The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-20

who cruelty deserted her. and afterward by
John c. Heenan, the prize fighter, whom
she married in 1863, soon after his return
from England, whittier he had gone to bat
tie Tom Sayers for the worlds champion
ship. Heenan repeated the same despica-
bic act as the Californian.
Broken hearted by Heenan's abandon
ment, Menken soon sailed for the sunny
shores of France. There she made an in
Simultaneous success, first in that thread
bare drama "Mazeppa" and afterward in
light opera. Nor was that all. She scored
a decided hit in her literary work and be-
came at once the queen of the Bohemian
set, of which the elder Dumas was the CEN
trail figure, at the gay French capital
That gallant Frenchman soon won first
place in her affections, only TO be supplant-
ed later on by the emperor, Napoleon III.
Bonaparte was completely enraptured with
her, and many We're the tete-a-tetes the
twain had at the palace of the Tuileries.
Once the Empress Eugene surprised them
and there was a scene. Adah never visited
the royal household again.
The inevitable at last occurred. A change
came in the fortunes of poor Menken. Sick
ness sapped her mental strength and made
sad rayages upon her comeliness. Theatri-
cal managers and devoted admirers both
kept aloof Amid humble surroundings,
in the tenement district of Paris, in abiect
poverty and despair, the most beautiful ac-
tress of her time breathed her last And
think of 1.-THE favorite OF an EN- peror was
buried in potter's field. Happily her re-
mains did not stay there long. Among
Menken's most faithful worshipers-and
she did not reciprocate his feelings-was
Ed James for years the foremost sporting
editor IN America. AS soon as he heard OF
her sad end be at once sailed for France,
caused her body 10 be disinterred and
placed in the Cemetery des invaliGes, the
most fashionable in Paris. He also erected
a magnificent monument TO her memory.
It's cost was $1,000. Chivalrous, manly
Ed james is now himself lying at deaths
door in the great city of New York desti-
tute of funds and dependent upon the be
nevolence of friends, phiiosophically await
Ing the end.
The Fail of Meteor.
Who does not remember sprightly. viva
cious, bewltching Alice Oates' Sweet Al
ice. whose bright brown eyes, restless a. a
tropical sea, silvery voice. petite, plump
figure and poetic motion: who that has
ever heard it viii forget the merry peal Of
laughter, like the music OF ripping riyu-
let, which accompanied Ter rendition of
the wine song III 'GirofieG Glro.ia.' Alice
Oates was one Of fortunes waIfS- She was
in blissful ignorance both as 10 her name
and family, the surname OF Oates beng
assumed. She was brought up IN work
house in old Eng and and At the age Of Is
went upon the stage She was successful
from the start and soon became popular
favorite. -
In time she attracted the attention Of Al
bert Edwar,, prince of Wales ana eatoyed
the questionable advantages accr,iing from
his patronage aad protection" Then she
came to America She SAW and conquered
Comic opera was all the rage RI that period,
and Alice became its stellar attraction Sis
secured fame, sortane and the adElation ot
the public with tLs suddanness and brill
fancy of & meteor She became engaged 20
the son of bonanza king, out the nuptiais
never took place
Then disaster came, unrlerciful ard co.,
stant She lost succsssiyeay the little for
tune she had accumulated in bad invest
ments, her health and her voice. she was
-ifhaus r>~<Assrn>A aud srrD died Of bso-