The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-09-25
AN ACTRESS ROMANCE.
Her Relations With Famous English
Noble Family.


Her Relations With Famous English
Noble Family.
fPhiIadelphia Times, September s.I
The appearance of Miss Ada Cavendish,
the English actress, at the Arch Street Thea
ter this evening, will lend new interest to
her romantic history, which has never been
published in this country before. Some
forty years ago one of the most celebrated
law cases ever tried in England came before
the Lord Chancellor for trial, after being
fought from Court to Court. The issue in
question was the legitimacy or LEGITIMACY
of certain member of the Cavendish fam
lily. If the Lord Chancellor, after examin-
ing the case, should decide that this man
was legally born, he would. by virtue of
prior birth, be the head of the family and
heir to the vast estates that fell with the
title of Duke of Devonshire. So great re-
suits hung on "My Lords" opinion. But
the case was never decided the claimant
was so far hampered by circumstantial evil
and the defense saw so clearly that their
opponent could make it unpleasant for them,
that both parties agreed to compromise,
the details of which are worth reclting as a
curious illustration of the standard of moral
ity in the English aristocracy of that day,
which generally approved of the compact.
1t was agreed that the claimant should be
acknowledged as legitimate and the head of
the family, taking the title aud possessions
of the Duke of Devonshire for life; but he
was expressly forbidden tomarry; and on his
death the title and property passed to the OPP
posing party. Under such circumstances
the Duke, being but human, naturally formed
attachments which the law did not sanction.
Most of these, however, we're OF short dura-
ton, but when he had been about nine years
in possession of his title he met Miss Cam
eron, of marlborough, Scotland to whom he
became strongly attached. This lady was of
gentle blood, of great personal beauty, and
one of the most brilliantly educated and ac-
complished women Of the age. During sew
eral years acquaintance she learned to re-
turn the affection Of her titled lover and he,
to do him justice, used all the means In his
power to protect her good name.
Being forbidden to marry by his legal
settlement of the suit, he offered Miss Cam
eron what is known as morganatic
marriage in Europe. This marriage is con-
Quoted in the following manner: The con-
tracing parties are united in wedlock by a
ordained clergyman, marriage
certificate being furnished as usual. The
wife in this case was known as Mrs. Caven-
dish, not as the Duchess of Devonshire. Her
children were legal, bearing the family
name At the death of the father and
mother, intestate, the children inherit his
personal estate, the widow having her
dover right of one-third, but the Devonshire
estates and titles pass to the nearest of kin
of the ducal line. This style of marriage
was long since invented to give the kings,
princess and nobility generally of Europe a
chance to follow the dictates of their hearts !
without shame, whose reasons of State policy |
forced them into loveless political marriages. |
marriages are generally very
happy, and are no. regarded in Europe, |
especially on the continent, as fastening any |
shame on the parties participating therein;
neither do they entail any loss of social po-
sition. Miss Cameron accepted the Dukes |
offer and was morganatically married to |
him. They lived together in perfect hap
piness for eleven years, being parted only
BY the death of Mrs. Cavendish. The Duke
survived her about eleven years, but he was
|, changed man from the day of her death.
Formerly genial and hearty, a lover of So
,iety the turf, ETC., he became grabbed, nerv-
,us and silent. He shut himself up at
Brighton and very seldom saw anyone to his
iJiHS uhy, III lofO.
One child "a girl) was born of this mar
iage and was called Ada Cavendish. On
Ter the parents lavished their tenderest love
md devotion. She was carefully reared,
ike any young scoin of the British aristoc-
AIRY. and her beauty, sweet, joyous dispo-
ition and brilliant talents combined to make
Ter their idol and the center of one of the
lappiest homes of England. A few years
Ifter the mother died the daughter,
GLOWING her natural bent, placed herself
lnder the tuition of Mrs. Charles Pelby OF
he New Royal Theater, London, at which
heater she soon made her debut as an ac-
ress. From that time until the day of his
leath the appearance of his daughter in a
lew role was the only thing which could
empt the old Duke from his seaside retire
nent. She was always faithful and de-
1oted daughter, and at her fathers death
,ame into possession of his entire personal
state, amounting to $1,000 ($5O,OOO) and
ome magnificent jewels. Miss Cavendish
las steadily risen in the theatrical world,
Ter success as "Mercy Merrick," in "The
New Magdalen," rendering her famous in
En- GLAND and America