Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-10
MAUD BRANSCOMBE.
A Woman Whom Nobody Knows.

Who is Maud Branscombe? asks the
Paris correspondent Of the Tribune. Her
portrait Is in every shop window. Some
times she Is nun, her eyes raised up to
heaven in fervent ecstasy; in another
place she appears as an odahsque, with
her yasbmak drawn aside. and her beau
tiful brow glitterlng with rows ofsequins
elsewhere we see her dressed as a fine
lady of the nineteeth century, and yet
again as Ophelia Or the Magdalen. Not
a lounger on the Paris boulevards has
passed unheedingly before that wondrous-
iy beautiful face, and yet no one knows
who she is, whence she came, or whittier
she goethi and if any body in the United
States can give information on these
points, especially the third, great boon
will be conferred upon Partisan chron-
iclers, who are terribly exercised as to
her personality. Some say that she new
er existed In flesh and blood, but is mele-
ly an abstract idea of beauty created by
an imaginative painter; others, that she
is simply model who hires out her
fauitless features for g percentage on the
sale Of her photographs.
NJ. Claretie afhrms that the late Tom
Taylor revealed to him the mystery which
is romance. Maud Branscombe, whose
real name IS, possibly, Sarah Ann Stokes,
is, as Emma Crouch, alias Cora Pearl,
has been represented to be, the daughter
OF an English clergyman. She was be-
trothed to young gentleman trades
man IN her fathers parish beng of
an eccentric disposition, disappeared on
the wedding day.
Years passed without tidings of her
whereabouts; she was supposed to be
dead; her family went into mourning;
her young man went to Australia and
made a fortune by way of consolation.
One day he met some one who pretended
to have seen Maud or Sarah Ann on the
boards Of San Francisco theatre. He
did not remember whether she was there
as an actress or as mere fgurante, but
he was certain of the fact. George-the
Tilted ones name was George-felt, as he
said, 'all his old love return" he let
Melbourne for the States, but when he
reached his destination the bird had
again flown. Did any one know any
thing ABOUT her? Well, there was one
individual certainly did, as he came to
George and told him how he had married
her, and how, after one years felicity,
during which a great deal of crockery
had been mutually broken, she had bolt
ed for parts unknown, he supposed
with an entire stranger" leaving only
a brief note which recommended the for
warding of the baby to its maternal
grandfather, whose address she had Civ
en-, though silent about her own. "Had
he taken no steps to trace herr" "Tak-
en- steps," shoutbd the miner; "her-
all the steps I'd take would be to Keep
out of her-way."
This would have discouraged most
people. It did not discourage George,
who sent her messages through an &C
tress of her acquaintance, and advertised
in the agony column of the D. T. and
the Figaro, that all should be forgotten
and forgiven; that he was ready to offer
her name and fortune. But it is, so
far, all in vain; it is loves labor lost,
for Maud obstinately refuses to answer,
although Barkis is willing, and there are
heaps of money as an incentive. Maud's
portrait is everywhere; Maud is nowhere;
and if any citizen or citizeEess of the
great Republic Will or can throw any
light on the subject, he or she is prom
ised munifcent reward by the would
be Benedict.