Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-09-01
THE OLD OLD STORY.
Pathetic Tale Told by once Pretty
English Girl.

Philadelphia, Aug. 26.-Alice Gale,
once the belle of Weymouth, England,
and daughter of Il well-to-do sea cap
tain, but now the mistress of Il rag
picker living i'll Il dirty hovel on Ship
pen Place, in the southern part of the
city, yesterday told Il reporter an al
most incredible but most straightfor-
ward story of her downfall. Many Of
the facts related by the unfortunate
woman are matters of court record III
England.
When seen yesterday by the writer,
who, in company with a government
official, was making tour OF the Sums
IN the lower section of the city, Alice
vas nursing a black eye, but neverthe-
less in face and speech showed traces
of good br ,eding and education. Her
story, as related ill simple language
and without any effort at dramatic
effect was rs follows:
"A few years ago | was one Of the
happiest gilrs in England. My another
died when | was eight years old and
lived with my father and one younger
brother Just outside Weymouth, one
of the prettiest towns on the west
coast. My father was a sea captain
and was frequently from home, so L
kept the house alone while Fred, my
bl other, was at school. l was very
pretty; perhaps you won't believe that,
but it is true.
Il was Is when my trouble COM
menced. There was a general election
for parliament and Sir Frederick
tombstone was the conservative candt-
date He was well known in Wey-
mouth, as the greater portion Of the
older part of the town, Melcombe
Regis belonged to him. He was
known to be nan Of very lad, loose
character, and had many years before
been mixed up in a disgraceful divorce
suit in which he and the prince Of Wales
were correspondents. The woman in
that case was Lady Mordaunt. AS IS
usual where Il woman in England III
wolves a member of the royal family
in a public scandal, she is adjudged
insane and confined in lunatic asylum
during the queens pleasure. This put
Sir Frederick in bad odor even with
his constituents, and at the time he was
greeted on his own lands with misses
and shouts cf, "Wnere is Lady Nor
daunt:'
Il suppose I ought to have known
him better than to have trusted him,
but did not. He was nearly 40 years
of age when 1 met him first and / but
a girl. I had been across the bridge to
Greenhill, where Sir Frederick had
presented the town with small park,
which is called Greenhil Gardens. 1t
was nearly dark in the evening and l
was walking down st. Thomas street
when he spoke to me. OF course l
knew him, everybody did at Weymouth,
and I ought to have passed on iii
but I did Lot. / felt flattered
at his speaking to me and ne walked
home with me- I lived some distance
from the town, close by the Rodwell
road. He stood talking 10 me some
time at the gate and would not go until
I had promised to see him again the
next night.
L met him again and again until l
learned to love him. He was not a |
handsome man by any means, but he |
was very fascinating. I did try to be !
a good, virtuous girl. but what could |
do against the wiles of an accomplish
ed libertine? I knew that he could not |
marry me, although he was bachelor,
but he assured me that should never !
regret it, and swore that he would al
WAYS be to. me as MY husband and /,