tan, and
frequenting a theatrical club-house on Houston
street, known as the "House of Lords." Socially,
he was never received by the Knickerbockers of the
Empire city, his relations with men of letters and
the professions were extremely cordial. How Mrs.
R. and himself became acquainted is not clearly
defined. But that acquaintance on her part was
resolved into an infatuation irresistible and
indescribable, and she succeeded in inspiring him
with

A RECIPROCITY OF FEELING

that was not to be misunderstood. Wherever he went
professionally, she was constantly included in the
list of his admirers. Upon the Eastern circuit,
throughout the West, from Pittsburg to the Pacific
slope, the susceptible Madeline was first and
foremost among those who worshipped at the shrine
of this gifted exponent of Melpomene.

Upon his return to New York from San Francisco, he
concluded his engagements and sailed for Liverpool
by the Cunard steamship Scotia. By this time the
attentions bestowed upon Montgomery by Mrs. R. had
become more than a topic of comment with observers
beyond the pale of the social set of which she had
been a prime factor. It was reported that they
were engaged to be married, and that his return to
England was for the purpose of completing
arrangements in that behalf. At all events she
accompanied him as a fellow-passenger on the
Scotia but reached England alone, for during the
voyage Montgomery suicided by cutting his throat.
No cause was ever assigned for the deed, but the
fact that he had a wife, living in London
impressed his friends with the belief that remorse
at the lengths to which he had permitted his

FLIRTATION WITH MRS. R.

to proceed, prompted the deed. He was buried in
Kensal Green, within sight of St. Paul's, and
after the completion of the ceremonies at the
grave his whilom admirer disappeared, to come to
the surface at Paris as the promised wife of Sir
St. George Gore, a landed proprietor of Tasmania,
off the coast of Australia, and a man of wealth
and prominence in the British possessions of the
South Pacific. But it is not believed this
alliance was perfected by a priestly benediction.
Since then she has been a wanderer. Possessed of
wealth, beauty, a