The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-30
LOLA MONTEZ---HER CLOSING YEARS AND
HER GRAVE.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

BY GRACE GREENWOOD.
The theatrical career of Lola Montez in
the States was not brilliant or prolonged
Few wished to see her more than once. She
fitted from city to city, doing some very
generous things let it be remembered of
her-showing especial kindness toward chill
dren who were in sorrow and in need. Then
signing, like him of Macedon, for a new
world to conquer, she fitted to California,
where she saw life under thousand new
aspects, each one wilder than the last. She
flung herself, with reckless abandon, with
what seemed pure Irish deviltry, into that
rough, adventurous life, unsubdued, unterri-
fed, incorrigble, under some very hard ex
periences. Strange stories of her eccentric
tiles, her crazy freaks, her desperate, daring
ways, came to US, and made US laugh, yet
shudder while we laughed. She tanned bears,
rode en- cacalier, gambed, shot at and horse
whipped her enemies, flung about her money,
and married right and left. She seemed to
, have a mania tor marrying and being divor-
ced, for falling in love, and fighting her way
out-poor mad little sinner.
At length, broken in health, if not in spir-
it, she returned to the Atlantic States and be-
gan a new career as lectures. Her lectures
were flimsy, patched-up affairs, and of
questionable moral tone. They were proba-
bly, not written altogether by herself, yet 1
should say she could have produced some
thing better, if less ambitious, if she had
given naturally and simply recollections of
the strange countries and people she had
seen. Though not we'll educated woman,
her conversation was said to be singularly
sparkling and racy. Yet the flash and sweep
of her magnificent eyes, and the bewitching
fall of her lustrous, dark hair, went far with
no TO 10, -, 81,
of wit and wisdom of her words
Though apparently the most respectable,
this period was perhaps the most pitiable of
her life. The tool of unpricipled men, she
had entered on work for which she was
even less fitted than for the profession of
the dancer, and in which she depended more
directly ter success on her unenviable repute.
Though her dress was modest and her man
ner grave, her lectures were more democrat
izing than her dancing had been. She usu-
ally read very nicely, with no effort at ora
tory or display of feeling; but on the night
when heard her, somewhat Objectionable
passage was distinctly Kissed by a gentle
man sitting in front of the platform. In
stantly gust of passion swept over her
lovely face, transforming it into something
terrible. She paused, fixing her eyes on the
2 offender, and seemed like tigress just about
to spring. She mastered her anger, how
ever, and went on reading, but with fierce
glitter In her eyes, to the end
After this, out of sight and out of mind.
she passed wholly, till heard of her sud.
den illness cruel stroke that left her so
helpless and SO pitiable, blighted and aged
before her time-a fate most terrible for an
organization like hers, all nerves, and fire
and action. Then followed the long dim
twilight of that life of fitful and lurid bril-
lance, musty and chill, and ushe1ing In a
night that seemed quite dreary and starless.
But the poor soul thought she saw, amidst
the gloom, the steady shining of the Star of
Stars, gracious and pitiful-the star that
shone over the manger at Bethlehem and
: came out above the Cross of Cavalry; and
on this star she fixed to the last those great
. Ozark eyes, through which had blazed every
wiz human passion and sinful beguilement.
put winch had sometimes softened with hu.
man pity, Overlooked with pen1tent tears
, 30 who would deny them the right to look
towards those divine beckonino ravs Of
peace and pardoning grace2
a.. nave heard from a lady who knew the
KIND samaritans who nursed poor Lola Mon.
tez IN her last sickness, that her orotaf,,l
EenIieness and humanity were very nstLat;o
que Srept to the foot of the crosse and
'f'aehe'l there weeping, till she seemed ai to