SAD END OF A GIRL'S ROMANCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 35, 29 August 1891, Page 319

SAD END OF A GIRL'S ROMANCE.

Two weeks ago there died in an hospital at Boston, Mass., one of the principals in a romance that began, happily perha|>s, in England, and ended wretchedly lor all concerned in the I nited States. The woman in the case was the daughter of a noble English house : of the man's antecedents not much is known, and there is little in his career, after he had induced a beautiful and acomplished girl to elope with him. to justify her choice.

Lady Blanche Elizabeth Mary Annunciata was the eldest child of the second Earl of Gainsborough, and a sister of the present earl. She was beautiful and accomplished, and was twenty-four years of age when she fell in love with a man

greatly her inferior in social station, and, as it happened, in almost every other respect also. Thomas P. Murphy was the organist in the chapel attached to the Earl of Gainsborough’s seat at Exton Park, Oakham, Rutlandshire. He was born in London of Irish parents, who diet! when he was very young. As a boy he possessed musical talents which attracted the attention of some Catholic clergymen. They succeeded in interesting a wealthy Catholic lady in young Murphy’s case, and the boy was sent to Leipsic that he might be thoroughly grounded in a profession which he promised to adorn. From Leipsic he went to Brussels and was graduated there from the Conservatory of Music. Rossini was one of the examining committee at the time, and Sir Aithur Sullivan was one of Murphy’s classmates. Through the influence of his patroness and his clerical friends, Murphy, upon his return to London, was made organist at

the Brompton Oratory. He found his health unequal to the task and resigned. It so happened that just at this time the Brompton Fathers received three applications for organists. < 'tie of these came from Lord Gainsborough. Murphy was per mitted to take his choice, and decided to go to Exton I’aik. Lady Blanche was an enthusiast in matters musical, and led the choir ot the chapel in which Murphy had become organist. I'nder such circumstances the two met often. They fell in love —at least there is no doubt of this so far as the lady is concerned. It was some months after they had exchanged vows that the Earl of Gainsborough discovered the situation. He promptly intimated to Murphy that his resignation would be acceptable. Murphy expressed a de-

sire to explain, but 'ra< informed that no explanation was needed. Once more the musician found himself in London. He wrote to his sweetheart and she answered his letters. He asked her to meet him in London that they might be married, adding that he knew quite well that the Earl’s consent could not be procured. Lady Blanche disappeared one day in the spring of 1870. She was at once followed, but when found she wore a wedding ring. She and Murphy had been married. The date of the marriage, according to Burke’s peerage, was March 6th, 1870. The Earl of Gainsborough offered the organist a handsome annuity if he would betake himself to the Continent alone, and remain there. The offer was declined. It was understood that Lady Blanche was heiress to several thousand pounds bequeathed to her by a relative. This she did not claim, actuated bymotives of pride. Husband and wife decided to sail for America, neither of them feeling comfortable in London, their story having become known. They were almost penniless when they reached New York and were in wretched circumstances when Murphy secured the position of organist at St. James's Church in that city. Lady Blanche soon found that she must either apply to her family for assistance or become a bread winner herself. She tried her hand at literature and several stories from her pen were printed in Lippincott's, ana other magazines. The work was too much for her strength, and although her husband had secured a position under the Tweed Government in New York city, in which he was paid for doing nothing, he seemed incapable of keeping his money. Lady Blanche was finally compelled to apply to her father through the house of Baring Brothers, who had been instructed to honour all applications from her. With tne money thus obtained she bought a farm in New- Hampshire. There she died on March 21, 1881. After his wife’s death Murphy sold the farm. So long as the proceeds lasted he lived recklessly, and finally died in absolute want. (:) •My dear lady, your daughter is lovely,’ said a flatterer, " a perfect little pearl.’ ‘And pray, sir, what am I?' ‘Ob, you are the mother of pearl.'