The National tribune., 1910-01-13

There is one thing that a man never
seems to consider for q moment while
under the spell of an infatuation for a
woman, and that is discretion in his
love-letter writing. These fatal give
awsys are always the foundation for
every breach of promise case. Without
them the woman's appeal to the court
would in most cases hardly have leg
to stand on. And the men do write
such idiotic letters, too, generally. one
would suppose they would feel like
taking to the tall timber, far away from
the haunts of man, never TO snow TIER
faces again, when these letters appear
in print. That no man apparently
learns the lesson which these letters Of
unfortunate predecessors should teach
does indeed seem most strange. But
they do not, and each new victim of a
supposed burning passion for some
pretty little adventures or otherwise
perpetrates the same egregiouS folly.
Frank Gould's letters TO the attractive
dancer, Bessie De Vote, have just been
made public. This young wonlan is
the supposed cause for the action Mrs.
Gould brought against her husband for
a divorce and which the court granted
her. Miss De Vote is now suing Mr..
Gould for breach of promise, and If
the aforesaid letters are genuine she
certainly has a pretty good case. To
please this maiden the young man
learned to dance, and became known as
the dancing Commodore" among his
yachting friends. He accepts various
positions of honor, and offers to give
them up if she objects. He misses her
terribly when they are separated, COM
pares her to a perfect pearl among a
lot of limitations, which recalls Mrs.
Astor's necklace, and is most prodigal
with his kisses, in his letters at least.
In one of these he expresses the fond
hope that they will soon become man
and wife. The young woman says he
broke their engagement the day before
they were to have been married, giving
as an excuse for this the fact that he
had been hearing certain things about
her which would prevent his making
her Mrs. Gould. The truth of these
reports of course, she Indignantly de-
nies, and asks the court to give her
$250,000 to assuage her disappointed
hopes. She says that all the money
she had managed to save from her pro-
fessional earnings was spent in quail
flying" for millionaire's wife. In spite
of all this, Miss Bessie emerges from
the notoriety which her action has
brought upon her with her pecuniary
value as a dancer decidedly increased.
It is a lamentable fact that where hun
dreds went to see the girl who was
simply pretty and a graceful dancer be-
IOIt, luOuSaHuS VIII no" HOCh 10 see
the dancer who thought she was going
to marry Frank Gould. She has been
offered $4,000 a week from some vaude-
Vile manager, and has accepted. Frank
Gould denies everything, of course, and
the young woman will lose out on her
suit undoubtedly. Will other men take
warning? Certainly not.
Isadore Duncan is a woman. not so
very young or beautiful in either face
or figure, but who has soaked herself
in the old Greek atmosphere and gives
US interpretations of classical, music,
like Beethoven's symphonies, danced as
she thinks the beautiful Hellenic maid
ems in their bare feet and scanty, flying
garments might have danced to the same
music. All this is well enough. Miss
Duncan's bare feet and attenuated,
gauzy skirts have awakened consider
able comment, but her performance is
very beautiful. thoroly artistic and alb
solutely free from any unpleasant sug-
gestiveness. She is the perfection of
grace as she floats from one end of the
stage to another as softly and lightly as
a bit of thistledown blown hither and
yon by Summer breeze, and you think
of nothing but the pure beauty of her