The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-14
STEELE MAckAYE's ROMANCE.
Helen Marr's Devotion often Saved
His Life. But Failed at Last.

His Life, But Failed at Last.
Steele Mackaye, actor playwright,
idealist, is no more, but the hidden ro-
nance in which his later years was
wrapped still lives in the life of the
woman he loved. The press dispatches
which brought the news Of his death,
near a little hamlet in the Colorado
mountains, told how his last hours had
been comforted "by his devoted wife,
who had been an unwearying watcher
at his side through all the days of i'll
ness which followed the failure of his
Spectatorium-his cherished enterprise.
She wore herself out with the constant
care and is returning to Chicago under
the direction of a skilled nurse.
That woman, known to the world as
Steele Mackaye's wife, is Helen Mari,
the actress. The history of her life is
the romance of a Woman's untfring de-
votion to the man she worshipped. 1t
suggests the passage in the life of
George Eliot when she defed the world
to become the follower of George Henry
Lewes. There is a deep pathos in the
simple story.
Helen MARI White was born in Wi
mona, Mimi AS girl she had ambi-
ton and early conceived desire to
become a high class actress. She OBJ
tanned the best instruction she could
find in elocution, and in 1879, the year
/ in which she was 20 years old, she went
to New York. Her great personal beau
ty and pronounced abilities as an &C
tress attracted attention at once. She
first met Mackaye tat rehearsal OF
one of his own plays. He was young,
handsome, brilliant, and she fell in love
with him. Although he was already
married. he had separated from his
wife and left her, with his family. in
a little town in New England.
Miss Mari continued to take a lead
ing part in Mackaye's plays and the
two saw much of each other. In 1885,
the playwright was stricken with a Sc
were illness, through which Helen nurs
ed him. It left them both poor, but
Mackaye insisted upon her staying witt
him. Feeling that she might be bur
den to him, the devoted girl sought E
friend from Chicago and secured
enough money to take her home to Wi
mona Just one week later she wa:
back in Chicago, where she told he
friend that she cared not a cent fo
the world or what it might say; tina
Steele Mackaye needed her and sh,
, was going back to him.
From that time until Mackaye's hear
broke over the failure of his fondes
dreams of new era in dramatic ar
he and she fought and struggled sid
by side. When money was scare sh
went upon the stage for few month
: and took leading part in his plays
and helped in no small degree in inspir
ing him to greater virtues.
: After a year or two Helen's mothe
became reconciled to the strange unio
, and came to Chicago, where she KEEP
house for Mackaye and Helen thrOug
many years. Friends who knew tn
whole story and were closest to tn
lives of the pair say that the creates
harmony always prevailed and tina
7 Helen's influence was invariably 70
good.
Mackaye frequently broke himsel
: down from overwork, and he alway
found in Helen the kindest and mos
t devoted of nurses. During all of thi
!, time Mackaye had been providing hi
New England wife with all the nece;
Q sary money and educating his children
+ It is said by those who are in a positio
: to know that Mrs. Maclaye knew an
: understood the position which Hele
o occupied.
6 81 never knew more devoted W,
: man than Helen Mari has been,' sal
: an old friend of the family Monda
v and Mackaye has been no less COZ
q siderate He was a Yale man with IL
: best of eastern culture and she is
6 high minded, ambitious woman. If
n had not been for her | do not thir
e that Mackaye WOULD ever nave accon
# plished anything.
# up to within year or two ago
a don't think they passed as man al
IL wife. but I notice that during his Ia
# struggle over the Scenitorium and h
q subsequent illness the papers and hot
= people seemed to have called her MI
iMackaye Very few people knew Il
true history of their relations. Thi
teen years is enough to cover up {
most any past am sure l don't kno
} what the poor woman will do no
l. She is left penniless, sorrowing and u
v der the ban of world which is alwa
lie too quick with its judgments and t
le slow with its charity Chicago Re
II Lord