Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1910 — The Hunchback. [ARTICLE]

The Hunchback.

The Duke de Richelieu married when 17 years of age Mlle, de Rochechouart, a little girl of 12. As was the custom in the eighteenth century, the young bridegroom set out on his travels after the ceremony, and the child wife remained with his relations In Three years passed, and the duke (then Count de Chlnon), who had received many charming letters and a charming miniature from his wife during his absence, determined to return home. On his arrival he was met on the grand staircase of the Hotel de Richelieu by his family, and, to his horror, instead of the pretty girl of 15 that he expected to see, the count saw a little hunchback who was none other than his wife. The unhappy young man, who was horror stricken, left Paris that night and for fifteen years remained away. The poor little wife possessed a beautiful and generous disposition, and, so far from being embittered by her husband’s behavior, she did her best to prevent any family dissensions arising through It and went to live on her estate of Courteilles, near Paris. It Js said that she was deeply in love with the duke, and in time the accounts of her unselfishness and devotion to his family so touched her husband that he went to visit her. The first visit led to many, and this strange couple became firm friends, and jiist before he.died the duke contemplated residing permanently at Courteilles with his wife, from whom he had fled in disgust many years before.—Chicago Daily News.