The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1913-04-04
RUINED ROMANCE
Genevieve Wards Story Of Her
Wedding Tragedy.
PARTED At THE CHURCH DOOR

tsrnational Affair and Was Ended b, |
Our Government and the Gear.
In Mrs. Tweedie's Thirteen Years
of a Busy Woman's Life" are some
stories Of Genevieve Ward. the famous
actress.
One morning In March. 1908. came a
knock on Mrs. Tweedie's door. and In
walked Miss Ward.
'Out for my constitutional, my dear"
she exclaimed. so l thought I would
just look you up. I have walked six
miles this morning, and after a little
rest and chat with you l shall walk an
other mile home and enjoy my lunch
o all the better for It."
"You are a marvely' exclaimed our
author. Seven miles and over seventy.
saw your 'Volumnia' was a great sue
cess the other day when you played it
with Benson"
YES" she said. "and the next day I
started for Rome. l got a telegram say
ing M of three old cousins, with whom
l was staying in Rome a few weeks
previously. had died suddenly. 20 four
hours after receiving the message l set
out"
Were you very tiredT
mo, not at all. l knitted nearly all
the way and talked to my fellow pas
sengers and when I arrived, instead Of
resting, went at once to see to some
business. for these two old sisters, one
Of whom is blind. were absolutely pros
trated with grief and had done nothing
while awaiting my arrival. l stayed a
fortnight with them, settled them up
and arrived back a few days ago."
Here is the pathetic story Of Miss
Wards marriage tragedy as she told 1t
to Mrs. Tweedie:
81 was travelling with my mother and
brother on the Riviera in 1855 when
we met a Russian. Count de Guerbel.
he was very tall, very handsome, very
fascinating, very rich and twenty-eight.
I was seventeen. He fell in love with
me, and 1t was settled l should be mar
rled at the consulate at Nice, which l
was. But the Russian law required
that the marriage should be repeated
In the Russian church to make the
ceremony binding: otherwise l was his
legal wife. but he was not my legal
husband.
1T was arranged, therefore, that !
should 60 to Paris with my mother.
the count going On in advance to ar.
range everything. and we would be re-
married there in the Greek church
When we arrived In Paris 1t was Lent,
when no marriage can take place In
the Greek church. and 30 time passed
on.
HE must have been q thoroughly
bad man, because he did his best al
that time to persuade me to run away
with him, always reminding me that
was his legal wife. The whole thing
was merely q trick of this handsome
fascinating rascal. He promised me
that If would go to him he would
take me to Russia at once, and there
we should be remarked according Il
the rules Of the Greek church. Being
positively frightened by his persist
ence. ! told my mother. At the sam'
time rumors of De Guerbel's amour:
and debts reached her ears, and sh'
wrote to a cousin OF ours. then Ameri
can minister In st. Petersburg, for con
irmation of these reports.
MY cousin replied. Come at once
We went, |. Of course. under my nam
of Countess de Guerbel. which l hat
naturally assumed from the day of gu
wedding ut Nice. and we stayed at tn
embassy in St. Petersburg. Tn
counts brother was charming to me
He told us my husband was a villain
and | had better leave him alone. Tha
was impossible, however. was maj
ried to him. but he was not married t
me. and such a state of affairs coul
not remain.
1T became an international matter
and it was arranged by the America
, government and the cZar that W
should be officially married at Wa
saw. The count refused to come. Tn
czar therefore sem sealed orders fo
his appearance. Wearing a black dres
and feeling apprehensive and miserf
bly sad, | went to the church. and q
the altar rails. supported by my fathe
, and mother and the counts brother,
met my husband.
1T was a horrible crisis. for l knee
:. my father was armed with a loade
: revolver. and If De Guerbel refused I
give me the last legal right, which wa
: morally already miae. its content
would put an end to the ad%venturer
. life. There we stood. husband an
wife. knowing the service was a me
form. but the marriage was lawful
: effected, He had completed his pa
Of the bargain. and we had learned b
vtllainy. At the door of the church v
parted, and ] never saw him again.