Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-01-28


Surrounded by such an intoxicating
singer, but little more than girl in
years, was perplexed and beset by her
numerous admirers.
To attempt giving a list of them is
quite out of the question:; but the most
conspicuous were "Halhed, the poetic
partner of Sheridan; Sheridans brother
Charles; Norris, who was believed to have
sung himself into her affections; Mr..
Watts, a gentleman cOmmOner of Oxford;
Thomas Charge and Mr.. Walter Long, a
gentleman of large fortune" This last
named gentleman was a bachelor con-
siderably advanced in years. but his
great wealth was so strong recOmmen-
datiOn to Miss Linley's parents that they
accepted his proposals for their daugh-
ter. 81,
At this time the fair singer was under
articles OF apprenticeship to her father
until the age of Fl; but so DESTROYS was
Mr.. Long OF securing her as his wife that
he readily, agreed to pay Mr.. Linley 9l,-
600 as an indemnity for the loss of her
services"
Miss Linley was very decidedly opposed
to this matrimonial project with Mr..
Long. She received his addresses with
GOODNESS; and, when at last she lave a
reluctant consent, it was supposed by
many that she did so to escape the en-
barrassing attentions of Capt. Matthews
"a gentleman of fortune, a married
man of polished manners and one of her
fathers most valued and intimate
friends.
The peculiar behavior of Capt. Mat
thews to Miss Linley i'm private, and his
marked attentions to her in public, caus-
ed her great unhappiness, and gave rise
to numerous strange rumOrs, such as
scandals tongue delights to prate about
in an idle, pleasure-lOving society like
that then existing at Bath.
1t was stated that Capt. Matthews took
advantage of Miss Linley's youth and of
his close intimacy with the family to
win so much upon her affections that
she was afraid to complain to her father
of his conduct, for fear of mourning that
violent temper.
Several persons called Mr.. Linley's at
tentiOn to the singularly persistent man
ner in which the captain attended Miss
Linley in public; but Mr.. Linley affected
to treat all such communications with
ridicule. Whether he was fearful of Of
Tending so valuable friend as Matthews
was to him, or whether he really believ-
ed, as he said, that his daughters youth
protected her from the dangers pointed
out to him, is not known, either way, he
did not interfere.
While preparations were going on for
Miss Linley's marriage with Mr.. Long
she withdrew from public singing; and
while the envy of her sex and the cha
grin of the other, who had so holly con-
tested for the prize, were at their height
most unexpected turn was given to the
affair by the bride-elect, who, almost at
the 18th hOur-"when her dresses were
all made and the day for the ceremony
fixed"- suddenly declared her resolution
to break the contract.
1t is believed that the mOneyless yet
fascinating Richard Sheridan-tO whom
Miss Linley had cOnfided her unhappy
relations with Matthews-had at this
time made stronger impression on her
heart than all her other suitOrs put to-
gether.
Certain it is that she appealed to Mr..
Long with such entreating earnestness
to release her-alleging most sOlemnly
that her affections could never be his
that this gentleman though Overwhelm-
ed with disappointment, not only gener-
Ously resigned her, "but took upon him
self the responsible cause of breaking off
the match, at the same time paying her
$4,000 as an indemnity for the breach of
covenant" 4ts.gr.
Such an extraordinary termination
naturally created intense excitement in
the fashionable world. Samuel FOOte,
always on the alert for suitable subjects
for comic representation" seized on this
romantic history and turned its incl
dents into an amusing comedy, under
the title Of "The Maid of Bath"
In the meantime Sheridan had made
such progress in favor of the beautiful
but half distracted Miss Linley that he
ultimately persuaded her that the only
way to get out of all her difficulties was
to fly to France and take refuge in
convent.
This, he averred was the only chance
she had of escaping the OdiOus attentions
of Matthews, who, since the rupture
with. Mr.. Long, had shown signs of re-
newing his former most unwelcOme ia
miliarity. ~
At this period the enchanting Eliza
beth was only 18; her chances of max
ing a wealthy match were as we have
seen, abundant, yet she consented to
Sheridan's plan, and thus gave decided
proof that the influence of the talented
yet penniless Richard Sheridan was
stronger than the attractions of substan-
tial wealth.
She knew she was legally bound to
sing for her father till she was One-and
twenty; but, as she intended to recon-
pense him out of the money Mr.. Long
had settled upon her, she felt no scrup-
les to deter her from the proposed flight,
and one evening while her father, eldest
brother. and younger sister were enga-
ged at concert from which she had
been excused attending on the plea of