The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-12

disappointment and the slow pangs OF
hunger, but her motto was: ..Dol't kive
| up" and she lived up TO 1t.
The LIE Paughs are well to Go people
in Utica. where the father is a retired
merchant. The mother had no sympathy
| with the ambitious girl who sat 10 night
after night with pencil and paper, writ
ing, always writing So Evelyn and
| Florence LIE Paugh left home and went
| out TO make their own way in the world.
| Evelyn was only fifteen. The sisters
| worked at dressmaking. They made their
| way West. They We're both Clever. pret
ty and pensevering. and they lectured
| and sang their way across the continent.
| They lived in Utah among the Mormons:
on the plains with cowboys for comoan-
ions; IN California mining camps and on
Mexican ranches. They were honest and
fearless. They lectured throughout the
West on Mormonism. At last Florence
fell i'll OF smallpox. Evelyn nursed her
until she died, and then alone and friend
less. wandered back TO New York
Here she met Adams Brown Adams
a Massachusetts Adams" Ills family
ilved on Commonwealth avenue. They
ignored the son who had married with
out consulting them. He was penniless.
His wife supported him and herself until
ne died.
Never did she falter in her determina-
ton to win success as an author. After
her husbands death she went on dress
making, but always on her machine were
pad and pencil.
Soon after her marriage she had writ
ten her first book, is Marriage a Lot
tery?' 1t dealt with the love affairs OF
a Westerner and Spanish maid.n. She
could get no publisher 20 take it and she
published it herself with the money she
earned at the machine. She got an ar
fist TO illustrate it and paid him by ad
dressing envelopes. Often she sat all
night at her work.
She dramatized the story. 1t opens
with the bull fight. already described
and theatrical managers laughed at tho
lmpossibility of the scene. She did not
give uD until it had been refused nv ev-
cry manager in New York Then she car-
ceived the idea OF having a mocha ricaI
bulL She was so we'll known in theatri-
cal offices that finally when she appeared
at the door there would be a cry OF THE
bull! The bull again?' But she would
laugh and presist
She devised an amusing skdt founded
on the story and tried to get managers
TO let her act that. They smiled at the
Idea The thin, pale creature with sunk
en- cheeks and hollow eyes. was hardly
the kind of woman for a stage favorite
Puplisher after publisher sent away the
persistent ha
read the roll of manuscript she carried.
The very last cent in her purse had been
spent that she might have 1t typewrit-
ten.
She would go home after her futile
days tramp and write in her diary:
Il have lived on crackers and water
for five weeks. Now there is nothing to
eat in my room. But cheer up; I will
succeed, some day-some day"
She wrote during these weeks Of dis
appointment. while the pains OF hunger
gnawed increasingly. the story of her
life in the West. She hoped it would
bring her a taste of fame. It was called
1.-The Wandering Sisters Time after
time the postman brought 1t back to her
Now it has been accepted and is in the
hands of publisher. But she is dead.
Last summer her strength gave out.
Weak from long hunger, she was taken
to st. Luke's Hospital. There she stayed
until food and nursing brought back
some of her old vigor. Her will was as
strong as ever and as soon as she was
able she went back to her little room to
take up once more the fight for fame.
II will win yet" she wrote with a trem-
ulous hand. She drew rough sketches of
herself looking at the empty shelf in her
pantry, and cooking an egg over the
chimney of her lamp. They would have
been amusing pictures had they not been
Ditifully true.
When plying neighbors at last found
her the poor wasted body was stretched
on the bed but the feeble fingers still
held her pencil. Death was near. Gently
they told her of the friend who had come
for her. but she said with her old determ-
nation: 81 won't die-not until l have
finished my work.
And she died while she spoke.