Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-12-12

ways and byWays of Greenwood ceme-
terry, in Brooklyn, know of a section
called 1.-THE Hill of Graves" 1t is one
of the most unfrequented spots in the
cemetery, at the intersection of two
walks called Meadow and Linden ave
nues The section derives it's name
from the fact that nearly 10000 I'M
fortunates are buried there in rows of
fifty. Only the pauper and unrecog
niZed dead are inferred there. One
would never think of looking for a
spot of interest in that locality. Neg
iect IS apparent on every mound
scarcely a grave that shows a mark OF
remembrance. Either those who are
buried there have no friends, or in the
myriad OF graves are forgotten and
their resting place can not be found.
To find any particular grave in this
IuDHc Durylng ground one needs the
aid of q cemetery guide. And even
such guide has difficulty, since the
graves are known only by numbers
Upon looking at the records of the
cemetery it was found that the special
public lot No. 5000, and that the num-
Der III the mound was 8O5. When the
grave was found it was not unlike the
thousands around II. Inc mound was
sunken and neglected; the grass, once
green upon it, is long since dead. A
single yellow moss rose bush, evident
ly planted years ago, is the only indi-
cation of life about the grave. No
more striking instance of utter neglect
can be imagined. A small white mar
bic stone stands at the head on which
Is inscribed: Mother and Grand
mother" Nothing is there to inslcate
the fact that underneath that sunken
mound lies all that is mortal of beau
tiful Mary Duff, to whom the poet,
Thomas Moore, offered his hand and
Eeart, whose beauty he immortalized
in verse, and who, in the maturity of
her career, won the applause of thou
sands and thousands of people, whom
theaters of America and England as
one of the most gifted actresses.
To the present generation the name
of Mary Duff is known only by tradi-
ton and by MOOre's poem. Yet her ca
reer reads like a romance. 1t was in
London that she was born, in 1894.
Her christened name was Mary Ann
Dyke. When she was scarcely Is she
was known far and wide as one of the
most beautiful girls of the neighbor-
hood. Her poverty led her to adopt
the stage as a profession, and she with
her two sisters, also of great beauty,
became dancers at the Dublin theater,
where their singular grace, comeliness
of face and person attracted immediate
attention and admiration. whenever
the Dyke sisters appeared the theater
would be thronged. And Mary seemed
to be the fayorite of the trio.
1t was the fashion of the time at Kill
kenny for gentlemen amateurs to give
annual public performances for the
benefit of the poor of the city, and it
was one of these occasions, when the
assistance OF professional ladies from
Dublin was invoked that Thomas
Moore, the irish poet, was introduced
himself pass10nately III love With her.
1t was in the play, Fortunes Frolic,
Unat ION Moore personaJed KODm
Roughhead and Mary Dyke Nancy.
The Irish poet became Mary Dykes
very shadow, and after awhile he
poured forth his great love for her and
offered his hand and heart. But, fol-
some reason, the beautiful Mary did not
reciprocate the wealth of affection thus
offered her, and she rejected him. 1t
was this which led Moore to return to
his room, and, in the midnight hour
pen his celebrated love song:
Mary, / believed thee true,
And | blessed in thus believing;
But now | mourn that e'er ! knew
A girl so fair and so deceiVing!
Few have ever loved like me-
On! l have loved thee too sincerely!
And few have e'er deceived like thee
Alas! deceived me too severely!
Fare thee we'll! Yet think awhile
On one whose bosom bleeds to doubt
luGS.
Who now would rather trust tina
smile,
And die with thee, than live without
thee!
Fare thee Well! LII think Of thee,
Thou leav'st me many bitter token
For see, distracting woman! see,
My peace is gone, my heart i
broken!-
Fare thee we'll!
Others of his lyrics contain refer
ences to the beautiful Mary. Moore, al
ter having his advances rejected b
Mary, transferred his directions to he
sister, Elizabeth, whom he welded
After Moore's marriage it was reveale
to him that Mary's rejection of him wa
because of her love for one John F
Duff, an actor of the Dublin theate1
where she first danced, and to whoI
she was married a short time after
when only Is years of age.
Immediately upon her marriage tn
young groom and bride sailed fo
America, and on November 2, 1910, NJ
Duff made his first appearance on an
American stage in Boston, at what wa
then known as the Federal Street the
alter. He appeared in a comedy an
farce and Won instant success. Mr.
Duff's first appearance was delaye
until tho of DnceDD bnr 81 4