The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-03-30
DEATH OF FAMOUS $4,000
BEAUTY.

Montague. Louise NJ, died at
her residence, 164 Manhattan ave-
nue., New York City"
This simple death notice appeared
in the New York papers. 1t was
written by Louise Montague herself
a week before her death, the day
on which death would come being
left blank, to be filled in by the un-
dertaker.
Few who read this notice knew
that the Louise Montague, whose
death was so simply chronicled, was
the woman who was once heralded
far and wide over the country as
the Ten Thousand Dollar Beauty" "
Louise Montague's beauty was for
years the talk and wonder of Amer
lea. Her name was the synonym of
beauty, and everywhere she went
she was talked of and petted and
held court like a queen.
After the first rage over her had
subsided she sought the quiet of
private life but a few years after
wards went on the stage because it
was discovered that she had talents
equal to her beauty.
She had a splendid soprano voice
and fine dramatic ability and so she
appeared with Edward e. Rice's
company in the "Corsair' and then
became the star of David Hender-
sons "Sinbad the Sailor" and was
perhaps one of the greatest favorites
that Broadway ever knew.
But she had no triumph like that
of the first few years in which she
appeared before the public. She
was only a girl then of eighteen or
nineteen. Adam Forepaugh, the
Snowman, discovered her and deter
mined to make her beauty a feature
of his show. With his Snowman S
cunning he first determined to lay
a foundation that would arouse great
interest and expectancy in the pub
lie mind, so he advertised in 1873
that he would pay ten thousand dol
lars to find the most beautiful wom-
an in America.
Interest was aroused all over the
country and the public were on tip
toe with excitement. Finally came
the announcement that the judges,
after considering thousands of beau
tiful women had decided on Louise
Montague. as the loveliest of them
all, and that she would go with the
circus and take part in every street
parade.
A great chariot was especially
constructed, on which was an i'm
mense globe, and seated on this,
gorgeously dressed, rode the young
woman above a great sign which
proclaimed in gold letters:
"Forepaugh's Ten Thousand Dol
lar Prize Beauty"
After a few years on the stage
Miss Montague again retired to pri-
vate life. She lived for a long time
in a beautifully furnished house in
West Sixty-first street. But in
badly. The money she had earned
in riding, perched high on a golden
chariot in hot, dusty street parades
took wings. She was very sympa-
thetic and generous and was always
ready to give literally to help the
unfortunate.
And so her money dwindled, until
finally she moved to a tiny fiat on
the fifth floor of the apartment house
in Manhattan avenue, where she
died. In her later years the fame
that had come to her as a prize
beauty" gave her no joy. She bur-
led herself almost entirely from the
friends she had known in her circus
and stage career, and very few knew
what had become of her.
When she knew a week ago that
she would die. she asked the few
friends, who still remained faithful
to her to say nothing after her death
concerning the fact that she had
once been known as The Ten Thous-
and Dollar Beauty" And so she
wrote with her own hand the only
notice she wanted published of her
death.
Those who can only remember
Forepaugh's Famous Prize Beauty 4"
she said, II do not wish to come to
my funeral. But to those who re-
member Louise Montague, well,
want them to be around me when
am laid in my grave"
But just before she died she asked