The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-09
RUsKIN,s ROMANCE.
How He Courted, Married, and Was Di
vorced from his Idealistic Woman.

How He Courted, Married, and Was Di-
vorced from his Idealistic Woman.
New York Graphic.
The Atlantic cable and the breezy European
correspondents of the great newspapers are
bringing John Ruskin's name before the public
once more Lately the report has been
that he is insane. Up to short time ago
they we're satisfied to call him eccentric. Per-
haps he was. But then he was rich, and a fort
such as he had was like to charity, and 1t
covered multitude of eccentricities.
When he began to dabbie in literature he had
need to write for the money his work would
bring him. He is not rich to-day, for he has
lavished his wealth on art. on charities on
thousands of deserving men and women whom
the world never heard about.
John Ruskin did strangely hayward thing
when he consented 20 get married. he did
most erratic. and to the public most inexplic-
able thing when he arranged for his divorce.
He had accepted some of the Hottest traditions
about womanh6ad that men sometimes read of
and talk about, and he looked for his ideal COM
papion One night he met her in the drawing
room of a London friend, who, without knowing
It. had brought the young lady to meet the eyes
of the great writer
It was a June night, he was thirty and
she looked like Greek goddess
He dazzled. She was tall. graceful girl
of nineteen. with a face and figure as faultless
as one of the statues of old. No one ever ex-
pected Ruskln to fall in love. and he did not
She was poor, needed a home and comforts, and
so they were married.
Their welded life peaceful, friendly,
kindly to the highest degree. but there was not
q spark of affection to tighten their existence.
She admired the great man she had married.
and was grateful for the wealth and comfort he
showered on her. He worshiped her as he
would the marble made life like by the sculptors
chisel.
There was nothing human about the life they
led as husband and wife. She q woman
who in her heart, like all true women, laughed
at traditions that made her sex-love distant wor-
ship
One day Ruskin brought artist to paint mis-
wife's picture. And the man was Millais. and
he was a bright. CHEEKY. handsome fellow: hu-
man. every inch of him, with great, absorbing
love for the beautiful, and Willingness to tell
of his love.
He began to paint the portrait of the magnif-
cent woman, and when he had finished he was
in love with his friends wife.
Womaulke she saw it, and perhaps she was
not full of sorrow and reproach. 1t was the hrst
tribute Of real manful love that had been laid at
her feet.
And Ruskin2 His wide eyes saw the romance
that was weaving around those two lives, and
his heart realiz ed how little affection he had to
lavish the woman he had made his wife.
How he told her the story of his pride In her
AID the sacrifice he was to make for her, wnile
she lay prone at his feet. is one of the things
which only he she could tell
1t is difficult TO obtain divorce in England,
but John Ruskin secured 1t for her, and one
bracing morning in the early winter. month
after the divorce was granted, Ruskin stood be-
side the couple of London's quiet
churches and saw them made man and wife.
That was a good many years ago and since
then Mlas has become rich and famous, and Is
Sir John. and his wife is my lady Miilais.
The warmest, sturdiest friend the struggling
painter had in his toing days was the man
whose wife he had married, and through all the
years of Millais's later success and great honor
John Ruskin has been the welcome guest and
almost daily visitor to the man and woman
whose lives no unselfshly crowned with hap
plness
1t is strange story, and the world knows lit
tie about it, and some men have condemned
him some women have censured her. But
the two men and.that one woman, who know
best have been happy and contented with the
change that John Ruskin's pure unselfshness
brought into their lives
And so the world should not complain