The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-01-06
A CURIOUS HISTORY.

After the recent terrible burning of the
Stonewall on the Mississippi river, a trunk
of female clothing was rescued from the
floating debris. In it was found photo
graph Of SHADY with dark brown hair
done up in braids and harging low on The
neck /; collar, white and narrow, with
breastpin, right hand resting ra table and
riding glove on, EARRINGS forehead high
and features regular" The ST. Louis
Democrat, NOTICED this description, asks,
Gould ii have been the late lamcnied
Mrs. Fitch, of No. / 1,54G Broadway Z"
The Louisville Courier Journal, catching
at this curious Incidental question affirm
ed that the lost original OF the picture had
been known in Louisville at one time as
Mrs. Fitch" and then related the strange
eventful story of her life-The daughter
of ii wealthy and honored citizen of Lou
isvile, she enjoyed a girlhood of all the
luxury and happiness that parental idol
airy of more than ordinary extravaganza
could procure, and in her faircst bloom
was married 10 a gentleman in all ways
calculated to continue TO her the richest
blessing Of life. Her father had heartily
sanctioned the marriage and given her his
benediction in it but SD infatuated was
he i'll idolatry of hs child that the latter
had scarcely lived with her husband a
month before a perverted parental infu-
ence was almost frenZiedly exerted 10 per-
suade her back TO her home again. The
insanely selfish sire alleged no other rea-
son than his own unbearab!e misery in
her absence for this singular outrage upon
his daughters husband, and the latter, 10
his infinite astonishment and sorrow, was
obliged TO give her up. The girl returned
to her foolish father, and, in taking tins
first misguided step, seemed TO lose ali her
finer delicacy of nature. To make final
her separation from her injured husband,
she went secretly 10 Washington and
sought divorce; but, after a delay OF
SIX months, was righ!eously refused
Then she repeated the wicked attempt in
Indiana, and The facile laws Of that State
granted her petition. Ii is supposed that
her father abetted her III this unwomanly
act. Ifso, he paid a bitter penalty for his
crowning folly. Returning again to her
luxurious home, the divorced woman at
once plunged head long into every fash
ionable dissipation, and soon made reck-
less runaway match with worthless
actor named Swift, and enleavored TO
become an actress This logical result of
ms own mad folly broke her fathers heart,
and he died. The new actress was Missed
from the stage, but suffered the worst con-
sequences of the pullutiug associations of
the playhouse, and after brief season
was divorced from her second husband,
Fdcil'S dccenSus During the rebellion,
Major Fitch, of a Michigan regiment, was
appointed Provost Marshal at Louisville.
and, falling under The wiles of the degr;Id-
cd but still beautiful actress, fell from the
heroic honors Of an enyiabic manhood to
the most painful ignomiuy of honor fore
sworn. His poor wife in Michigan, after
long period of neglect and suspense, re-
paired with her child to Louisville, and
there had a miserable proof of her faiihlcss
husbands shame. Unwilling TO give him
up, she forgot her own wrongs, and actu-
ally kneellmg to the heariless destroyer Of
her peace and home, humbly begged her
10 relinquish her last victim, for his old
fathers and his little clild's sake. The
answer Of the ex-actrcss WAS perempto-
ry order to leave the house, and she went
forth broAen~hearled. Major Fitch, in
The secure snare of the syren, went straight
TO the dogs Becoming common drunk
ard, he was dismissed from the army in
disgrace, and, after earning wretched
livelihood Cor q time as driver ef street
car, finally disappeared-no Que knew
whittier. She, who had worked this
ruin, then went 20 St. Lonis, and there
entered Upon the still deeper Gamnaiion of
deludins others of her Cwn sex in the
pathway of the lost. When the ill-faied
steamer StonewaH started from ST. Louis
for New Orleans, she and fitting CONS
panion were among the doomed passen-
gers, and were undoubtedly among those
who perished in that terrible disaster.