Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-09
A MINsTREL's BRIDE.
The Wedding of Billy West and
Miss Fay TemPleIOn.
Detroit Nsws.

u
strel, went from Detroit to Tennessee
and married Fay Templeton last Sun,
day was noted in the News yesterday.
There was dash of romance about
the love affair of the merry minstrel
and the piquant boutfer, and gossips Of
the profession have had great deal
to say about it during the past
year.
Miss Templeton has been on the
stage since she was five OF six years
old, and became an enormous favor.
lite in the South. She was beautiful
and precocious child. An old fash
Toned photograph, which hangs in the
greenroom of the theater at Little
Rock, Ark, shows her to have been
slender and delicate, with great earns
est black eyes, exquisite features and
q head crowned with roguish little
curls. Her father, John Templeton,
q typical Southerner, with long black
hair tand sallow features, and her
mother, Alice Vane, sparkling little
Southern brunette, who, now, at forty,
IS as supple and winsome as the
daughter, were for a time the only
support OF the infant phenomenon.
When the affairs became very pros.
porous, Ellis Ryse, the big basso, and
a contralto singer were secured. But
Fay" was the grand attraction, as she
sang and danced in little iarces and
operettas, and many were her tri.
umphal tours through the Southern
circuit and even away down into the
West Indies.
The child prodigy developed into a
charming young woman. The thin
limbs grew round and symmetrical;
the big eyes blacker and saucer, and
the crisp little curls became wealth
of raven ringlet, which, when uncon-
fined, as in THE Mascotte," tumbled
in wildering prefusion about the
plump shoulders and a trim little
waist Her voice was a rich and mel
low contralto, not very we'll cultivated
but good enough for the requirements
OF light opera. In short, Fay at eigh.
teen was sumner, and when Mr.. Billy
West first saw her head reclining on
"Pippo S" breast, and heard her softly
join in the "Gobble, Gobble" duet, he
vas, to use the comprehensive profes.
sional term, "psralyzed."
When Miss Templeton went to the
minstrel's matinee and Mr.. West,
with his partner, Mr.. Primrose, trip.
ped lightly forth and began their gem
teel song and dance, she knew that
her hour had come. The red velvet
coat,the knee breaches which revealed
the genteel curves of Mr.. Vests
shapely calves, and the big diamond
which sparkled on the expansive shirt
front, made him simply ravishing 10
hereyes. Her infatuation was complete
when Mr.. West shaved very smooth,
dressed sprueely and with the burnt
cork carefully washed out OF his ears,
obtained an introduction through a
member of her company.
1t was mutual impression, and the
elder Templetons soon took alarm.
Their love for the girl was almost
idolatry. Nothing was too coed for
her, and no deprivation was too severe
if it could add to her comfort. They
had deprived themselves all their
lives, and layished everything upon
the girl. They had bent all their
energies to her professional advance,
ment, and had placed her at the head
of the we'll balanced comic opera
company.
She was becoming a tremendous
tavorite everywhere, and her prospects
were very bright. 1t was evident that
the time was close at hand when there
should come a golden reward for the
years Of anxious waiting and severe
privation. The girl was young, beau
tiful, accomplished; and would soon be
rich. The was no limit to the bril-
liancy OF the future which they pic.
tpred for her.
But it has been the old story over
again. The prayers of the parents
have been UNDECIDED, the prospects for
the future disregarded, the bouncing
Fay is now the minstrels bride, and
the old folks are disconsolate.