The Leon reporter., 1901-09-05

lay you court are distinguished ia
nous. Mon Dieu, if fame would only
come to me!'
"Bien." Bettina answered, "M'sieu I
shall make you famous"
She sprang to the seat of her chair.
Listen, she cried. "This gentle
man will drink my health, and the
health to fame.'
Amid perfect silence she slipped off
her satin slipper, filled it with spark
ing champagne and handed it to the
yours Frenchman. Although he
blushed crimson in his embarrass-
ment, he drank it off. Bettina snatched
the slipper from him and drained an
otter health.
1t was talked of all over the coun-
try. Gen. Ordway and his wife, scan
dalized, hastily left White Sulphur,
taking their daughter with them.
Shortly after this she met Arthur
Padelford, the only son and heir Of
one of Boston's wealthiest men. She
married him. The wedding, which
took place at St. Johns church in
Washington, was attended by all of the
best social set.
"A good thing" said her friends;
the girl will now settle down.
The honeymoon was speat in Eu-
rope. They wandered happily down
the Rhine, across the Alps, went into
Italy and the wild spirit of the maiden
seemed to have become tanned in the
oride. At Vienna a child was born
% them. 1t was over this child that
hey had their first quarrel. Padel-
eord left her in Vienna, returning to
his country. Many rumors followed
him. AS if to bring disgrace upon the
name OF Padelford, she decided to go
upon the comic opera stage. In her
debut she shared the honors With
Henry Dixey. She was only 81.
Marriages and Divorce.
Divorced, she married a man named
Girard. She dropped the name of Pa
delford on her advertising matter upon
the payment of $50,O0O in cash from
her former husband. And then. in
quick succession, came marriage and
divorce, marriage and divorce. Sep
arating from Girard, she married Jack
Rolface, tenor who had been stabbed
nearly to death a few months before
by Robert Monroe. Then she became
the wife of John Harrison Wolff, an
actor. Then came William Beach, an
other actor. A divorce suit was
brought by Mrs. Philip Schuyler in
which she figured as correspondent.
When it was ended Beach was di-
vorced and Bettina added Schuyler to
her already long list of names. Her
father, Gen. Ordway, offered her an
annuity of $1,000 for life to leave the
country. She went to London with
Schuyler, and collapsed physically
when she made her debut.
The Last Chapter.
She returned to America and went
into private sanitarium, dissipation
having so weakened her. It was in
November of 1897 that Gen. Ordway.
Mrs Ordway and Miss Padelford, Bet
tina Girard's daughter. returned from
Europe to New York. They found
Bettina lying deserted by her friends
in Bellevue Hospital. The old general
shook his head when reconciliation
was mentioned; but Mrs. Ordway, the
mother, pleaded with him sobbingIy.
November 21 Gen. Ordway died at the
Hoffman House. Before he passed
seWay, and due to the pleading of his
Wfaessshe permitted an interview with
Bettina, and was making plans for a
return to Washington with her and
. reunion of the family when he died.
Bettina finally recovered her health
and recently in Chicago she married
Francis Witter, a youth Just entering
lpon q promising theatrical career.