The daily gazette., 1880-02-24
n Criminals Romance.

A GIRLS DEVOTION TO A CONVICT
FAITHFUL FoR FIVE YEARS TERN
HOW SHE REroRhEpo AsD MAR
RIED HIM. Nsf
From the N. Y. Herafd. February u. 70
That sometimes 'straying touch Of
human nature which, when found,
makes the world akin was exemplified
last Thursday evening i'm the case of
an ex-convict, who was united in mar
riage to girl rlwhom five years before
he had seduced,g while yet she was q
mere schoolgirl The ceremony was
performed in the rooms of Miss Linda
Gilbert, 439 West Thirty fourth street,
In the presence of the lady members of
the executive committee ofthe Gilbert
Library and Plisoners' Aid Society
and some few friends Of the bride and
bridegroom, the officiating clergyman
being Rev. Mr.. Mackie, the chaplain
to the society. 81 .'4i' 'is''i ari
The bridegroom Is known as Michael
Manning, the girls maiden name be-
ing Alice Gray. Manning belongs to
a respectable family in this city, but
having even from iboyhoodS been a
"hard case" his family years ago cast
him off. Fortune played him fast
and loose" and again and again he
found himself o condemned felon be-
hind the bars. The five years. term
which he has just now served in Sing
Sing was for crime committed in this
city. Manning proposes to be thor
oughly reformed. When he came to
the city, after his release, he did not
seek his former associates In crime, nor
did he ask any assistance from them.
So he stated to Miss Linda, Gilbert,
whose aid he sought. There was a, girl
he said, the only one in the world that
cared for him, who had never gone
back on him during those five years,
and she was willing to marry him. He
had betrayed and seduced her, he said,
before he was ''serit up" HIH
Miss Gilbert, deeming his tale a
genuineslove story, sent for Alice Gray,
who, little by little, revealed all. When
first she met Manning she was but q
mere schoolgirl. He was then about
80 years of age. He was handsome
and had plenty of money, bought her
presents and was very kind to her. He
promised to marry her. alaIHa4f
She had had no experience of the
world /; she believed all be told her and
never doubted the fnlfllment of the
promises he made TO her, She did not
know he was thief. 1t was the old, old
story. Shortly after he was arrested,
tried and sent to prison. She loved him
now more than ever and vowed 10 her
self she would be faithful to him for life
He went to prison; she to work. Aftet
q while she became 30 proficient at nee
dle-work that she was able not only u
pay her board, but to save little everj
week. Wren she had q few dollars saw.
ed she would send il to the prison Il
him. She began to work harder aDd
harder now, far she wanted to save mon
ey enough to 60 to Sing Sing to see him.
She saved enough and went and saw
him, bringing him delicacies for the lit
tie money she had over and above her
fare. He was glad to see her Dut was
almost broken-hearted on her account
he said. She believed him, of course
With redOuoled energy she set to woi
at her sewing. She saved more ant
more, and piDched herself until she gol
sick. But all sic had to spare from
month to month she sent to the prisoner
Then she went to see him again, and ID
due time repeated her visits. So thu
years rolled on. When it was nearly tn,
end OF his term she began to lose cour
a e. She was afraid he might again re
turn to his old ways and thus be lost Z,
her. But, with as much hope as shl
could command, she worked on, saving
money TO help him. When he returned
he did not want to become sthief again
But what could he do? He could not sii
down and live on her earnings. HI
wanted to marry her il he had the mon
ey to pay the minister, but they had nov
enough to do to buy food. They had nc
furniture either. Was her heart to b,
broken now In seeing him go back agair
TO the prison? She had done all sht
could herself. Would nobody help her
The tale told by the girl was sufficient
ly piquant to secure ready listenersr. II
was also sufficiently romantic to bring
/ even more generous help to the faithful
Alice than so far she had got. The firsi
step, however, has been accomplished
Alico has been honorably welded. Ele
CANT ladies graced the ceremony, ant
Alice ard Manning had their own chos
en- friends to congratulate them. Mis-
Gilbert secured for the couple about So
with which TO buy furniture, and Man
ming has been in small way set up i
business as an itinerant coal merchant
As his capital is small his sincerity vii
soon be tested.