The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-07-16
Romance of Il Governess.

Accompanying Mrs. Lily LangtYy on
her first tour in this country as part of
her company were two English actress
es who appeared under names which it
is not necessary now to mention. The
names, SAYS the New York Tribune,
were assumed for stage purposes, their
real family name being Warden. They
were not as handsome IS the profess
sional beauty in whose train they fol-
lowed, but they were comelv enough to
look upon, and Miss Florence Warden
was a lady of other abilities than those
which fitted her for an actress, for she
was charming story-teller, and latter
ly she has put this special ability to
profitable use in the writing of some
interesting romances. If she had not
chosen TO publish anonymously she
would almost have made fame for her
self with the general public, as she has
with those who detected her identity
as the writer of the books in question
Miss Blank. the actress, or Miss
Florence Warden, as she is now known,
While on the stage used frequently to
tell OF an adventure she had met with
when quite young, and which as she
would briefly relate it, was particular
ly fascinating to her friends, and she
had often to retell it at the request of
friends who desired others to know it.
When young girl of Is years she had
answered an advertisement of man
who wanted governess for child,
and who particularly specified that the
governess ''must be young" This
was rather suspicious specification.
but on inquiry the advertiser was found
to be man of good reputation in his
neighborhood. He explained the Pc
culiar advertisement by stating that he
had an invalid wife who was of a
gloomy temperament. The governess
was expected not only TO relieve the
wife of the care of her child, but also
to endeavor to cheer her up. After be-
ing installed the governess discovered
evidences that the wife was predisposed
to insanity. A servant was set as a
watch over the wife, and she became
spy upon the governess, because, as
the governess thought, the authority
in the house was deputed to her and
taken from the servant. This jealousy
Went so tar as TO attempt to distigure
the governess by causing her to fall
down the stairway, but the attempt
resulted only in the servants own de-
struction. Many mysterious persons
came and went; the master and the
servant moved about the rooms noise
lessly; the master did not sleep in his
own house; and the goyerness was put
Ill room IN the turret far above the
ground, while the wife, of whom the
master was evidently fond, was made
to sleep IN cold, close room like a
damp cell. The man himself was a
particularly winning person. with fine
literary, musical and artistic tastes; a
good painter, and an accomplished vi
olinist, with a peculiar habit of locking
himself in his study and playing for
hours at time. But when thus per-
forming in seclusion his playing was
inferior to his public performance; the
difference was so great as to cause re-
mark.
The governess fell in love with the
nGfuahs seit,n et9{f,. the ftythat- be--was
the house, she was SO fascinated by
him as to be prevailed on to remain.
Mysterious robberies were committed
in the ncighborhood, and the master of
the house skillfully directed the pursuit
of the robbers. He had planned trip
for his sick child to Italy in care of the
governess, who was to be chaperoned
by her mother and escorted by him.
self Circumstances directed the at
tention of the young governess to per-
sons whom she suspected of the rob-
berries, and she joined her employer in
directing pursuit of the men. At
length they were caught through in
formation given by the governess, and
the leader of the band was found to be
her employer. His wife proved to
nave long been Il helpless victim of his
iron viii, whom he had put up in
cell of a room to XIII her gradually.
The servant had been his accomplice
numerous Iorgerics; and the myster-
ious persons who went and came about
the house were men who gave the
master the information on which he
planned sorIe of the most daring rob-
berries The men were tried in London
about ten years ago, amid the utmost
excitement, and the young lady was
the chief witness.