The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-01-27


suspicion of a scandal. allowed every one on
board to become aware of her infatustion for
the handsome young actor. In good time
the steamer reached Liverpool. and two
days after, while Arnold was in my Office,
got telegram from our London house say
ing:
"'Miss Billings married to Prescott. who
accidentally killed himself. Send some one
over to take charge of her
81 showed it to the old Captain, and never
to my dying day shall l forget the horror
that everspread his features as he read the
message. Good God! my wife married, he
said. Harris. there must be some awful mis-
take. She is not my niece. but my wife and
then he told me the whole story. We were
never able to find out why Prescott had put
an end TO himself, as the wretched woman,
when I afterwards saw her. either could not
or wogld not tell. What she did was to go to
the London bankers, draw out every penny
OF the money that was to last her for five
months, working on the feelings of the good
natured Englishman by saying that she need
ed money for funeral expenses, and then,
when she had got the full sum, wheedling
them by her artless and fearful way out OF
600 more. to take care OF herself and get
back to herfriends in America. She came
back ct once, but never, think, saw the old
Captain again. He retired from sight, heart
broken and crushed. He loved her still but
could not forgive her and, when few years
later he was laid at rest. few old shipmates
and myself were the only ones To follow him
to his grave. So you see that two lives were
blasted by this arch siren, and 4, in suggest
ing marriage to him, was the innocent
cause"
But what of the woman" asked his Wis
itor.
"Ah. me! That is something that gives
my heart a wrench whenever | think of it,
and tonight that picture recalls it painfully.
Well, well, will tell you" he added mourn
July, while he continued pacing in short,
quick steps the handsome dining-room.
''When Mrs. Arnold-Prescott, or whoever
she was. returned, she sold the old mans
house and for few months lived upon what
it brought, squandering the money right
and left as the fancy seized her. l kept
sort OF run of her actions. and SO far as |
ever ascertaIned she was as heartleSs as she
was handsome and more than that could
not be said. She never expressed any regret
for the wreck and ruin she had wrought,
but was apparently bent on pleasure, and
that alone. 1t wasn't long before the money
gave out, and then she returned to the
stage, this time taking a name We
will call Juliet Capulet She sang pretty
well, and it wasn't long before
she had blossomed but as a variety star and
as such travelled all over the country, every
where doing as much harm as seemed insep-
arabic from her nature.
"In one of her engagements in a neighbOr-
ing city the theater was visited by the finan-
cial Official of the city. She retained at this
time all her good looks and spirits, and in
the end fascinated this poor, weak man, who
had wife and family. He neglected every
thing for her, lavishing upon her everything
her wild fancies called for, until finally his
little fortune was swallowed up. Her wants
or demands grew, and to crafty them he be-
gan to use the city's funds, until before lac
realized his position he had embezzled sew
eral hundred thousand dollars. When he
did come to his senses he implored her to fly
with him. but she coolly turned away and
sought new fields. The poor fellow ran off
himself fCr awhile. He was captured by
one of he rowing bands near the
border, " e. after taking all his property
and none escorted him over the frontier,
where he Nas captured, brought back, and,
after trial as sent to State prison. lie has
just finisl.'. his term. Thus three homes
were brok, up. Miss Capulet, as she still
called her,if. continued on the stage, but
gradually 'rOpped lower and lower. For
several yeas she passed out of my sight
and bell, I'd her dead. A few months ago
l received ~ anonymous note asking me to
come over 10 a small town near by. | at
first hesitated, but went. When I reached
the house indicated Grape streamer white
and black, was hanging at the door. As
rang was met by a kindly faced woman,
who said inquiringly, Mr.. Harris?' l re-
piled Yes You are too late she said
All is over. She wanted TO see you so much
before she died.
at was all a mystery to me, and | asked
what it all meant. Come with me- said the
kindly-faced woman, and leading me to the
rear room / saw on the bed the never-tO-be-
forgotten outlines of dead body. Lifting
the sheet which covered the features
looked once more upon the face that lured
old Arnold to his rum, had driven Prescott
TO suicide, and cast into prison the third
vlcSim. Wasted, thin, and pallid as it was
all the old beauty. the rapture OF repose as
Byron puts it, was there. She lay as if in
sleep, and seemed scarce a day older than
when she first danced her way into my office.
Moved, do you say? Well, more than
can express, and despite all the ruin she has
brought upon those who had loved her /
pitied and almost forgave her, for when |
asked as to her illness | was Mortified to learn
that from the complications attending a
throat trouble she had for days been unable
to swallow and had literally and actually
starved 20 death. Even now can hardly
think of it, and the sight of that picture is
almost too much for me-"