Weekly Trinity journal., 1867-10-26
NUMBER 40.
"The Beautiful Snow"

AZ my hoHu. uau just DteH leoulNS AhS
Beautiful Snow and its sad refrain was sound
ing in my ears the last dying strain OF an
Eolian harp. when my friend entered, and cast
ing his eye over the verses had been reading,
he surprised me by saying that he had known
the authoress of @ The Beautiful Snow, when
she was " as fair as the snow u of which she SO
feelingly wrote.
Most of your readers have, doubtless, read
this touching and beautiful poem, if the latter
qualffcation may be applied to that which seems
the embodiment of the wall of II lost soul Yet,
probably but few knew the name of the author,
or, rather, the authoress, for only n woman's
pen could have written those lines, and still
less number know the history of her whose bit
ter experience is embodied in the poem of - The
Beautiful Snow" Few poems in the English
language contain more merit or display more
pathetic conception. 1t is the reality of life
reality stronger than fiction.
The maiden name of the authoress to which
we have alluded, was Dora Shaw. She was
born and grew to womanhood in Wabash, lndi-
ana. Her parents were not wealthy as the world
goes, yet honorable, well-to-do, and happy and
wealthy in the possession of their beautiful
daughter AS she grew older she grew lovcler
and more beautiful. Her parents loved her TO
doatry, and by frugaity and self-denidl they
were enabled TO bestow upon her an education
second to none that lady may receive. Young,
handsome, accomplished, she returned to them
from school little less in their eyes, and the eyes
OF the admrlDg Nllla6erS tHau aHSci, "Hoiu
they might Worship but were not worthy to
keep themselves Yet Dora was mortal in her
own estimation, if ETHEREAL in the eyes OF her
parents and her heart, that of any other
maiden, was not proof against the allurements
of Cupds art, and whom should she love and
esteem as her beau ideal Of all that was noble
and good but young lawyer of her own village
Undoubtedly he was poor, and Dora, parents
indulged in the fatal delusion that Their daugh-
ter's hand could not be given where wealth and
rank were wanting. They determined. as so
many parents have done, are doing and always
will do, to sacrifice their daughter 5 will, un-
mindful of her happiness, upon the altar OF
mammon. Perhaps they thought that where
wealth and luxury would lead, love and happi-
ness would follow. How seldom is this the case
What lesson for parents the sequel shows
About this time F. S. lie Baum, ccnteman
of culture and of immense fortune in St Louis,
visited the region where Miss Shaw lived. He
saw and loved and wooed this young. beaut-
! ful and accomplished flower OF the Hoosier State.
In vain did she tell him that she could never
love him-that her love was another's-that she
could never give her hand to one who was not
the possessor of her heart He still pressed his
suit with importantly, and all the influence his
wealth and her parents could exert were brought
to induce her TO wed him. Although he never
gained her consent, her parents compelled her
to wed him, and the marriage that followed was
halowed by no love on her side, though doubt
not doubt his ability to teach her to love him
as the years passed by. He took his young and
beautiful bride to ST. Louis, to his splendid res
idence, and all that wealth ana devoted love
could bestow hers. Still, she was not hap
py the beautiful bird futtered and worried in
her gilded cage, and only longed to be free. She
introduced to and became the admiration
of the first circles Of society in the city. To the
outward world she now seemed the happicst Of
mortals, illustrating the old adage, that the gay
est heart makes sometimes saddest mourning.
1t was about this time that the famous theatrical
manager, Ben. De Bar, in the zenith of his
fame in St. Louis. He lad the finest company
in the West His leading star Miss Annette
luce, no less removed for her acting mimic life
than her beauty and many womanly virtues. To
this theater Mr.. and Mrs lie Baum went one
night, and witnessed play. Dora had never
| been inside theatre before, and before the cur
tain fell upon the second act. she had taken
resolution which would change the whole course
of her lfe-she had determined to be an actress,
! like Miss Ince.
! An interview with the manager was easily OBJ
tanned, who saw in the aspiration OF the lady a
chance to make splendid hit, and put gold i'll
his purse. lie gave her encouragement, dismiss
ed the idea of her first assuming second part,
/ but assured her she should make her debut in the
leading character of the play she had witnessed
Julia in the Hunch5ack. More than encour-
aged, indeed, completely resolved, Dora at once
commenced the study Of the play, aud possess
! ing quick intelligence, was at least master Of
the language in a few days. Private rehearsals
appeared to give perfect satisfaction to the man
agcr as well as the company-trained for that
particular purpose and for that occasion. All
this kept from her husband.
One morning tie city was thrown into e fever
by an announcement in all the journals, that
q Miss Dora Shaw would appear that night as
Julia, in Sheridan Knows' great play entitled
the Hunchbock" lie Baum and his friends were
| struck as if by thunderbolt from heaven lie
first entreated, appealed and threatened his wlfe,
and next the manager, and finally declared his
intention to murder her upon the stage the no
ment she made her appearance. All TO no pur-
pose. The manager duly had ali this passed in
to the streets. which, of course increased the
sensation and siren ngthcncd the desire to attend.
Every ticket was sold at nine o clock, ana II is
needless TO say that when night came tha' Pitoe
Of amusement occupied the thoa2h's OF tHe Iiy
The curtain rose Dora appearcd-"@lAeu,
stammcred blushed and repeated ner P"it n'c-
cbon;calIv like any school girl reading her COM
position az an examination: o.'ii l"e "uuieace
was pleased, not by the acting, oat ~ me novelty
of the occasion. The next, the third, tAc fourth
~ 6f,b NIGHTS were like the first. The morbid
annotitc of the public, satiated with novelty,
demanded good acting. This, Dora could not
sunn,x The audience fell off, the manager be-
camc restless, dissatisfied, and refused to offer
/ rc.enragement, but intimated that she had best
| ro to another city. In the meantime, lie Baum
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 unknown, and where she was wholly thrown
upon her merits actress for success. 1t
needless to say that she failed TO elicit one
single plaudit.
| The rest of the story is soon told. Charity
would wish the curtain had fallen sooner. Aban-
doned by friends, home, husband, pennyless,
broken-hearted-in her despair she fell
"Fell, like the snowfakes from heaven to hell;
! Fell, to be tramped like filth in the street,
Fell to be scofed To be spit and beat
| Pleading
| Cursing,
Drea1ing to die,