The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-11-02
Poor Bettina Gerard.

seemed to be TO attract the opposite sex
She was envied and hated by the girls
| Of her acquaintance. Her youthful cava-
! liers were numbered by the score. Even
| IN those days Of pinafores and cream
! chocolates she had her favorites. But they
! didn't last long.
| She was the pet of her fathers house
hold. General Ordway was a fine type
! OF the American gentleman. 4 brave SOL
| der, the bearer of an honored name, a
man held IN the highest esteem in the
| political and social circles of the capital,
he considered everything of second impor-
lance TO his dark-eyed little Bettina. All
the advantages Of wealth and social posi-
ton was hers.
She was sent to the Georgetown con-
vent, but her restless spirit chafed at the
confinement. She proved herself an apt
pupil both in her studies and in the mid
night pranks which were played behind
those dark convent walls. She soon be-
came a leader Her dominant nature as
serted itself. Through her entire life no
one can say that she ever played second
fiddle.
Bettina did not finish her course at the
convent. Indulgent to a degree, General
Ordway engaged private instructors for
her. She became an accomplished musi-
clan and linguist. All the graces that
should fit her for brilliant social career
were hers.
Then came her debut into Washington
society. She at once became a belle.
Young diplomats and old ambassadors, call
low striplings and grizzled veterans ali
paid homage TO the fair Bettina. To her
man was just a man.
Her summers were spent at White Sui
phur Springs, where her escapades Great
ed no end of gossip. How shall l become
famous" asked a young attache Of the
French legation, who was seated next TO
Bettina al dinner party one night.
Il will make you famous" replied Bet
tina She told waiter to bring a bottle
OF wine. and, reaching under the table,
removed her dainty satin slipper. This
she filled with sparkling champagne. and
passed it to the young Frenchman. "A
toast to fame" she exclaimed gayly.
The Frenchman blushed, rose in his seat,
and placed the slipper to his lips. Before
re had completely drained it Bettina
snatched IL from his hand. finished the con-
tents herself. and rewarded the gallant
foreigner with a soulful glance.
Arthur Padelford, the scion of one of
Philadelphia's oldest and most aristocratio
families, was presented to the lovely Miss
Ordway. On his side II was a case of in
fatuation at first sight. On hers-well, he
was young, handsome, rich and was her
social equal. So they married. Everybody
said IL was brilliant match.
They went abroad. Mrs. Padelford's
voice was to be further cultivated in VI
emma. Rumors reached America of strain
ed relations between the bride and groom.
~ M n
toned, and there were others Three
months after the brilliant Padleford-Ord-
way wedding young Arthur Padelford was
applying for divorce, and the decree was
granted.
Bettina Ordway-Padelford had appeared
with distinction in private theatr.cals, and
the stage had always possessed fascina-
ton for her. She knew that her social
life was thing Of the past, and she SAID
she didn't care. She was not lacking in
admirers and was plentifully supplied with
money. She would go upon the stage. She
would become queen of comic opera and
snap her fingers at conventionahty.
The opportunity was not difficult to find
She was pretty. could sing. and had fig
ured in the newspapers. She was So
ciety divorce. What more could the pub
lie want?" demanded the managers
So as Bettina Gerard she made her de-
but at the Columbia Theatre In Chicago.
1t was in short-lived comic opera called
THE Kings Fool" Bettina was fair to
look upon, was possessed Of a wonderful
amount of confidence In herself, and In
the vernacular of the stage. "she made
good"
Jack Rafael was the tenor OF the COM
pany. His otherwise handsome face bore
a jagged scar, the mark of an angry hus-
bands knife. received in ST. Louis. Bet
tina married him. His escapades rather
tended to add a spice of romance in her
eyes. Bettina remained Mrs. Rafael fully
a month longer than she had borne the
honored name OF Paeelford Then she
grew tired of Rafael, and another divorce
ensued.
After this Bettina played a number of
engagements. and met with fair degree
of success. She possessed undoubted tai
ents, but she was erratic. Her early ten
denotes had developed rapidly. Bohemia,
the thrust and parry of wit. the compan-
ionship of clever people, late suppers, get
ting TO bed as the sun came up over the
eastern house tops-these were the things
she loved. She was slipping the cup OF
pleasure. This was life. This was free
dom. This was what she had longed |
for.
She appeared under Rice's management !
IN THE Seven Ages" at the Standard. |
She became the talk OF the town. The |
chappes idolized her. Her pictures were |
in the Broadway windows, and
were sold by the hundreds. An, this was |
famel
Then she met young Harrison Wolf. He |
was the hero of in Old Kentucky" and |
Bettina was the jockey who rode the win |
ming horse in the racing scene Il was |
a dashing performance, and her ears tin |
gled with the applause OF both orchestra !
and gallery. She became Bettina Ordway- |
Gerard Rafael
This alliance was as short-lived as her |
previous matrimonial ventures had been |
There was another divorce. Bettina yearn-
ed for another husband. and William |
Beach. who was then member Of Nat |
Goodwin's company. obliged her. Shortly /
after this there was another sensation, but |
the court records 60 no. show that am
divorce proceedings were Instituted The !
.nconstant Betdna simply left the bed and |
board of her iege lord and sought pas
lures new.
Philip Schuyler was the next He was
the husband Of Dickie Delaro. but he didn't |
mind q little thing Ike that. Neither old !
Betty. What was one husband more or
ess?" she argued with her own native phi
osophy. Dick.e applied for a divorce and |
I3ettina Ordway-Padelford-Ge Rafael
Wolf-Besch added Schuyler 20 her list % /
names, and IL was as Betty Schuyler that
she was admitted 10 Bellevue Hospital on /
September - But that is story In IL
self
Out Of the theatre. in that world which /
magines that dissipation and Bohemian
sm are synonyms, she vas known simply
IS Betty. Into this af;sr-theatre atmos-