-
BILE, but none Of the wretched beings
whom it is your duty to arrest can be
any worse than those who deliber-
ately wrecked a womans life The
scoundred, the scoundrel-''
She had risen from her chair.
My MARRIAGE she continued. was
farce, a grotesque farce. My IA
ther had neglected me; horses, wom-
en-. the baccarat engrossed him. Two
days after my wedding | realized
what marriage would mean to ME! My
husband, as you know, is distinguish
cd antiquarian--"
She paused a moment, with her
hacd to her throat, and then resumed:
=! rank after the old coins and
risty manuscripts on which he
wastes his money and time. Again
was left to myself but | was free;
and, with money at my command,
plunged into the so-called pleasures of
society. II only God had given me a
child, darling could have loved. all
this misery would have been spared
me- But that. too, had been denied
NE Courted and flattered, had plen-
~ Of opportunities to console myself
like many ladies OF my acquaintance
but had the strength to resist. l
nineteen years ago, when she knew
she was dying, wherein she exhorts
me. when l grow up, to think Of her
and act rightly. have always this
letter with me- It is talisman,
l;ut--''
She stopped and looked away.
Il can guess" l said soothingly,
~only tell me what brings you here,
and what can do for you
She shuddered. as if in recollection
OF something nauseous.
Yes. you can guess met him at
Trouville last summer, and was fas-
cnated by his looks and his manner.
l forgot all; my mothers letter, my
good resolutions. all, all, all!
only thought of him. l loved and
thought was loved For the first
time in my wretched existence l knew
what happiness meant. And then"
But oply inarticulate sounds came
from hes.
Monsieur Goron,' she cried, that
man is a monster. fend. found out
his treachery and told him l would
never look at him again But he holds
ME in his grasp. wrote him four let
ters. and what letters! And. under
the threat Of delivering them to my
husband. he has already had three
thousand pounds from me- He wants
another four hundred, by tomorrow
night l have no more money at my
bank. and have parted with all my
jewels. What am l to do, what am l
to do? If you do not help me in my
trouble and rid me of that man,
shall be disgraced, and must kill my
self And l want to live, to expiate,
10 repent, and earn my mothers for
givere.s. want to live, Monsieur
Goron, will not die! In the name of
Your mother, save mel" She stopped
She was quite exhausted
The poor woman's case was. unfor-
tunately. not an exceptional one. Black
mailers-of both sexes-carry out
their nefarious trade in every class Of
society. Success, in fact, emboldens
them; for it is rarely that the VIC
tins. unless driven to despair, like
Madame R, have the courage to
come forward.
MY dear madame" said, y see no
cause for alarm. That man is a CON-
mon blackmailer, and, before this eve
ming. he"
NO, no." she shrieked II know
what you mean. You must not arrest
him. You must not; for he would at
oa:c carry out his threa. Az van,