Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-18
Drinking the Dregs of the Cup of
Bitterness.
OLD STORY OF MOTH AND FLAME
Poor Thing Flew Too Near the Candle
and Is Now Physical and Mental
Notwithstanding Girl Comes to
Grief.

annual sacrifices on New York's altar
OF pleasure. Mabel Bouton, former
idol OF Broadway born in Hamburg,
Iowa, is dying in a hospital drunk
ard and consumptive and yet only
tWenty-four years old. She came here
from the west, young beautiful and in
experienced. Broadway seized her.
wined her. dined her. flattered her and
| finally devoured her. Four years ago
she was the life of many midnight
party in the places where those who
burn the candle at both ends gather.
Mabel was the youngest child in a
large family. Two of her sisters were
on the stage before her, Madeline and
Cloy. Madeline made great success
as an actress and retired from the
stage about two years ago after marry
/ ing German Baron. Cloy married
4 handsome prize fighter and disap-
peared from the stage. Now Mabel is
to go her way in death and poverty.
Only Twenty-four Years Old.
The home of the Boutons was origin
ally in Hamburg, Iowa, and there Ma.
bel was born. When she was young
girl her father moved to Reno, New. He
became the owner of the opera house
there and all his children came in con-
tact with stage people. First Madeline
was seized with the longing for the
footlights. She went away and the
family watched her struggle upward
to the top OF the ladder till she became
a leading woman. Cloy was the next
to go. Through the aid of her sister
she did well and then of course, Mabel
had to follow. She was only sixteen
when she came to New York and got
her first engagement She burst into
the glare of Broadway on the opening
night i'll a dance that made her famous
in the world that calls such trifies
fame.
Cast Fortunes at Her Feet.
Immediately the little Iowa girl was
courted and feted. Men admired her;
some loved her and others protested
to. The put fortunes at her twinkling
feet and she helped to spend them.
: For time the two older sisters looked
after her with a protecting care but
as Mabel grew older and more worldly
wise she grew impatient at the restric-
ton of her freedom. By and by Ma
define married the Baron and went
abroad. Cloy married the prize fighter
: and disappeared and Mabel was left
alone on Broadway That was the be-
: ginning of the end. No more unsati-
: able, remorseless or absolutely un.
principled orge is known than that
twinkling dazzling and flashing Broad
way. That gay place that irresistably
| attracts everyone who visits it with.
: out giving hint of the tragedy. the
:, ashes and filth that lies underneath
, Mabel Joined the Casino company and
: became the gayest of the gay set that
, centers around that theatre. She was
free to do as she pleased and the fiat
, terry of that amending line of young
. men with more money than brains
= swept her on from one thing to an
/. other. She went the full pace and two
/. years ago nature rebelled
. Came to Suicide.
/ Broadway woke up one morning tt
S learn that the mind of the little ives
L tern girl had given away. She was il
j. the Presbyterian hospital and Their;
q she tried to kill herself She was sen
l. to the insane asylum but after few
!. months she recovered and was re
u leased. She did not return to, the stage
, Friends Of better day supported her bu
g finally she became so depraved tina
II even they deserted her. She though
. only of drink. She managed to ge
5 enough money from her friends t,
u keep ner under the influence most O
: the time. She sank lower and lower
= One day not long ago she got remit
u lance of $50 from some one in Boston
= Then she disappeared and was no
;. seen for five weeks. At the end of tina
. time she staggered to the door of
friend in a pitiable condition resultin,
from her prolonged debauoh. TIL
friend could not take her in but CAV
y her ten cents street car fare to tn
$, hospital. She lost her way while try
ing to reach that haven and was f
s. nally picked up on the street by tn
h police
Just before retiring from the stag
J. Miss Bouton gained some notoriety b
to suing Rosa Clark, another actress, TO
$4,000 damages for alleged alienatio
R. of the affections Of Wall street bro
* ker to whom Miss Bouton said she ha
% been engaged. The case never cam
to trial. H. j. Mahir
IN THE WOLF AT LARGE.
How the Earners Have Rean rouo,n