The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-06-29

until all was over. To the last she begged
that the father who had wrecked her
hopes be not told of her illness and suffer
ings.
Laura came here and went to live with
her grandmother, Nine. Bagioli, in Fifty
second-st. AT her grandmother's death
she came possessed OF about $50, 600, we'll
invested in real estate. The elder Sickles
had married again, and in the last few
years, every now and then, scandals
would crop out by the elopement OF his
daughter with bartenders and worthless
young men. They all had money and
Gen. Sickles refused to have anything to
do with them.
The general resigned his post in Madrid
and returned 10 this country in 1875.
Laura's heritage of stubborness began to
manifest itself. She left her grandmother
roof to plunge into the sea of dissipation
and self-indulgence. Her name was linked
with that OF John Bloodgood, then with
that of Mr.. Hughes, and then with 9TH
ers by the score. Untrammeled by social
connections, reckless of her own and her
family's name, she became the extrava-
CANT queen of the widest set in New
York. At one time she was known as
Mrs. Carlton and lived at Morelo's. Her
favors were dispensed with q generous
hand, but she exacted a devotion aud a
subservience to her will that resulted in
frequent ruptures.
There was nothing mercenary about this
butterfly of the gilded purlieus. OF q
hardy race, strong and supple-limbed, she
bade fair to Withstand the immense tax
she put upon her endurance. But the
pace was too rapid even for her. The at
tractiveness which brought to her feet the
complished youths and wealthy bankers
and merchants began to disappear. The
splendid figure. OF which Hebe or Juno
would have been proud, began TO take on
fesh. The lines of beauty disappeared
first into embonpoint and at the last were
totally obliterated in gross obesity.
From champagne aud the cOsIliest wines
that private and public cellars could afford
she turned to gin and whisky. The girl
who had graced the receptions at the court
OF Spain, whom princes and princesses had
caressed, was now the circe OF back rooms
In New York and Brook yn groggeries.
She still had her followers, though. Her
income purchased what grace and charm
had once commanded
She moved over TO Brooklyn four years
ago. spending her time In recuperating
from tho effects of debauches. in which
her intervals of strength would permit her
to indulge. Her glaadmOther, 10 whom
she returned for awhile, was then living
at CrOton Falls. But Laura could not re-
main in such q secluded, lifeless spot She
took up her home in Brooklyn at No. III
Debeyoice place, the house of George w.
Cook. Mr.. Cook is q clerk in the New
York pOstotfice and issa brother OF Nine.
Bagioli, Laura Sickles' grandmother.
Laura rented g suit OF rooms from the
Cooks and furnished them herself. She
had a maid, TO whom she paid SO
month, but allowed her to remain most of
the time with Nine. Bagioli.
VAN Efforts l." Reclaim HAr
Gen. Sickles often heard OF his wayward
daughter, and through Intermediates
tried to reclaim her, but all his efforts
failed. The rancor born in her breast at
the breaking of OF the engagement in
Madrid had intensified in the years of
their separation, and her pride was too
great to permit her to crawl 10 his feet in
her degradation
In all of the last year she lived with the
Cooks but lately her life has been lonely
indeed. Mr.. Cook quarreled with mis-
wife, and she ard her children moved
away. Then a colored servant attended
to the wants OF Laura. Now and then she
would have suppers in her room, az in the
old times, and the glasses would ciink. and
with merry jest and song heartaches and
regrets were driven TO the oblivion that
stupefaction brings. But Laura could still
Talk OF the old, halcyon days OF her BELLE
dom. If she had any regrets, any griefs,
she never showed them.
She had drunk the cup OF pleasure TO
its dregs. she frequently said, and solace
alone was found in drink. Many and
many a time. in the excitation of the
hours che passed with the few of her ac-
quaintan ces in her rooms at No. IL Debe-
vOlse place, her memory would recall the
verses she used to love when a brilliant
girl with mind stored with the beauties
OF the poets
So passed the last days of Laura Bagioli
Sickles.
IN home that had been broken ND
since her entrance into it, by. the separa-
ton of husband and wife, she fell iii and
died. The Cooks did not separate because
of her. Ii was because of the entrance of
another and stranger.
Was it fate?
Among the last attendants upon Laura
was young woman living in Brooklyn.
who had gone to school with her. Only
three weeks before death came Laura re-
ColNSu a IeLulLLdlCe OF little over 81 ,UUU,
her quarterly income from her grandfath.
ers beouest She bought new furniture,
odds ana ends of household ornaments
and costly lingerie. She never enjoyed
any of it,
She was thirty-eight years old when she
died. She made her will on March "a.
1891. II was filed in the surrogate's office
OF Brooklyn on June !. but has not yet
been admitted to probate. Application
for probate will be made next week, and
1t is possible there may be a contest. The
document is only two pages long.
In 1t she provides for the payment OF
her funeral expenses, and monument to
cost $500 to be placed over the graves of
herself and mother. She directs that she
be buried in Green wood by the side of her
mother. All her furniture and bric-s brac
she devises to Lizzie ]. Cook, wife of
George w. Cook. Her fortune, which had
dwindled to something like $4,000, was
then divided thus:
One-third to Lizzie ]. Cook, one-third to
Laura Sickles Clark and one-third TO Eliza
G. Bagioli for life. and after her death the
principal TO 20 TO Fred Walker, son of
James L. and Carrie Walker. Laura
Sickles Cook is the thirteen .year-old
daughter of Mrs. Lizzie ]. Cook, and Fred
Valdez is Mrs. Cooks grandson. Mrs.
Cook is appointed under the will as the
guardian OF Laura J. Cook and Fred
Walker and is maize executrix with Ed
ward Bailey Of Patchovue l. Nathan