The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-08-28
HER PARADISE WAS FAXED.
Myrtle Reeds "MOdeI Husband Did
Not Live Up to Her Ro-a d.
mantle Ideal
Chicago Tribune.)

A gaudily tinted postcard, mailed
mail box for Paradise Flat, 5,120 Ken
more Avenue, yesterday. It was ad-
dressed to Mrs. James Sidney McCu1-
Tough, known to the world Of letters
as Myrtle Reed.
All that was mortal of her lay in
a room of the apartment, the subject
of a Coroper's investigation at tne
time. The post card read:
Having a good time. Will be home
soon.''
1t was signed by James Sidney Nc
Cullough, Myrtle Reeds immortalized
"Model Husband and postmarkeo
Milwaukee. UP to a late hour last
night that was all that the relatives
of the suicide authoress had heard
from him.
They were inclined to fear that he
might still be having a good time
in ignorance of the fact that his au-
thoress wife, who had idealized love
in more than score of books, had
died by her own hand Thursday night
because the romance of her own life
was blasted and killed.
The thousands who read the books
of Myrtle Reed undoubtedly believed
that the authoress had quaffed the
nectar of loves happiness. But while
Myrtle Reed, the author, was penning
her idealistic and perfervid romances
of love- Mrs. James Sidney McCul-
Tough, the woman, was nursing in Sc
cret a domestic sorrow SO bitter and
humiliating that it finally unsettled
her reason. A Coroner's jury SO de-
cided yesterdays The authoress' I'M
balanced mind guided her to the death
draft as a final balm for her wound
ed spirits.
NE Of off a.
vanced thought, and divorces. Mrs.
Mccullough, the woman. shrang from
seeking a divorce and fought her bat
tie of domestic unhappiness single
handed till her mind collapsed.
Myrtle Reed carried out her mas
querade in her daily life as well as In
her books. She dedicated her Son
husband! She gave gay little parties
in her beautiful apartment for the
sole apparent purpose of proving Jas.
Sidney McCulloughSwas 1.-The ideal hus-
band"
It was not until a few weeks ago
that she unburdened her soul to her
mother, Mrs. Hiram V. Reed. The
father nor her two brothers knew
much about hers domestic affairs until
she was dead.
Myrtle told me that for years her
life had been almost unbearable," said
the mother yesterday, Il had suspect
ed that she was not happy, but had no
idea that her misery was so. poignant
We talked for long time. The ques-
ton Of divorce came up. She dis
missed the suggestion at once. She
said she would rather endure any
thing-even death-than to apply for
divorce
The principal cause of the author
ess's unhappiness was not hard to
discover. The janitor of the apart
ment building where the McCulloughs
lived and his wife, and the man who
mows the lawn, the washerwoman and
the maid-all made the same guess
the hrsts time they guessed. They had
all gossiped about the habits of the
head Of the household
II guess Mr.. Mccullough was a nice
man, all right said one of these
household functionaries, .but l seldom
saw him sober, sir"
Myrtle Reed lauded her husband,
but the neighbors and the servants
said they heard violent words spoken
in the Mccullough apartment of the
building, which the authoress owned,
Mrs. Mccullough had told her friends
that she called it paradise fiat be-
cause she had found ''her heaven"
there
For the last three days, Mccullough
has not been at home, save to sleep
one night According to DR.. Charles
Bert Reed, brother of Mrs. McCul-
Tough, 'he scitered away on pleas
ure Journey"