The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1880-10-16
MAUD BRANSCOMBE
A Woman Whom Nobody Knows.

/ - " oAnH " HOui N0Uoby Knows.
| who is Maud Rranscombe2 asks the
Paris correspondent of the Tribune. Her
| portrait IS IN every shop window. Some
| tlmes she is nun, her eyes raised up to
| heaven ID feIvent ecstasy; in another
place she appears as an odallsque, with
| her yashmak drawn aside and her beau
tlful brow glitterlng with rows ofsequins
| elsewhere we see her dressed as a fine
lady OF the nlneteeth century, and vet
again as Ophelia Or the Magdalen. Not
lounger on the Paris bouleyards has
passed unhcedingly before that wondrous-
~ beautiful face, and yet no one knows
who she is, whence she came, or whittier
she goeth; and if any body in the United
States can give information on these
points, especially the third, a great boon
VIII be conferred upon Partisan chron-
lclers, who are terribly exercised as to
her personality. Some say that she new
| er existed in flesh and blood, but is mele-
y an abstract idea of beauty created by
| an imaginative painter; Others, that she
IS simply model who hires out her
faultless features for percentage on the
sale Of her photographs.
NJ. Claretie affirms that the late Tom
Taylor revealed to him the mystery which
Is romance. Maud Branscombe, whose
real name ls, 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-a trades
man IN her fathers parish-but being Of
al 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 fortune ~ way of consolation.
One day he met some one who pretended
10 have seen Maui or Sarah Ann on the
boards Of San Francisco theatre. He
did not remem Der whether she was there
as an actress or as mere igufante, but
he was certain Of The fact. George the
Tilted ones name was GSorge-telt. as he
SAID. "all his old love return; he lett
Melbourne for the States, but when he
reached his destination the bird hal
again flown DID any enc know any
thing aoout herr 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 great deal OF crockery
had been mutually broken, she had bolt
ed tor parts unknown, he supposed
with an entire stranger, leaving only
briet 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 DO steps to trace her2n TAX
er steps" shoutbd the miner; cher
all the steps Id take would be to keep
out OF her-way.
This would have discouraged most
people. 1t did not discourage George,
who sent her messages through an ac-
tress of her acquaintance, and advertised
In the agony column OF the ID. Z. ami
tbs Figaro, that all should be forgotten
ana forgiven; that he was ready to oiler
her a name and fortune. But it is, SO
far. all in yam; it is loves labor lost,
tor Maud obstinatelg refuses to answer,
although Barkis b Wiling, and there are
heaps of money as an incentive. Maud
portrait is everywhere, Maud IS nowhere
and if any citizen or eitlzeress OF the
great Republic Will or can throw any
noht on the subject, he OF she Is prom
isnd n muniicent reward hy the would.
he BENEDICT