The Jersey City news., 1891-09-09
FROM SHOP TO COURT.
How a Pretty Philadelphia Dancer
Became a Peeress.

DuSlutSS 0Ol0 was NCi iiiiiitSN5 49,
Mrs. Hanback, making more money
in her little candy store than any
merchant in the street. Miss Rachael
Lang kept dry goods and trimming
store in the neighborhood of Eighth
and Filbert. She was q kindly old
Scotch lady, who would as soon have
had man behind her counter as
German band before the door.
So all her assistants were girls.
Gloves were the only mems wear sold
in this shop, and Miss Lang noted
with satisfaction that her sales in this
line were rapidly increasing, but 1t
never occurred to her that this was
due to any other cause than the excel
lence of her goods, although IN fact
her gentlemen customers cared very
little ior the price and quality OF what
they bought SO long as they were wait :
ed upon by Diana Blake, who was gem
orally admitted to be the loveliest girl
within the city limits.
Long nosed, sallow faced ladies,
with undenable social records and
pockets full of money, often visited
the store and wondered by what
caprice of fortune a common Irish
shop girl should have had such
dover of beauty which in the titness
of things ought to be the inheritance
of women having Quaker ancestors
and big bank accounts
One OF them went so far as to suggest
to Miss Lang that Miss Blake's good
looks were too apparent for her station
in life, but went away much offended
when the little Scotch lady remarked
s'that if every one minded their own
xuAt,1d frat olnnfr hntfap u
Diana was born in Galway. Ireland,
but had come to America when an in
fant. She was type OF that Irish
beauty as scarce in these days, accord
ing to John Brougham, as hens teeth.
Dark blue eyes, like wells of living
water, shaded by long, dark lashes,
blue-black hair, and complexion
that was simply marvellous, were
added to sweet voice. graceful form
and manners at once piquant and
modest. Her father was day laborer,
and the family lived in Chester street,
above Race.
Although Diana fully appreciated
the exigencies of her position. there
was one temptation she could not
forego, and that was dancing. When
only six years old she had taken les
sons from Signor Julian. who had a
school at Tenth and Vine streets.
The fact that he was an lrishman
named McCaslsey did not make him
less efficient as teacher, and when
his pupil was twelve years old he Sc
cured her einploymenta at the Walnut
Street Theatre in one of those elabor-
ate ballets that SO delighted our unso-
phisticated grandfathers. Her talent
soon won recognition, and the dollar
she received for each performance did
much for the family income.
No whisper of this had reached her
emplover and it was not until she
was eighteen that Manager Wood
made her an offer of $1S week, and
it became necessary for her to quit
Miss Lang. That lady was a good
Presbyterian, and looked on the stage
as the broad road to destruction, but
Diana justified herself through the
family necessities, and she now went
on the stage as danseuse premiere and
took the name OF Sophia Lee.
Her success was pronounced from
the first, and the jeunesse doree, rep
resented in those days by gawky
young gentlemen in gorgeous vests
and clashes so tight that they looked
as if skewered onto the wearer, paid
the pretty dancer many squeaky COM
pliments, at which she laughed good
naturedly, though she discreetly kept
her admirers at distance.
About 1S43 one of the Barings, a
nephew of Lord Ashburton. visited
this country and was welcomed by
the best society with effusion. With
him came young Englishman named
Ricnard Hardy. He saw Miss Lee at
the theatre, was struck with her
grace and beauty and secured an in
PRODUCTION. He was thorough gentle
men, and addressed her not as pro-
fessional but as lady.
Diana fell in love with a rapiditv
that startled herself. After months
quiet attentions Hardy spoke out. He
loved her and wished to make her his
wife. She spoke to kindly Billy Wood
the manager He played the part OF
heavy father to perfection; pointed
out the evanescent character of sue
cess ON the stage, the hardships and
perils of professional life and advised
her not to neglect an opportunity OF
securing position at once permanent
and honorable, as he had no doubt
that her avenir as wife would be a
happy one.
Diana accepted Hardy, and they
were married at st. Joseph's by Fa.
ther Harbelin. 1t society it was re-
garded as distinct mesalliance; the
bride poor, an Irish girl and stage
dancer; but Hardy and his pretty wife
cared nothing for the opinions of the
broadbrims and Aminadab Sleeks that
prevailed then in Philadelphia, and
left at once for New York. Before the
honeymoon was over the first trouble
came. Hardv's father warned his son
that such q marriage would end all in
tercourse with his family, but Richard
had means of his own, and found nc
trouble in getting employment.
In less than year old Hardy re-
Tented. and his son and wife left for
England, to find the fathers wealth
swept away by reverses in trade.
Sir James Hardy was Richards
uncle, and the head of the family. He
was enormously wealthy, and had but
one son. He also resented the union
his nephew had made, and dying
about this time, left him out of his
will. Between the Inheritance to his
vast Kentish property and Richard
Hardy were the lives of eight people,
and yet, by the caprice of fortune. ali
these vanished in two years and