Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-18
THE LITTLE WOMAN.
A Real Romance Much Oueerer
 Than What You Read in Ncvels.

A Real Romance Much Queerer Than What You Read in Novels. Wounded Pride Causes . Now York Boue to Cast Or Her AMancod Lover and Wed Another Man-A Chicago Divorce and Its Results.
 Standing on the corner where the Bruns- wick overlooks Madison square day or two ago. says the "New York Gossiper'' in the Brooklyn Eagle, saw g, pretty little woman in neat, quiet, black and white gown coming In my direction. She was about thirty-three or thirty four, had Q clear: peach-like skin, handsome dark eyes and bright, brown, curly hair drawn up un- der her stylish little bonnet. Her figure was as pretty IS girls, her step light, and altogether she was as plump, pleasing and wholesome a small female as one would care to see. As she passed close to where stood with friend, she said, without turning her head or looking in our direc- tion: "How do you do, Mir. Blankl" and pressed oD without Q perceptible pause Blank started violently, said "By Jovel"
 in an amazed tone, and bolted after the lit tic woman. who had continued her quick pace through the square. He caught up WASAA ASAS oPOACp oAO Sh" SOu0 1c" WO1OS passed between them, after which he joined her and the two went on down to- ward Twenty-thlrd street. left them
 there and did not sec Blank again for 8 day or two, when he told mo the story of the little woman in black and white. .. It seems that she was . noted belle ten years ago and was engaged to be married
 to man who had his way still to make in life. The marriage had been fixed twice and both times something unforeseen had occurred to prevent 1t. Finally it was ar- ranged for third time and the cards is. sued, when the young man came to his hancee and begged that she defer it for the third time, as he had just beon ordered away by the heads of his firm on 8 very tedious and unpleasant journey, on which he would not be permitted to take her, and he could not possibly return in time for the date fixed. His whole future depended upon this and he was obliged to ask her to wait. Her pride was wounded deeply, for both of the previous postponements had been made by hin, and without stopping to be reasonable or considerate she promptly broke the engagement and entirely severed all connection with him. Another lover. who had long and vainly sought her, carne that evening to see her and she told him her troubles. He begged her to take him in- stead and on the day that she was to have
 
 the bridegroom was the persistent lover. Like all marriages of pique, 1t was 8 failure. The man was in no way worthy of her and knowledge of this had dictated her former refusals. He spent all her fortune and his own, drank, outraged all her feelings, and at the end of eight years of married life she found herself in fifth-rate filthy boarding. house in Chicago with three little children. her health wrecked, her hus band a gambler 0Y,6a d rl-ove ,h<-
 and her children to starve. They only had one visitor, gambler and sharper who had met her husband in tho course of his downward career, and whose acquaintance her husband had thrust upon her with that of many others much lower; but this man at least, whatever he might be morally, was kind to her and the children, loaned them money when they would otherwise have starved, and did his best to make her lot little less intolerable to her. The husband meanwhile went al- ways deeIer into the mire, and began at last to beat her in tho most brutal way Even this she bore until in one of his drunken frenzies he attempted to kill her baby. Then she sent for the gam bier. and said: "Help me!' ''There is only one way in which can protect and help you, he said. Get Q divorce from this brute and will marry you and adopt all your children as my own. You know what my life is. Don't attempt to interfere with 1t, and you must obey me in all things, but will never ask you to do any thing wrong, and will love you and care for you and your babies. v She thought 1t over for twenty-fou hours and said s.Yes."
 There was a quickly obtained divorce aud an immediate marriage, and the gam bier, to save her annoyance from her dis carded husband, brought her to New York Here he secured Q handsome flat, furnished it luxuriously, and said: "You must be con- tent with me, with your babies, your books and music, for you can not have friends of any sort It Is too dangerous for mc.n "For husband" she explained, "is what is known as crook He not only gambles. but is at the head of the counterfeiters. He makes, or rather buys, Q little of it-not much, for his business does not require a great deal. All day long he sits at his desk addressing circulars to people, to whom he offers to send fifty dollars of counterfeit for ten dollars of the genuine, and so on in proportion. Of course he does not send commercials back to them. There would be too much danger iu that, but he does send package which, when opened, contains only bits of newspaper. Of course the man who is cheated dare not complain, as it has hap pened while he himself was trying to com init Q crime. My husband makes Q great ueal o1 money gamDllng, too, for he Is Q very cool and careful player. Of course this Is all very hideous, but even this is not 30 bad as when my babies were in danger of their lives, and he is the soul of good ness and tenderness to us all. 1 have im- plored him over and over again, in spite of my promise, to give up the life and earn our living honestly. and he has promised at last to abandon this business within the next three years, for be constantly invests what k Alpn. never see any one but him and my babies and rarely go out in the day time, but to- day as was passing you could not help speaking, the memory of the old days was so strong upon me at tho sight of your face I shall very probably never see you again and for my sake if you see me anywhere in the future with any man don't speak to me- It will be my husband. Goodbye It has been a great pleasure to sec you and to pour out my heart to 8ome one.n ss.As..r-..