Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-07-11
1ne FaIlea sno,r--.f Snd slorn.

NAtN y WV lii'No VI lllln tOunlll
The authors name does not appear
no doubt TO the disappointment o.
many readers who admire the true
and beautiful in sentiment and com
position. knowing her history, q
correspondent of the Macon (Ga.
Sentinel, gives brief biography.
The maiden name of the authoress
was Dora Shaw. She was born and
grew into womanhood in tho Wabash
Valley, Indiana. Her parents were
plain, honorable people, blessed with
plenty, though not rich, as the world
goes, They loved their beautiful
Dora, and bestowed on her an oduca.
ton which very few females ever
receive. That accomplished, to we'd
her TO some wealthy and distinguished
gentleman, MS is too often the case
they had the fatal delusion that the
daughters will should be sacrificed
upon the altar Of Mammon-that
wealth and ambition should be pre-.
ferrod to love.
In 1850, +. S. LeBaum and Dora
Shaw were married. LeBaum was q
citizen, and the possessor of an i'm
mense property in St. Louis. Being
in the Wabash Valley upon business
Of his house, he saw, loved and woed
this young, beautiful and accomplished
woman. He then obtained her pa
rents consent, and marriage, which
followed, was hallowed by no love,
save upon the side of the husband
Taking his bride home to his splen-
did palace in the city, she was there
given everything that wealth could
bestow. Still she was not happy.
Did you ever see a contented eagle in
gilded cage?
The wife was at once introduced To-,
and became the admiration Of the best
people of the city. To the outward
world she appeared the happiest of
mortals, illustrating how few there
are who really know tho secret sor.
rows of the human heart She passed
her hours in splendid misery.
At the time, the famous theatrical
manager Ben. DeBar, had q fine com
pany at the st. Louis Theatre. His
leading star was Miss Annette Ince
no less renowned for her acting
mimic life than her beauty and many
womanly virtues. To this theatre
Mr. and Mrs. LeBaum went one night
and witnessed a play. Dora had
never been inside a theatre before,
and before the curtain fell upon the
second act, she had made a resolution
which would change the whole course
Of her lifc-she had determined to be
an actress like Miss IDce.
An interview with the manager
was easily obtained, who saw in the
aspirations Of the lady a chance TO
make 4 splendid hit, and put gold in
his purse. He gave her encourage
men., dismissed the idea Of her first
assuming a second part, but assured
her she should make her DEBUT in the
leading character of the play she had
witnossed-"Julia, in the Hunchback f"
More than encouraged, indeed com
pletely resolved, Dora at once com
menced the study Of the play, and,
possessing n quick intelligence, was
at last master of the language in a few
days. Private rehearsals appeared
TO give perfect satisfaction to the
manager, as well as TO the company
trained for that particular purpose
and for that occasion. All this was
ept from the husband.
One morning the city was thrown
into a fever by the announcement in
all the journals, and upon all the bull
lctin boards that "Miss Dora Shaw
would appear that night as Julia, in
Sheridan Knowles great play onti-
tied the Hdnobbacl," LeBaum and
his friends were struck as if from a
thunderbolt from heaven. He first
ontreatcd, appealed and threatened
his wife, and next tho manager, and
finally declared his inteution TO mur-
der her upon the moment she made
her appearance. All TO no purpose.
The manager duly had all this passed
into the streets, which Of course in
creased the sensation and strengthen
ed the desire to attend.
Every ticket was sold by 9 o'clock,
and it were needless to say that when
night came that place of amusement
occupied the thoughts Of the city
The curtain rose--Dora appeared
walked, stammerod, blushed and
repeated her part mechanically-likc
any girl reading her composition at
an examination. Still the audience
was plcased-not by the acting, but
by the novelty of the occasion. The
next, the third, the fourth, and fifth
nights were like the first. The NOR
bid appetite of the public, satiated
with novelty, demanded good acting.
This Dora could not supply. The
audience fell of, the managers be-
came restless and refused TO offer a
re-encouragemont, but intimated that
she had best 20 to another city.
In the meantime LoBaum sued for
a divorce, which was readily granted
by the Court. The next appearance
of Dora was in New Orleans, where
her former social position was un-
known, aud whore she was thrown
upon her merits as an actress for sue
cess. 1t were needless TO say that
she failed to elicit one single plaudit-
The rest of the story is soon told.
Abandoned by friends, home, husband
and penniless she fell-to use her own
own words:
Fell, like the snowlakes, from heaven NJ helli
Fell, 20 be trampled as flth IN the streets
Fell. 20 be scoacd, to be spit on, and beat
Pleading,
Cursinr.