The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-01-11
tance that he asked me what was going

He said he would keep it until the
next day, when, having thought 1t over
in the meantime, he would tell me what
TO say to my relatives. So fascinated
was-l, thatI never stopped to consider
the moral aspect of all this, but d1d
exactly as he bade me.f
| We met again and again, he giving me
plenty Of money to buy the clothes de-
sired, and trunks TO put them in, all OF
whicn were sent to an address he gave
me.
Finally we were married secretly, with
q few of his friends for Witnesses. WEI
were to- start on our wedding tour as
soon as the ceremony was over, raF-
turously consenting, to everything. ne
proposed, without u thought OF; much
less consulting my parents or any one.
| He married me legally, in his own
name, Christopher Ellis, and hardly had
we been pronounced manand vile than
he was arrested. HeaWas the chief Of a
gang of counterleiters, and. crime was
the source OF that wealth had thought
as boundiess as his libela!ity.
lLtranspired in the course Of the trial
that he had been in theihabit of entrap.
ping gulleless young girls into thus
passing false money for him, his proht
beingiin the cliange they brought him.
He was sentenced to fourteen years
| imprisonment. Being his wife, L was not
called upon to testify against him, but
| the whole story camo out, and l was
dsgraced.
My parents turned me adrift because
l would notiabandou my husband He
was taken to prison and was aW out-
cast.
had little good money, and soon
| put considerable distance between me
\ ln fut utul In
a miss and under an assumed name,
got q situation as ballet-girl in spec
tacle. When the run oil the piece was
over was retained i'll the company, my
appearance securing me the position.
| Three years passed. l mad become a
local lavorite, was getting good busi-
ness, and but for the terrible shadow
hanging over my life might have been
happy.
| One night was dressing for a part.
Being the only lady in the piece, was
alone in the room. There were very few
people about, as l had come early to
dress leisurely and to read my part over
be ore the curtain went up.
| Suddenly the door was pulled open,
and my husband stood before me win
glaring eyes and features distorted by
rage.
| With blood curdling curse he flung
a crumpled letter i'll my face, Kissing
out:
"Infamous-! found that letter in
your POCKET, the proof OF your guilt
For this, then, have broken jailW
Speecnless with fear | stopped for the
letter. Before l could rise he seized
small rocking chair and struck me
down.
Leaving me bleeding on the floor he
1 . tlNnn
about to be rung up | was discovered
clenched in my hand. 1t was d proper
l ty letter and ran thus:
| "MY ONLY LOVE-Be at SeVern's at
midnight. l. will have carriage in
waiting, and we will fly to France, and
there lind that happiness which stern
fate and that vile mlscreanJ deny us
here. DO not tall your
| GOWN ALBERT"
The previous night mad played part
in "a clap-trap drama, in which, received
that note. The dress was modern, and,
as l was short of wardrobe, l had put
on a street dress for the last act, and
worn it home. had torn the envelope
otf the letter and slipped il In my pockeI,
forgetting to return it to the prompter.
The next evening l had left the dress
hanging over a cnair-back in my room.
Having corresponded with Ellis while
in prison he knew WhereI was, and after
breaking Jail he had come straightway
to me, entering OF course after dark,
when l was at the theater. Needing
money he had rummaged in my pocket
and found the letter, which he took as
proof positive OF my baseness.
''II5 an ugly wound, isn'G it?' she
asked, throwing back her hair with
which she skill1ully covered the worst
part of the hideouS red seam. The edge
OF the rocker almost buried Itself in the
brain. / was long time getting well.
but The company were very kind to me
and that alone gave me heart to live, bui
wnen got to the stage l found my mem
ory so much impaired that i could nC
, longer be trusted with responsible busi
ness, could not remember ten conseeu
tive lines OF part, my beauty was gone
| loo, so looked my late in the face, and
beiug q good neeQleWoman, had no uiti
Guilty in getting employment as ware
robe woman.
"Thaps tne best ofthe profession, Miss
there's work for all In 1t, if not aS ont
thing, why then at another"
"W nat became OF your husbandw
! "He was retaken, and on my recovery
} / sent MIN copy of the play we haL
: been acting with the fatal note marked
out with blue pencil. L enclosed il
the book the crumpled properGy-letter
) bedabbed with my L!Jod.
} He sent me an answer filed with re
, morse aud penitence, and madly i'm
ploring my forgiveness, but could NO
3 accord him that. After all my sacrifice.
= or friends, position and reputation, al
l to cling 10 him, he could SO easily doub
, my love and seek to murder me. Tina
l was my reward. 1t was too much. VIII
4 that unprovoked, terrible blow, ht
struck the love out OF my heart as he haC
: tried to strike the lille ont of my body
/ lett him TO his fate. 1t was a terrible
one, for after serving out his term ht
) was discovered with pal trying to rol
store. They escaped to the roof, where
he slipped, and falling headforemost tt
the ground, broke his neck"
"And so, [ suppose, you will remain
| a wardrobe woman 70 the end OF YOU
days"
81 hardly think SO, Miss" she re pile {
with smile. 81 have u lawyers letter
in my pocket now informing me that as
my father has just died intestate, L an
entitled to my share of the PROPERTY
My father had sworn after that affaii
that he would disinherit me, but my
mother writes that he relenteJ at last
and destroyed the will made in anger, sc