Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-03
BEHIND THE SCENES.
Jennie worrcu's cOHr'shiP an

wOrrcIss CourfShlp ana
I'D ~ Marriage M
Our readers are familiar with the Worren
Sisters. who held forth at Masonic Hall re-
Gently. Jennie. the youngest OF the sisters,
was mt here. but about that time was
married in New York to Mr.. James Barre,
a weII-known man about town, Just three
DAVIS after his wife, an estimable lady with |
several children, had obtained a divorce |
from him at his own request. According to /
a New York exchange, MIR. Barre was mar
RED in 1860, and has since done well In |
money matters. Besides his wifes ample |
fortune and his own resources, he had, ac- |
cording to his own account, made some big |
hits IN gold. His charming wife had |
presented him with three youthful scions, |
and if any person in New York |
had reason to be grateful to fortune,
Barre was that man. Yet just as we find
the tide of his affairs at the food of their |
success-say eighteen months ago-we dis
cover James straying from the path of pru-
dence and rectitude. Caught by the mere
tricious glare which attaches to actresses,
the hero of this sad story beheld the Wor-
rel sisters in their hsping burlesqueings,
and the soul of James hquifed like fat in
chambers vat. When this sportive mascu-
line became a candidate for the ladys
smiles, all lesser revolving worshipers were
utterly annihilated As the stars in the
gray morning disappear when Phebus
asserts his sway, Jimmy, as Eclipse, was
first and the rest we're nowhere. He was
no signing, whining, laekadaisical admirer.
James Barre. Like the ancient devotees,
he brought gifts to the fair shrine whereat
l. ,.-a-phs,aoI T,.-k q all I.
probably reflected that his inamorata
needed it-he presented her with highly
ornamented copy of the Holy Scriptures,
within whose sacred pages he reminded
her she would find all things necessary for
salvation Then he bound her taperipg
wrists with jeWeled bracelets, and in her
immaculate cuffs he inserted diamond
sleeve-buttons. Other gifts, varied and
extensive, fo1owed-silk dresses, under
clothing etc., until Miss Jennie Worrell,
from head 70 foot, became what the money
Of Barre had made her. Pere and Mere
Worren gazed in wrapt admiration at their
fortunate daughters presents, and to him
was accorded the exclusive privilege of the
green room, wherein he used nightly to
await the hour when Jennie's role should
be accomplished. Very shortly, too, they
began to noise it abroad that Jennie was
| going TO be married to one of the richest
men in New York. Mr. Barres visits to
| the Worrell residence, on East Ninth street,
now became ineessant. He followed the
charming young actress like her shadow,
and like a veritable Cr9sus he poured his
| gifts at her feet.
When the Worrell sisters left Now York
on = starring tour, in the fall of 1868,
the infatuated gold broker accompanied
them to several towns on the route. In
October the sisters were playing at the
New Chestnut Theater in Philadelphia, and
there also was the irrepressible Barre. The
ladies-and, of course, Jimmy alsO-were
staying at the Continental Hotel in that
city, and various inquisitive theatrical hab-
itues were busying their brains in the fu-
tile attempt to discover what purpose in
the economy of nature or acting Jimmy
subseryed. RUmor said and said it truly,
that he was married, and yet with every
revolving sun there was he seen whispering
soft nothings and presenting expensive
something's TO the complacently apprecia-
| tive Jennie. Sophie saw all these things,
and her ire was stirred; and hence one
evening, in the parlor of the Continental,
there occurred what irreverent people
/ would call scene. to-wit: Sophie. in an
excited manner addressing James Barre,
| reminded him that he was a married man,
with family, and that his proper place
/ was in New York with his wife, and not III
following round Jennie. Here the brilliant
| Jennie tongue and temper rushed to the
rescue of her sworn knight, and instantly
| there was a stormy word war between the
eldest and youngest of the sisters named
Worrell. to tho especial delight and delec-
tation of the listeners. SO determined was
Jennie onset, however and so keen was
her weapon, that Sophie was utterly rOuted
and discOmfitted, while James was cores
| pondingly glorified and exalted
His most intimate friends and relations
4 had begun to yehemently condemn him for
4 his disgraceful conduct, and for the ont
rage he was perpetrating on the fair name
/ and fame of his excellent wife. Several
1 friends of his own family and Mrs. Bsrres.
| feeling keenly the disgrace which his IN
| blushing course of shame entailed on them
| were inceSsant in their efforts to reclaim
him from the degrading slough in which he
wallowed. Finding that as absolutely i'm
practicable as to blanch the Ethiopian
skin. they turned TO Mrs Barre and i'm
plored her to sever the chain that bound
her to such an individual But with long
suffering kindness and marvellous charity,
she refused to move III the matter until
proof of his criminality should be estab-
hshed on the tirmest basis. A few weeks
ago she had the question forever set at
rest in her mind, the accuser of James
H, Barre being Jimmy Barre himself As
summing the lugubriOus garb of cOntrition,
he approached his maganimous, noble
souled wife, and confessed that he had been
guilty of infdelity He advanced certain
eXtenuating circumstances, and canted like
a hoary Holy Willie of the power of tempt
alton, the weakness Of poor human nature,
etc. He said that lie had formed some IN
fortunate acquaintance, and that he had
been led into the commission Of this great
sin, but that he truly repented etc, al
H0uSe0m. In the agony of his self-abase-
ment he purposed, he said to break off his
sinful connection at once and forever, and
with that object he contemplated sojourn
for some time in the West.
In the meantime, he suggested that his
wife had better prOcurea divorce, and then.
after lie had mortified and purified himself
by absence in his voluntary exile, he would
return, and they would again be privately
married. In agony of spirit his gentle wife
listened to those hypocritical notes Of con-
triton, and consented To act in the manner
indicated Accordingly, the female solicitor,
Mr.. Emmett, applied on behalf of Mrs
Barre TO the Superior Court of Kings county
for a divorce Mr. James Barre not filing
any response.
Pending the result of these legal pro
ceedings, about three weeks ago Miss Jen-
ME &. Worrell severed her connection with
the Norrell sisteTs-then starring in the
West and returned TO New York On this
occasion she did not patronize the St Cloud
hotel but was installed in elegant quarters
at the Metropolitan.
In the mean time the report began to
circulate through the city tina! Jennie had
left the stage to be married to one Of the
wealthiest men in New York; and an &c
quaintance Of Jimmys hearing of this az
costed him with the pertinent query
81 How dare yOu-a married man with
fine wife and family-talk about marrying
Jennie Worrell?"
Tn going to have q divorce. the
shameless scamp said
At length, on Friday, the 9Th day Of No
vember, Judge Gilbert granted Mrs Barre
a decree Of divorce, and exactly three DAYS
after, AZ we have already seen, Jimmie had
the unparalleled cheek to lead Jennie Wor-
rell to the altar That same evening the
bride and bridegroom appeared in high
feather at Wallack' g theater, their tempo
rary residence meanwhile heinG the Metro
pohtan Hotel
odd Fellows Amulet
'Vba nanaO,l,nr ,,1,p,l,ar ,f 1l,;g ,,a,ra