A STRANGE STORY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1827, 13 August 1913, Page 2

A STRANGE STORY.

Mme. Crespy is a divorced woman. Eccentric in character and behaviour, Sho confessed long: ago to her frienda that sho loved' tho abbe. Their acquaintance began at tho confessional. In two volumes of poems, entitled "The Death of tire Hours" and "Tho Double Perfume," she gave expression to her love. Since the deatlr of tho abbe she has pit on deep mourning, and has sont the following letter to t'ho "Depeche de Toulouse":—

"Perhaps you have already learned of tlic terrible misfortune which has befallen me. Tho Abbe Chassaing killed himself in my apartments yesterday evening at half-past six. Ho had been my lover since September l!t, 1009. 1 implore you not to blame him too severely. His soul was noble, beautiful, and proud. His .sufferings were superhuman. .On one side stem and bitter duty and the sacrifice ami torment, oil the other his ever-growing love for me. "Wo loved cacli other fondly, but ail order from his bishop oxiled him to Montastruc. ne 'said to me: 'J.t will drive me mad,' and the madness that lurked for him in the shadow lias claimed him. Nothing now remains to mo but the fjook of our love, 'The Double Perfume.' Hand.mo over if you will to the cruel world, but defend his name." Mine. Crcspy thus described her last meeting with the abbe: "We lio<l an engagement for the day on which he died. He said to mo :'lt is'the end. lam leaving. Bead ine my favourite poem.' I obeyed him, and. read to him 'The Second of May, 1910,' and 'The Ardent Ogre,' two poems which wero especially dear to him. Then lie look my head between is hands, and said 'Mv little love.'

''Later, he nskod me to lend him some for his Militude, and while T was coining downstair? 1 heard a sharp report. Wlien I reached him lie was lying dead, face downwards. . Like a mad woman my first 'impulse was to' shout for help, but-fearing tho scandal I ran for a doctor."