The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-11-25
REPENTS HER DEEDS.
zELLA NICOLAUS SORRY FOR
HER LIFE.
Goes Back to Her Indiana Home After
Basking In the Sunlight of Notoriety
1or Several Years Her ul-gotten
Money Is All Gone.

1t would be easy for a clergyman of
any denomination to preach a sermon
on the brief, meteoric career of a young
woman, who, after acquiring lasting
and unenviable notoriety in New York,
after going the limit of the swiftest
pace the metropolis can afford, has at
last turned back to her mother, whom
for many years she had neglected, and
In the quiet of a little western town
has sought to blot out the memory of
all that has happened since first she
left the homestead. This young wom-
an, leila Nicolaus, was not so beauti-
ful as she was brilliant. Her charms
were as subtle as they were manifold.
There was more in the intensity of her
eyes than in the arching of her eye
broWs, more in the winning expressive
ness of her mouth than in the curving
lines of her lips. There were no dim
pies in her cheeks. and her brow was
low and unattractive, but when her
intense spirit lighted up her counte-
nance there were men that went to her
more surely than if she had been bril-
liantly beautiful. Her career before the
public was like the passing of a bird
through a crowded room-all eyes were
upon her for the time. Never heard of
before, the papers gave many pages to
her doings, and her name became a
by-Word in many households. Her first
mention came with a breath of scandal
that involved the name of one of the
annC of low Gn111 Tor n finn ~ IUl @
impossible to discover which of them
it was that had become involved with
the clever young woman, and, in fact,
the general public was never quite sat
lsfed which one she had %ensnared. The
Goulds had always had great influence
at police headquarters, Jay Gould h4m-
self having befriended and enriched
Superintendent Byrnes. The most des-
perate methods were employed to hush
up the details of the affair, but gradu-
ally they came to light, and in the end
George Gould, as the head of the fam
lily, took the matter in hand. A sue
cessful %financier, he found it no easy
matter to handle the young woman
who opposed her wits to his. She had
in her possession a check for $40 900
signed by a Gould name. 1t was his
desire to get hold of it. She had beer
unable to cash it, and as a last resort
went to George Gould's office. After
some "maneuvering Mr.. Gould said tc
her: 81 do not want so large a check
to 60 through the banks in your name
and in a business-like manner he hello
out his hand for the little slip of paper
which meant so much money to the
owner. Give it to me and 1 will give
you the money. See! Here is $500 as
an evidence of good faith"
For once leila was outWitted. "Her'
it u.s." she said, producing it from he4
handbag, land of course, you will give
me the money"
when you can get it," remarked
Mr.. Gould, as his hand closed over the
check and it passed to his pocket
Then, rising and opening the door, hi
said "Good-day."
But that was far from being the enc
of the incident. If Mr.. Gould depend
ed upon the police to protect him from
further annoyance by the young WON
an, he was disappointed. The depart
ment was powerless. The determined
leila was not to be bluffed out of wha
she considered to be her rights in thu
matter, and she persisted until tn
Goulds were glad to make a settlemen
in order to have her shut up ant
stop being a nuisance"
The money, whatever the amour
may have been, for it was never mad
public, was soon spent, and the bril-
liancy of Zella's career was at an end
There was a man-Al Ruhman-wh
figured as her husband for a time, blu
he soon left her, and she travelled tn
broad road of pleasure with no re
straining hand. Inevitably came al
appearance on the stage, which was
fat failure, and soon the public los
all interest in her. No n cared t.
know of the limits to which she wa
going. She was hidden from view
Not until it became known that he
last dollar, her last friend was gone
and that the wages of sin were beini
paid, did anyone give her even passint
attention. Her appeal that she Nigh
be permitted to go back to her mother
when all others had forsaken hel
awoke some sympathy. The mothe
herself had sent the erring daughte
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