Woman's enterprise., 1922-10-27

cepted an invitation that led me fror
my quiet corner Of the world, I ca,
not say that these rare indulgences
gave me any pleasure, and am sur
! !nat my presence added little to tn
: happiness Of any one else.
: philosopher, poet, cynic, man of tn
; world, colored his discourse, and mad
delightful his gossip. He gave de
! tailed accounts Of Society's doing
; and tho these things were of little in
terest to me, his manner interested
, me.
Il heard today that Martenez, thu
Mexican whose wife created such .
furore in Society here, a number o.
years ago, had been killed in a due
last week. I was not surprised, but
/ think # he had had recourse to the
law, and secured divorce when hi
had that trouble here, he would have
been living now. I thought he would
end in some such way. Pshaw! duel.
ling is a relic of barbarism! Diff.
culties should be settled by the code
OF Law-not by the so-called code OF
honor" defended duelling, it be.
ling one Of my hereditary images,
from his 1conoclastic attack. Was it
not gentleman's only alternative
Who had patience to wait on the slow
conveyance of the law, when an in
suit was offered, and ones honor de-
manded redress?"
He laughed at my earnestness "But
who was Martenez?" I asked.
know nothing of him." "True, but
thought you might have heard and
remembered it. The affair was hush
ed up, if such thing were possible,
when the principals were prominent in
society. l was convinced that duel
ling was a mistake, the morning Jean
Dalcourt was killed. 1t was such a
useless sacrifice. An affair d'honneur
that was folly, madness, call it what
you will" 1 felt pulsation almost
cease at the name of Jean Dalcourt.
I trembled on the verge Of discov-
|ery, and it was several moments be-
fore could control my voice to ask:
"Who was Jean Dalcourt?"
My companion removed the cigar
from his lips, and sent slender line
of white smoke through the window,
like a wrath Of the reminiscence I
sought to evoke. "Cassius" seemed
to grin at me with horrible signifi-
canoe, as I waited for the reply.
"1's long story, and as sad in
all details. But here are the out
lines, as is generally the case: Al
woman was at the bottom Of it. Jean
Dalcourt was brilliant young law
yer, wealthy, cultured, and betrothed
to a lovely girl, Adele Breaux, who
was one Of those rare combinations
Of beauty, wealth and intellect. We
had a gay winter, following the an
Of their betrothal, and
New Orleans entertained number Of
distinguished foreigners, among them
Senor Martinez, from Mexico, report
ed to be fabulously wealthy, and Of
course our world went down upon its
knees before the golden calf. His
wife was an houri, but Of that in
describable loveliness that is repell-
ant to women, and doubly attractive
to men. She was toasted as lie belle
Aztec,' and society talked OF nothing
else, besides her jewels, costumes,
eyes and hair, and no gathering was
complete without her. I mentally
compared her to Cleopatra, the first
moment saw her. Her sinuous
movements, her dazzling smile, her
liquid eyes, made her seem the en-
bodiment Of the Egyptian sorceress.
Senior Martinez was gratiAed at the
tremendous sensation that his wife
created, at the outset, but he grew
Jealous Of the attention Of Jean Dal-
court. All the world paid homage to
her, but she turned jeans head with
her favoring smiles. All his friends
noticed his infatuation from the first,
excepting his betrothed, for there
was no room for suspicion in her 10y
al heart, and she would have scorned
a suggestion of his faithfulness. 1t
was at a reception at Col. LIS that
the matter eliminated, Just six weeks
before Jean and Adele were to have
!! been married. Dance after dance,
CLEOPATRA foaed away in the arms OF
Dalcourt, defying propriety, over
ruling custom, regardless Of the