Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-06

past five years been obliterated by the
march of Improvement, and the spot
where the ahoient tombs were made is
now covefed with rows of dwelling
houses. n But when the writer visited il
severn fears ago he found in deserted
cornE of the cemetery a tomb around
dnc&h the grass and weeds grew thick.
podshing them aside he discovered
Email monument Of marble, on which
was inscribed -
AGNES DRLANoY,
"Wife of Junius Rrutus Booth,
"Born in Brussels Dec. %, 1890,
"Died in Baltimore, Aug u, 1885,
peace to her ashes"
The life history of Agnes Delaney
Booth was full of pathos and romance.
In the year of 1915, the date of the
battle of waterloo, she met, in the Bel
gian capital, young Junius Brutus
Booth, an actor who had come over |
from England with troop of English |
actors to entertain the British officers |
and soldiers then in Brussels. Her |
mother kept boarding house, at which |
Mr.. Booth made his home. She was but |
tB years old then, very handsome, and |
exceedingly impressionable.
THEY FELL IN LOVE.
She was attracted by the charming
personality of Booth, who, although
still young man, was playing the lead
ing characters in the company Of stroll
ing actors. A couple of visits to the
the theatre, where she saw him act such
. parts as "Romeo" and "Hamlet," con-
firmed her infatuation, and when he
proposed marriage she at once accepted.
But an unexpected obstacle arose in the
shape of her mother. That worthy lady
objected to her only daughters union
with an actor and she proved obdurate
to all their petitions for her consent.
Finding that her acquiescence could not
be gained, they prepared TO elope, and
started together to cross to England by
way of Ostend. 1t is uncertain whether
any marriage ceremony was performed
between them in Belgium, but it is a
positive fact that such ceremony was
celebrated at the parish church in
Clerkenwell, London, early in 1917
Prof. Delaney possesses, or did possess,
their wedding certificate, duly made out
and attested by the rector of the parish,
the clerk and the two witnesses required
by law.
Their welded life was stormy and
unsatisfactory. Shortly after their ar
born, and his mother continued to reside
in London, while her husband toured
the province as an actor, receiving as
Of the letters EXCHANGED between Mrs
Booth and her husband during this
period are in the possession of Professor
Delaney, and they tell pitiful tale of
the privations which she endured for
herself and her child. They are written
entirely in French, and owing to the
fading of the ink and the ragged condi.
ton of the paper on which they were
written, II was with much difficulty
that portions of them were translated
by Professor Delaney. But enough Of
them was Ineligible to show that Mr..
Booth recognized her as his wife and
constantly pleaded his insufficient earn
ings as the reason why he did not send
her money enough TO relieve her wants.
He was invariably respectful in his
communications to her and expressed
the greatest interest in the welfare OF
herself and their child.
IN THE UNITED STATES.
Their correspondence was continued
after Mr.. Booth came to the United
States, which was in about 1920. In
this country he married again, but still
kept up his communication with hi!
foreign wife. These letters, like thosC
exchanged between them in England
are written in French and are hard t
decipher, but they have been sufficiently
translated to demonstrate that Mr. Bootl
still represented himself to his wife ant
child as husband and father
Meanwhile he was rapidly rising int
mt
stage and was making commensurate
profits. Various of the letters incloset
sums of from 10 to fl00 to Mrs. Boot
and while he deprecated her purpose 0
joining him in the western world h
limited at his own early return to Europ
where he hoped TO meet her again
Finally, in 1925, she decided to cross tn
Atlantic with her boy in search of he
husband. She embarked on sailin
vessel, which was nearly wrecked d
the Newfoundland coast, and one of tn
most thrilling of her letters to him tell
of their narrow escape from destruction
That letter was written in New York /
October, 1926, and was addressed TO Mi
Booth at the theatre in Richmond, Va
where he was then playing.
Shortly after arriving III this countr
Mrs. Booth took up her residence wit
her son in Baltimore Her husband ha
by that time bought farm in larfor
county, Maryland, some 30 miles froi
Baltimore, and it was to that place thi
she made journey IN 1927 She had NJ
seen her husband since coming TO I'll
United States, although numerous an
affectionate letters had passed betwee
them.
REJECTED WIFE.
That visit to the Hartford county far
was a revelation TO her. Mr. Booth r
fused to recognize her as his wife, to
her that the ceremony performed
London was fraud, and babe her i
stantly depart from his presence wi
her son. Her production of the marrial
certificate was met by storm Of reno
STRANGE on his part, and he literal
turned her out of doors. She does n
appear to have had the courage to asst
her legal rights, but made her way SC
rowfully back TO Baltimore. On b
arrival there, she was prevailed upon
take legal advice and brought him in
court to answer charge of having
ceived her by a pretended marrlal
She did not accuse him of bigamy,
was apparently content to accept
offer of 5000 if she would return
Europe. But-and this is the only TT
portion Of the Dramatic Neacs' narrati
before she could leave she was tax
Ill and died in Baltimore and was burr
In the old Cathedral cemetery.
Prof. Delaney has large bundle
the correspondence OF his motheT W
Mr.. Booth among his possessions. a