Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-29
ROMANCE In REAL LIFE.
A DRAMA, ONE ACT OF WHICH WAS
LAID IN WHEELING,
Illustrating the Truth Of the Old Adage
that Truth is Stranger
than Fiction"


a fitting denoiiement to make it a theme
for a most absorbing tale, was enacted
only few DAYS ago in this city. The
facts were known to our reporter at the
time, and were kindly recorded Tor pub
LEGATION by one who was personally cog
infant OF the facts at all stages OF the
history. The publication was withheld,
however, out of consideration of pri-
vate nature, but the reasons which led
TO this course having now disappeared,
the narrative, substantially as 1t was
first written, is given to the public here
with.
The lady who figures in the story is a
Canadian by birth, but in early child
hood her parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Clifton,
removed to England, and here the child,
Ada, was reared. While yet in her
girlhood, just
standing with reluctant feet
Where the brook and river meet,
WOmanhoOd and childhood sweet,
She met gentleman who was connected
with various theatres, and, attracted by
the romance that surrounds such char
acters in the eyes of all young ladies,
she allowed him to WOO her and win
her, and at the tender age of -, he be-
ing more than twice as old, she became
his bride. This was in 1869, and soon
after the newly married couple sailed
for Australia, where, after series OF
vicissitudes and adventures, they arriv-
Q on the Sth of May, in 1872. A son
had been born to the Young wife in the
meantime. and named Walter. \ sec
Ond child, a girl, was ushered into the
world in 1873, and third, a daughter,
two years later. The elder of the girls
was called Lottie, and the younger Rosa.
The man, finding an increasing iami-
" dependent upon him, and his means
OF obtaining livelihood circumscribed
in Australia, concluded to seek "lresher
fields and pastures new" and accord
inglv sailed for San Francisco in 1879,
arriving there August 18th, in the i'll
lated ship Sangos, which never made
another voyage. In September OF the
same year, the changed circumstances OF
the family having given rise to discon-
tent, the husband and wife separated,
he retaining charge OF the three chill
dren, and she entering society OF Cath
Ollie sisters, at a distance from the city.
The deserted husband caused report
to be circulated that his wife had died,
and all communication having ceased
between her and the world, she was to
all intents and purposes no longer one
Of the living. The excitement of the
separation did indeed almost prove fatal,
the new inmate OF the sisters retreat
undergoing a long and severe spell of
brain fever, which left her changed in
both appearance and disposition.
In 1877 the ever-to-be-remembered
epidemic fdiphtheria ragged in Frisco"
and the benevolent women OF the insti-
tuition where Ada, no longer Ada, but
"Sistcr Cecilia" resided, gave them
selves up to nursing the sick and per-
forming the last sad offices for those
who succumbed to the terrible disease.
Her new duties one day took the sorrow
full "Sister Cecilia" into a house where
two children had already died, and the
third and last of the family, little girl,
was lying at the threshold OF death. In
spite of the cmaciated features and the
changed appearance of the little one, the
childless mother recognized in the dy
ing babe, and was stricken even while
she was made glad to recognize her own
beloved, but mourned as lost, little
Lottie. The child, too, in spite OF the
lapse of years and the altered aspect OF
Ada, by some species OF intuition,
il not Of inspiration, knew her mother
and lisped, as distinctly as her feeble
parched throat would permit, the name
OF "Mamma."
The love of mother will accomplish
impOssibilties. LOttie lived.
True TO her vows and to her duties,
the mother sought new fields OF labor
when her services were no longer need
ed by her own child, and, though it
wrung her bosom with anguish, left it
to the care of the unnatural father, who
had never seemed to care whether il
lived or not. During the sway OF the
epidemic, she was too occupied
with the sorrows and the cares
of other mothers to feel her own,
but when that subsidized she be-
gan to Zine for her lost Lottie.
At length she resolved to seek the child,
make herself known TO the father, and
never again forsake her lawful place as
wife and mother. Alas, the pair were
gone, and none knew whittier. Sick at
heart, benumbed with anguish, the be-
reaved woman re entered the home of
the Sisters OF Mercy, and gave herself
over to works of charity and love.
One day in a street car gentleman
laid down an eastern paper. Her eye
was caught by one large line, name,
the name of her husband. "Montrosel-
liam"
After almost disheartening obstacles
in the way of her journey were
overcome, she found herself
on the way to Pittsburgh, where some
weeks ago she arrived, and commenced
a search for her truant husband and
missing child. For a long time she met
with no success, but made kind friends,
who were influenced by her sad story to
aid her in all ways possible. Being
without funds, she sought an engage
ment as an actress. 4 gentleman whom
she had met in her search knew of a
manager who was in need of several
lady performers, and by his instrument
tally she met the party.
1t was MontroSellian!
He had trained the infant LOttie to
take child's parts in popular dramas,
and also to perform upon the trapeze.
She was then fulfilling an engagement
at one Of the Pittsburgh theatres. That
night the unnatural father was arrested
at the instigation of the society for the
prevention of cruelty to children, and
heavy fine imposed, and, as he was una
bic TO paw the sum demanded, he was
thrown into prison. Here his ,
whom he had not yet recognized, Sited
him, and making herself known, offered
TO cause his release If he would resume
his marital relations. This, with SEEM
ing readiness, he agreed to do, and the
two were happily reunited.
Ada's def fingers, urged by the JOY
she felt IN the love of her restored child,
were employed in making clothes for the
little one to appear upon the stage, and
Montroselisn went on in the execution
OF his plan of organizing a stock cOmpa-
nv. While engaged in this he met the
wife of Frank Lautfman, the negro inn
personator, and at once seemed iniatua-
ted. This wOman's husband was in
Philadelphia, and on Sunday, August
Il. of the present year, she told her
mother, a worthy lady OF Allegheny
CITY, that she had received letter from
Frank, and was going to Join him.
On that day MontrOSelliOn in