The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-25

read line.
The next day he began to study un-
der her direction, starting. like a
child, with the alphabet. Kildare gave
up his prizefghting and his Job at
FATTY" Flynn's dance hall and be-
came a baggage agent, earning 50 a
week. BY working day and night he
managed to obtain many increases in
pay until by 1900 he was earning what
he considered sufficient to justify his
asking his Mamie Rose" to marry
him.
The wedding was all arranged. the
day was set, but when il was one week
Off Miss Deering died. Kildare never
tully recovered from the shock Of that
tragedy. He was sick for weeks. and
When he was able to be up again. il
did not seem worth while to continue
the hght that he had begun for his
Mamie Rose" He partially drifted
back to the old life, and met again the
wrecks who hang about saloon doors
and sit on the benches in Union
Square. In 1901, however, his rest
less spirit made. itself felt. and he
went down to Venezuela with a for
elgn legion that fought on the side
or the revolutionists who tried to oust
President Castro. This venture must
nave had good deal to do with his
regeneration, for when he came back.
although he was practically peaniless.
there was some hope in him.
He saw the printed newspaper Of
Ter OF a prize for a love story and de-
termined to write the story Of his own
life. He obtained a bundle of yellow
wrapping paper and wrote out my
Mamie Rose" with a stub of pencil.
TWO days later he saw his name in
print for the first time.
In the preparation of his story he
had met Miss. Leita Russell Bogar-
tus, who was a newspaper writer her
self. In short time they were mar
ried, and Kildare continued to write.
His fiction was in general demand
among the magazines. He even be-
came an associate editor of Pearson's.
My Mamie Rose" was followed by
three other books, 1.-The Good of the
Wicked" THE Wisdom Of the Sim
ple," AID MY old Bailiwick." He
was in demand as a. lecturer. and had
a paragraph in who's Who" He
was head Of the Kildare Publishing
company, trustee of the National
Newsboys' association a director of
the Social Betterment movement and
member of the Reformed church.
Then trouble came afresh. Arnold
DAY. was looiin, cor q. pia. j. 1908.
Ano ne goi He .daa that - dralaa.iz
arion Of ",re sram.e Rose voljd
Se F-a tle p"ohc. So Eiicaro -e-
'.'Nei rArE "rG". 80 prepare q STAGE
version. 1t was offered early in the
season at Wallack's theatre, under the
title of THE Regeneration" and il
was a failure. Kildare had written il
IN nineteen days. and he had worked
desperately on il after the manuscript
was finished. He suffered a second
nervous breakdown such as had visit
ed him when Miss Deering died.
Financial troubles followed and 4 fall
IN the subway completely wrecked
him. His wife, who had stood by
him sturdily hitherto, found it neces-
sary to apply to have him sent to
Bloomingdale. From that place he
was removed to the Manhattan State
hospital on Wards Island. He never
quite recovered, although he was able
to take an interest in all around him
and was cheerful patieat. the doc
tors said.
Late last Year his wife went to the
town in Massachusetts where thev
had been married and obtained an an
nullment retaining the CUSTODY Of
their five-year-old daughter. She inn
mediately married a retired Lieutenant
commander Of the United States navy.
but at the same time she made it clear
that her interest in her first husband
had not been abandoned. She fire.
quently visited him at Wards Island.
sometimes taking their daughter TO
see him, aid she had given orders that
She was to be called whenever his
condition became serious. Both she
and her husband made it their duty
to sec that Kildare lacked for nothing.
she last visited him to the day before
he died.