Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-11-13
From the Louisville Courier.
KATE HAYDEN"
The Brief Career and Tragic Fate OF a
Pretty Danseuse.

The remains of Miss Kate Hayden, the
young and beautiful danseuse, Who died in
this city on Thursday, from the effects Of
injuries received on the night of the Goth
OF October, at the Metropolitan Music
Hall, were yesterday forwarded to Cincin-
natl, her home, where they will probably
be inferred to-day.
Kate Hayden was perhaps no better
known than hundreds of others of her pro
} fession, but her tragic fate has carried her
name to every household in Louisville,
and there was no one who read the shock
ing details of the horrible accident through
which she met death, who had not some
word of sympathy for the unfortunate girl.
or who could not for the moment forget
the unenviable calling to which the last
years of her 1;fe had been devoted, and say,
"Poor girl she never could have deserved
so terrible a fate. What fearful death to
die =" She was Cincinnati girl, and in
that city she first took to the ballet for a
livelihood. Her parents were Irish emil
grants, and little is known here Of her
childhood, save that her father died, leav-
ing her mother in abject poverty, with
Kate and an older sister to care for and
train up to a useful life If, under such dis
couraging circumstances, two beautiful
girls, constantly exposed to the tempta-
tions which always beset poor girls III
a large city, could be brought to any
thing useful. AS she grew up poor
Kate's life was a wretcLed one The
tolls and sorrows inseparable from
poverty like that under which tie Irish
mother suffered were not without their
baneful results. The temper OF the head
OF the family, never the most amiable, be-
came soured and vindictive, and Kate was
not spared when there was any occasion
for reprimand or abuse. Her sister,
prettier girl than Kate, seems also to have
Joined with her mother against her, and
| between the two the poor girl (her own
story for it) was made one Of the most
wretched little creatures in existence The
widow and her daughters lived oppo-
site one OF the telegraph Offices, but whether
this had anything to do with Kate falling
in love with one of the telegraph operators
is more than is known to many. This 0p-
orator was somewhat imaginative genius,
and at one time while employed at Nash
vile was 4 correspondent OF either the Po-
lice News or the Police Gazette we don't
remember which. He thought Il great deal
of Kate, and married her while she was
yet very young, much against the viii OF
her mother, for Kate had been brought uD
a Catholic, and her lover was Protestant.
She was turned out Of doors, and as the
marriage ceremony had been performed
| by magistrate instead Of priest, the
mother declared it TO be illegal, and en-
deavored to bring suit against the young
operator for seduction. SO bitter were
| the feelings engeudered on both sides, that
| the husband soon became disguised, and
would have nothing more to do with Kate
who was thus thrown upon the world,
without home or friends. Her mother
was relentless, and when she was about to
be confined refused her shelter. The un-
fortunate girl was taken 10 one Of the hos
pitals where she gave birth to a child This
child is still living. In October, 1867, she
made her debut at the Palace Varieties, in
Cincinnati, then under the management
of Sgnor Gus. Barrown, the pres
ent accomplished ballet master at
the Metropolitan in this city, and
took a part in the rather ominous
spectacular of ''The Devils Auction" then
being brought out in that city. Her pref
ty face and slender, graceful figure were
much in her favor, and it was soon evident
that she would at no distant day rank
among the first in her profession. OF ff-
teen other girls who entered the Varieties
at tho same time with her, all ambitious OF
success in their new calling, every one fail
ed, and were compelled to seek other en-
ployment. Strange to say, during her
very first engagement, she one ight fell
over the footlights, and was with great diff
ficulty rescued from the fearful fate that
subsequently befell her in this city. She
soon recovered, and remained at the Palace
Varieties until the close of the season. Her
mother seems also to have been opposed to
Kate's Variety life. for one day when the
ballet master called to notify her Of d re-
hearsal the exasperated mother threw over
him pan of hot ashes. He cleared the
premises somewhat demoralIzed. and didn't
travel that way again. She afterwards left
her native city and came here to Louisville
securing an engagement at the Academy
of Music, On the opening Of the Metro
pOlitan, she left the Academy of Music for
an engagement at the new establishment
She found q IS friend !" here in the person
of young man who had plenty of money,
and who, after the misfortune which de-
prived ner of life, made no attempt to con
ceal his attachment, but did all in his pow
er that her sufferings might be aileviated.
After remaining sometime at the Metropoli-
tan, she secured an engagement at Gunkels
Academy of Music, IN Nashville, and IN
company with Miss Mollie Barret, left this
city. Her name always appeared upon the
bills as Mademoiselle Marie, or Mile Ma
rie, never as Kate Hayden. which was her
maiden name. At Nashville. the son of
the proprietor of one of the leading ho-
tells of that city, fell desperately in love
with her, but it does not appear that his
advances were encouraged, OF that she sue
ceeded very we'll at the Academy of Music,
for she soon returned to Louisville and re-
sumed her old place at the Metropolitan.
On the night of the Goth of October, she
was "doing" solo with the cops de bal
let, when in the giddy whirl Of the excl
ting dance, false motion threw her across
the foot-lights, and being too dizzy to re-
gain her feet, her light apparel was soon
enveloped in flames, which made SO much
progress that she was nearly burned to
death before she could be reached. She |
was removed as soon as possible, and after
lingering in great agony until the 29th, !
passed away She died at nineteen. Her
mother came from Cincinnati to see her,
but, under the impression that she would
recover, left for home the day before she |