PARISIAN LOVE DRAMA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13193, 2 June 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

PARISIAN LOVE DRAMA.

ACTRESS AND WEALTHY YOUNG LOVER. The son of a well-known Paris financier and a young artist with whom lie had been (Mi particularly friendly terms of late are the hero and heroine of the most recent novelty in the love-drama line in the French capital. The gentleman, who was very fond of the stage, was an assiduous . frequenter of numerous green-rooms, and he had hardly mad; the acquaintance of tfee artless about six months ago when he became violently enamoured of her. and was not rejected. He induced he girl to retire from ci profession, and took and fitted up for her benefit a comfortable flat in the Rue Richelieu. But as the days rolled 0:1 lie grew even more in love with the young woman, and at last went to the length of asking his father to grant his consent to their marriage. The financier was horrified at the bare thought of such a. union. He had -quite different plans for his son, and ordered hiui to break off all relations with the object of his affections, adding sinister threat,* of punishment if he declined to obey. As his soil absolutely refused to defer to his wishes the financier himself paid a, quiet visit to the comfortable fiat. He offered the girl a matter of £2000 if sho would agree to go abroad for good and all, but again he met with a rebuff, as she would not listen to his proposal, and, moreover. requested him to leave the house forthwith. When the financier's sou called as usual on his friend she gave him a graphic account of his father's visit, and then she told him that she was too fond of him to care to stand in his way. He was young, smart, and wealthy, while she was only a poor girl oil whom people of his class looked down. There was too wide a difference between their relative positions, so the best thing for them to dp worm HE TO PART 1011 £V£B. ' He would go his way and she would go hers. Each would remember the happy months passed together, and there would be-no risk of these pleasant reminiscences being spoilt by the reproaches which might come one day if they remained in each other's company. "So you arc sending me away," the young man exclaimed, reproachfully. "'No. she replied; "only 1 know what is best for yoji. We must part. We have no alternative." The gentleman, who had grown deadly pale, and had trembled violently while she was speaking, then took a small phial from a pocket and applied it to his mouth. Scenting mischief, the girl dashed it out of his hand; but he told her that he had already taken enough of the poison for his purpose, and a moment afterwards he fell writhing in agony on the floor. She was herself so overcome by the ghastly scene that she picked up the phial and swallowed the drops that remained in it". Her servant, who had been in the adjoining room, had heard the noise of the fall and the exclamations, and she rushed in to find her mistress also lying 011 the carpet, a prey to atrocious suffering. A doctor was soon on the scene of the drama, and the couple, after having received some of his attention, were conveyed to a private hospital, where the hope of their eventual recovery is now entertained. The financier has been informed of the tragic affair, and his consternation and grief know no bounds.