The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-17
A Becky Sharp In the Flesh.
from the New York Trlbur

Mr.. Thackeruy is reported to have said IN
conversation II really don't know where l
got all these rascals in my book. certainly
never have lived with such people -; yet De
might have photographed RaWdon Crawley's
wife from the woman Of whom we are about
to speak, who once lived, though she is now
Individually dead, or ut least buried, ana
whose career has been revealed in the case OF
d" Melrose agt. Mounsey," lately beard before
the Lord Chancellor of England. Ellzabeth
Jones, born in 1888, was the daughter OF
small farmer in Merionetshire. When sixteen
wears old the sharp little danlsel was sent to
Manchester to be cared for by an aunt, ana Ill
1850 she went to service with Mrs. Shedding,
widow, living in London, and served as COM
panion or lady's maid Having left this place,
the Young woman, now "beautiful and fascl-
mating" met William Melrose, merchant oil
wealth, who had lived several years in emma.
Elizabeth became his mistress. and cohablted
with him as such until 1856, when he married
her in Glasgow. The woman misrepresent-
ed herself in the marriage register as Eliza
Laura Bella Shedding, daughter Of Henry
Shedding, clergyman, deceased, aud Maria
Eliza Steddng"- being the proper de-
scription of her aunt in Manchester. We
are furnished with an inventory Of the at
fractions which led captive the retired China
merchant. Elizabeth was Handsome in
face and figure, graceful Of cheerful and
lively temperament, quick intellect, great
feminine tact, and manners so simple and
natural as to charm all society into which
after her marriage she obtained admission"
Nor was she wanting in acutencss. Her
Welsh accent might have betrayed the fact
that she was not born in Manchester and
so she told everybody that she was Of Ger.
man origin, which accounted for the pecu-
liaritv Of her speech. She could not write,
and 50 she employed an amanuensis under
the pretense that something was the matter
with her writing fingers. Her husbands
family, with two exceptions, refused to re-
cognize her until 1859.
The old gentleman who married this clever
young lady was naturally anxious for an
heir. In 1857 bis wishes were gratited.
Mrs. Melrose, during flying visit OF two
weeks paid "to her mother In the South,
returned with child which she declared
her own, born while she was away. Inc
happy father died in 1868, leaving his pro-
perty to trustees, the income to be palo 10
his widow, while she remained sucf, LOT the
Of herself and her child. Two
years after she married an army captain:
This, by the provisions of the will, reduced
her income to Gl00, the whole fortune gong
10 the boy upon his attaining his maJofity.
In 1869 the woman died III India. it was
then that the heirs of her first husband be-
eau to question whether the boy was Mel
rose at all. The heirs-at-law of MIR. Merose
having investigated the matter, 1t turned out
that Master Melrose was the son of Wo.
man named Aston by former husband
named Henley, coachman, and that Mrs
Melrose had obtained his custody by promls-
ing to adopt him and provide for him at her
death. These facts were proved to the
satisfaction of the Lord Chancellor, and the
fortune of 100000 passes to the heirs ut law,
leaving the coaclman's son, bred in atf1uence
and With great expectations, totally desti-
tute. He might have had better luck if the
clever woman who began the game had
lived to continue it, and had remained un'
married. The curious part of the matter is
that this scheming and uuprincipled person,
after securing all the advantages for which
she played so deep a game, should so readily
have abandoned them for the sake of marry
ing again. 1t is possible, however, that she
improved her condition by 50 doing. For
tue boy passing as her son she, OF course,
had no affection, and il she really had been
attached to him she must have thought his
future secure. Our sympathy is mainly with
the poor old China merchant, fooled into a
belief that he had become father, and
finally fooled into his testamentary arrange
ments. Now and then fraud like this is
brought to light =; but how many frauds just
like it remain undiscovered. =