Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-10-20
THE ROMANCE OF OREARDON.
Alice Oats Tilted Him and He Went
From Bad to WorSe-fiiS Songs.

said that State street, i'll Leadyille was
the WlCkedeSt street in the world says
the St Louis Globe-Democrat Tai
mage knew, fol- lie made Il summing
expedition there, as he had in New
York 4 few years before Bat. he add
ed. comparing the WicfetnesS of State
street with that of New York in Lead
vile vice was open. and therefore
much more easily avoided. There WAS
certainly no con@calment in the car
Donate camp Of those ollnring places
where 4 man cal, PUT L dollar on the
queen. or wait for his turn To shout
Keno" Everything tiouri>hel frou.
rolling mustang to faro
State street he'll Il first mortgage on
every other for dissipation. Begin
ming with an excellent good variety
tiguter. the Grand Central. where the
performances scared into the realm
of comic opera and high class bur
lCSuue. the street ran the downward
gamut of questionable amuSemcntS
through four or five stale variety
shows. danCe-house@, winter gardens.
French rows and stuffy saloons Many
Il genius had run to seed il SOME Of
these wicked little music hills In one
of the Wretched places poor OKHartion
WAS pounding on an old piano to the
Strident yOcaliZation of some GariSh
ballad shouter.
O'Reardon's songs are sung even
now. tie was the composer OF THE
Marriage Bells Are Ringing" which
is never heard without sending Il thrill
listener He also composed THE
Dream Of Love L. Der The two
songs tell the beginning and end of
ttS!II SunoA s3;M OH '-iIols!V SUI
musician, who went to London to make
his fortune. Success smiled upon him
from the outset. In 4 few years thr
handsome and talented son OF the
muses. was welding the baton Ill one
Of the best thcatcrs i'll the metropolis.
Along came Alice Oats to crush his
heart. 1t was mUtull When her Lon
don engagement WaS over t WAS ar
ranged that they should be m&lrl"d.
They agreed that the ceremony should
y
his contract with the London III INA GER
expired. They parted i'll England 10
meet again i'll San Francisco. Alice
took with her one Of ncr lovers songs
which he had written liz the transports
Of his consuming love, like Il Wlrnt
hearted son of Erin that he was. The
song WAS "Fhe Marriage Bells Are
Ringing" She sang it in this country.
lis success was phenomenal. 1t sweep
the United States like Il hurricane.
Three months later O'Rcal,ton set sail
for New York to meet his Alice and
make her his own for life. He WaS
throwing up Il berth that filled the
scope Of his ambition and satisfied
every reasons, bic claim he had on the
World-gavc it up without 4 lGang OF
regret, in anticipation Of finding great
cr happiness i'll love Of this Wom:tn
When he reached New York he picked
up Il paper. A short telegram arrested
his attention. 1t was dated San Fran
cisco, and announced that Alice Oats
had been married to some rich man
with Il military title. ORcardon did
not go to San Francisco. lie did not
return to London. He played for I
while in the OrcheStras of New YORK
thcaters and then took Il header INTO
the gulf of dissipation.
lust once he rallied I'LL his old facul-
ties. like the dying swan Of the misty
past. ana sang his last song, which he
sent TO her as Il fearful protest against
her treachory. 1t WAS 4 song now as
famous at his first: The Dream OF
Love Is Ger and / Never More Shall
See You" Alice accepted it with the
proverbial sang frod of the born stage
coquette and added it to her repertoire,
the song eclipsing, if possible. even the
success of the first.
Down went OReardon. Many tried
to save him. He had admirers in every
town. He appeared awhile with Il Sc
cond-class star who played 'The Old
Curiosity Shop" in an interpolated act
with tumblers, from which he extract
ed some exquisite music. But he looked
slovenly and blCated, and the act did
not catch on.
oIC III l-CtuINi 1iS ]hlio1
Oates and her husband attended per
Torrance of The Old Curiosity Shop"
seated in a box, all unconscious that
O'Reardon was within 1000 miles.
The moment came for the tumbleroni-
con to do his act. O'Reardon stepped
upon the stage without his improvised
instrument. He had quietly given the
director of the orchestra tip, and
there fioated out upon the theater the
opening strains of Dream Of Love
If Ger" O'Reardon sang it as if his
soul was a part of it. The house shook
with applause. The actress leaned for
ward in her box to see who it was that
was paying her the compliment Of
singing a song with which her fame
was so closely interviewer. O'Reardon
slowly turned his bloated face to-
wards hers. With sudden start she
Withdrew her head, and a few minutes
after passed, heavily yelled, out of the
theater.
O'Reardon did not leave Leadville
when the company left. His next step
was into a mu1ec hall. There he played
a cracked piano for the drinks and his
keep. What became of him afterwards
is a mystery.
TOULON GETTING TIRED.