The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-07-19
RlSkIN'S SACRIFICE.
How He Gave up His Wife to the Man She

Loved.
The London correspondent of The San Fran
CISCO ChrDDtctc tells the matrimonial history
Of Ruskiu and Mllais as follows:
Between 80 and 35, Ruskin met and was de.
lighted with very pretty and graceful young
woman of social position and nice culture
should say he had fallen in love with her
were he not Of so peculiar II physical tempera-
mcnt He admired her sufficiently to ask her
to be his wife; and she, approaching his gifts
and scholarship, and flattered by the prefer
cnCe of so distinguished a man, accepted his
offer He questioned her, it is reported, as to
the nature Of her affection expressed the hope
that 1t was spiritual rather than emotional,
mainly platoniC in character, rs he confessed
his own to be. As may be inferred, she an
swcred iii the affirmative and doubtless be
Iicved firmly every syllable that she uttered.
1t would be strange indeed il any woman
should imagine or allow herself to be less
ethereal Of sentiment than any man on the
planet. With the mutual understanding that
theirs was to be a union of minds, they were
married. They seemed to get on pleasantly
| for few months--at least 1t seemed so to the
! husband, absorbed as usual in study and writ
| ing He greatly admired her beauty--he
probably regarded her as a picture or statue
more than u wOman--and never weared Of
prasing it. DESTROYS Of having her portrait
taken, he chose his friend Millais, who, with
Holman Hunt Charles Collins, Dante Russell
and others formed, and still form, the pre-. Ra-
phacllte school, to transfer her features to can
vas. She gave the painter Il number of sit
tngS, and the husband was so much concerned
in the work that he sometimes watched its
progress. Millais, as is well known, is hand.
some and winning-he was especially SO when
young, he is barely fifty nOw-and was drawn
at once to the young and lovely wife Of his
friend, an attraction that appears TO have been
rcCiprocacd In plain parlance, Mlllais and
Mrs Ruskln fell head over heels, or heels
over head, if you like, IN love with one another
without the least intent on their part Ruskin
himself IS said to have perceived the fact, al
though the lovers had not been in the slight
est iudisCrect or conventional, or even to have
intimated one TO the other the condition of
their hearts. The author of Modern Paint
ers' is as generous rs he is chivalrous. He
did not as ordinary men would have done, fly
into a jealous rage nor did he have scene
with his wife, He told her gently what he had
perceived and assured her of his continued
friendship and esteem, and of his earnest de-
sire 20 promote her happiness at any price.
She turned crimson ut the words as If they had
been a revelation OF her own soul. which in
| part they might have been. She could not be.
lltSC the thing possible al ilrSt--thC surprises
of the heart are generally oycrwhelming--but
very soon she acknowledged the truth and the
painter did likewise The critic condemned
himself for dizziness in thinking a pIatonc
marriage natural or satisfactory, and an
nounced his willingness, yea, gladness, to as
sist the PAIR to a felicity they were obviously
fitted for. Instead of putting any obstacle in
the way, he would remove the only one to their
love and appiness-himself-and he kept his
word faithfully. Under the peculiar circum-
stances there was no trouble in obtaining di-
yorcc. The matter WAS managed privately,
without any scandal, and in due time Mrs
Ruskin, who was, became Mrs. Millals, who
is. They have proved from all accounts n
most harmonious couple, and they are as much
to one another today a they were during the
honeymoon. Moreover, Ruskin continues TO
he the flrm friend of both, visiting them regu-
larly and sharing IN II reflected manner in their
happiness fact which demonstrates the
largeness and nobility Of Ruskin's nature.
Millaiss famous picture-ithas been engraved
and Is very common-"Tne Huguenot Lovers"
is almost faithful portrait OF the artists wife,
and the alleged fact has added not little to
its popularity.