The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-24
BIRDIE HAS FLOWN.
An Adopted Daughter Makes a
Nest With Her Mate.
HER FATHER TELLS HER SECRET.
She SAYS Cruelty Drove Her Out and
Marrfe< the Boar1er-Her Puta-
tive Parents Revenge.
HER FATHER TELLS HER SECRET.

a little plaid dress. coarse pink and
white skirt. two baby shoes. pair Of tiny
WOODEN stockings. ore Of them holding
rosary-these form the marriage portion
o. Alice Commander. a comely. blue-eyed.
petite blonde. who became the wife az
Louis Lawrence at the Snoqualmis hotel
last Saturday evening. They are mute
relics OF parents the young woman has
never seen and OF whom she had never
heard. except in whispers, until she ran
away from home week ago last night at
l. O'Clock.
Alice Commander, now Mrs. Lawrence,
has been known in this city for the past
six years as Birdie" or Anne Sybilla
Weiss daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. l.. Weiss.
VINO live al Gil Main street. and her hus-
band Is an Englishman. a blacksmith by
occupation. who is employed by the Ore
gon Improvement Company. Lawrence
boarded at the Weiss house, and in that
way became acquainted with the woman
who is now his wife The stories of events
leading up to the marriage are variously
told. Weiss says of it:
The Fathers story.
I'VE took the girl from St Roses or
phan founding asylum, in Milwaukee. in
ISIS. when she was about a year old. She
has been living with us ever since as our
adopted daughter. and Lawrence has been
rooming at the house for the last year
She left home at midnight of September
ie, and went 10 the Snoqualmie hotel.
When / began inquiring the next morning.
what had become of her. Lawrence ad-
mitted that he and Birdie had three weeks
previously made il up for her TO go away
and get married. Finally Lawrence told
Us she was at the Snoqualmie. On Wed
nesday I sent my son to tell her 10 come
home. and everything would be forgiven,
but she answered NO. never
t"TbAn I forbade hav n atY7n
longer. and made ii known that she was
an adopted founding. The name we were
given for her from the sister superior was
Alice Commander on Saturday Law
renee secured a license for her under the
name Of Commander. without our consent.
although she was only IS. and they were
married that evening al the hotel
Friday / ordered Lawrence out Of the
house. as his rent then expired. and that
night he went TO the hotel. He had been
there every night previously. and had re-
turned al about II or II o'clock. When the
girl refused TO come home we sent her
clothes up TO her. She has been well edu-
Gated at the sisters academy. where sh.
was given music lessons. She was not
quick 10 learn, and will not do Homework
or sew"
she Says She Was Driven Out.
Lawrence and his wife acknowledge the
truthfulness OF Weiss account in some
particulars out say tnat BIRDIE was
driven away from the house by cruel
treatment. Mrs. Weiss is said TO have
called her vile names, and both her foster
parents 10 have beaten her Birdie did
not know she was not their child, but
oftentimes she says she was tainted by
neighbors. who would ask her if she were
really Weiss daughter. She could not I'M
derstand what it all meant. Il thought /
was their child" she said last evening
but look and she bent over the faded
clothes that told of her habyhood her
golden hair falling tenderly against the lit
tie plaid dress. Then she picked up the
shoes One was a No. 8 and the other a
No. 8. My" she added. with twinkle
In her eye, what a time ! must have had
getting around in these; and only one year
old. too
The Husbands story.
Lawrence declares that when the wo-
man left the parental roof he did not
know ii, nor did he know where she had
gone after her absence had been discov-
cred Birdie. he said. had more than one
time been driven from the house and he
had told her to go to the Snoqualmie if oc-
casion should demand 1t; and when he
heard that she had left he at once con-
cluded she was a the Snoqualmie. At that
time he had no intention Of marrying her,
although each had discovered liking for
the other. He kept busy al his work for
the company, but finally decided that the
only solution was for him 10 marry the
girl and give her home She was will
ing. and Saturday afternoon he did with
out his dinner in order 10 get the license
That evening they were married at the
hotel, the ceremony being performed by
Rev. John +. Damon. When Weiss. who
IS a Catholic heard that the marriage had
been solemnized by a Protestant and an
avowed member OF the a. p. A, he de-
clared that he would fix the couple.
The threat, Lawrence says. has resulted
I'm the disclosure Of his wife S history but
he does not regret It, nor does she. They
are married honestly. and do not care
who knows IT.
Lawrence has been in this city about
six years. is about Is years old and has
the reputation OF being an Industrious
sober workman. who viii make "A good
home for his wife
At the wedding Saturday a little conf,l-
sion ensued upon the minister asking the
bride for the names Of her parents She
was not able TO tell but nevertheless the
knot was tied