Year: 1869

Oto"t nuu Tue great Oiach eyes naSueo Out
fierce, bitter scorn.


Il am innocent l''


The young head was thrown back the
form drawn up, with q dignity almost regal
as she looked upon her cousin,


How dare you aspetse me soH'


I" IL is true r. 2, go


at is not Obi Uncle, believe me
am Innocent. / could not stain my soul with
such treaChery. could not do sueha deedP'
And she knelt at the feet Of the stern old
man, who ielt only The Disgrace.


could have sworn to her innocence as
she knelt there In her passionate grief. Mr..
Howard was the only one who doubted it.
He motioned us to leave the room, and we
did What passed between the niece and
uncle 1 do not know, but she Quilted the
house that day. Refusing all offers of assis>
tance, she went out alone. She was heard
of in the city no more.


Two years afterwards was In New York.
The city was wild over a new actress that
had just appeared. 1 went as every one else
did, to see her. The play was Fazio."
The vast audience was spell>bound from the
rise to the fall of the curtain. had never
seen such acting before-I never expect to
again.


From the first the face of the artist haun.
ted me. had surely seen it before. 1t
fingered in my memory like a regret. As
the curtain was descending on the third act,
she raised her eyes to my box, and | saw her
turn pale and shudder. In few moments a
messenger entered and handed me a card.
1t bore the address of the young tragedienne,
and appointed an interview. 1t is needless
to say l kept the appointment She met
me calmly, and seemed to wait for recogni'
ton. could not tell where had seen her.
She went to an escritoir and took from it
copy of the PicGyURe


Read that" She pointed to a paragraph
detailing the circumstances Of the missing
diamond, but asserting belief in her inno-
cence.


knew her then for the young girl whose
unhappy fate had always been regret to me.


THAT paragraph" she said, has been
my only consolation 10 all my trouble. 1t
seemed that there was yet memory some
where that linked my name with virtue; the
consciousness of that has dwelt in my heart
like a sweet memorial of time when a single
thought fingered like a ray of light in the
darkuess of life. / sow you tn night, and
the old scene of horror rose before me dizzily
l could not refrain from sending you that
card. l wanted to hear from my old home
and know if my innocence was confessed"
"You have not heard from New Orleans
then since you left 2" asked.
"No!"


"And know nothing Of whath occurred ?
"Not syllable"


Your cousin is dead, but not even in
death did she confess the great injury sSe
had done you"


Poor girl


"Don't you know it was she who had it y


ayes"


And you do not hate her memory 2"


"No She needs the love of her enemy.
Unconsciously stood 10 her way, and her
fierce resentment could not forgive me. 1t
is bitter to think of it, for the wrong was
cruel !; but do not hate her. l am alone
in the world divorced from kindred and
friends-wedded to my art. You alone know
me for whom am shall try to forget that
| was ever other than now appear"


And SO lett her, Many time l have
heard of her since. The world has grown
familiar with her name but there are few
who imagine that the famous queen of the
drama was once q belle in New Orleans
Yet it is SO, and living, she may read these
lines.