Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-14
FROM SHOP To COURT.
A PRETTY PHILADELPHIA SHOP
GIRL BECOMES A PEERLESS.

The story of Diana Blake's Good Fortune.
a Romance of Fifty Years Ago-she
Left the Stage for a Home in England.
Her Second Marriage.
Forty years ago Eighth street, from
Market to Arch, was bordered With two.
story houses most of them cont smporary
with 1890 and given over to small notion
stores, the proprietors living in he second
floors. The business done was very limit
ed, old Mrs. Hanback, making more money
in her little candy store than any merchant
on the street. Miss Rachel Lang kept a
dry goods and trimming store in he neigh
borhood of Eighth and Hilbert. She was
a kindly old Scotch lady, who would as
soon have had man behind her counter
as a German band before the door.
So ali her assistants were girls Gloves
were the only mems wear sold in this shop,
and Miss Lang noted with satisfa ction lat
her sales in this line were rapidly increas-
ing, but it 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 for
the price and quality of what they bought
so long as they were waited on by Diana
Blake, who was generally ADM tied to be
the loveliest girl within the city limits,
Long nosed, sallow faced ladies, with I'M
deniable social records and pockets full of
money, often visited the store and wondered
by what caprice of fortune a common IrisS
shop girl should. have had such a dover of
beauty which in the fitness of things oupbt
to be the inheritance of women having
Quaker ancestors and big bank accounts.
AS SHOP GIRL.
One of them went so far as to suggest to
Miss Lang that Miss Blake's good looks
were too apparent for her stat on in life
but went away much offended when the
little Scotch lady remarked that if every
one minded their own business we would
all get along better"
Diana was born in Galway. Ireland. but
had come to America when an infant. She
was type of that Irish beauty Is scarce in
these days, according to John 3rougham,
as hens teeth. Dark blue eyes, like wells
of living water, shaded by long, dark
lashes, blue-black hair, and q complexion
that was simply marvellous, were added TO
a sweet voice, graceful form ard 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
eXlgencies of her position, there was one
temptation she could not forego, and that
had taken lessons from Signor Julian. who
had school at Tenth and Vine streets.
The fact that he was an Irishnan named
McCaskey did not make him less efficient
as teacher, and when his pupil was -
years old he secured her employment at
the Walnut Street theatre III one of those
elaborate ba.Icts that so delighted our I'M
sophisticated grandfathers Her talent
soon won recognition, and the dollar she
received for each performance did much
for the family income.
DANCING WINS \ HUSBAND
No whisper of this had reached her en-
ployer, and it was not until she YVES is that
Manager Wood made her an offer of SIS a
week and 1t became necessary for her to
quit Miss Lang. That lady was good
Presbyterian, and looked on the stage as
the broad road TO destruction but Diana
justified herself through the filmily neces-
sites, and she now went on he stage as
danseuse premiere and took the name of
Sophia Lee.
Her success was pronounced from the
first, and the jeunesse doree, represented in
those days by gawky young gentlemen in
gorgeous vests and clashes SC tight that
they looked as if skewered onto the wearer
paid the pretty dancer many sCueaky COM
pliments, at which she laughed good ma
turedly, though she discreet Y kept her
admirers ut a distance.
About 1S43 one of the Barincs Il nephew
of Lord Ashburton, visited this country
and was welcomed by the best society with
etfusion. With him came Young Eng
hshman named Richard Hardy. He saw
MISS Lee at the theatre, was struck with
her grace and beauty and secured an in
production. He was thorough gentleman.
addressed me-
as q lady
Diana fell in love with q rapiditv TINT
startled herself. After months quiet at
tentions 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 ner-
lection; pointed out the evan escent char
acter of success on the stage, the hardsh1ps
and perils of professional life and advised
her not to neglect an opportunity of secur-
ing position at once permar ent and hon
orable, as he had no doubt I'll at her avenir
as a wife would be happy one.
A BEAUTIFUL WIFE.
Diana accepted Hardy, and they were
married at st. Joseph's by Father Harbe-
lin. In society it was regar led as a dis
tinct mesalli2nce; the bride poor, an Irish
girl and a stage dancer; but Hardy and his
pretty wife cared nothing forth opinions of
the broadbrims and Aminadab Sleeks that
prevailed then in Philadelphia, and left at
once for New York. Before the honey
moon was over the first trouble came.
Hardy's father warned his son that such
marriage would end all intercourse with
his family, but Richard had means of his
own and found no trouble in getting en-
ployment.
In less than year old Hardy relented,
and his son and wife left fer England TO
find the fathers wealth swept away by re-
verses in trade.
Sir James Hardy was Richards uncle,
and the head of the family. He was enor-
mously wealthy, and had bu5 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 all these van
ished in two years and Richard became a