The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-14

Edna May has attained social altitud.
in London which is simply dazzling, an.
for which many member Of the Fou
Hundred would exchange foot. She haa
certainly been much more successful thar
Mr.. William Waldorf Astor, which mus
be bitter thing for him.
The famous Countess Of Warwick ha.
been very friendly to her. and she has me
duchesses, countesses and greet ladies bs
the score.
Edna May is a very pretty girl, with 8
pure and gentle expression of face rarely
seen upon the stage. A recent Londor
newspaper tells how a real Salvation
Army girl called upon her and passionate.
ly implored her to give up the stage and
join the army because she was perfectly
fitted for the work.
The young actress lives in a most digni.
fed way In London. occupying with heI
mother. handsome fiat in ST. Ermyn'S
Mansions Kensington.
Edna May has become favorite IN so
clety, because her acting is so nice and re-
fined. The children of tsleh aristocracy
initiate her acting and dancing at their
parties.
She Is likely to become a prominent
member OF that aristocracy with the as
sistance Of young Henry Cavendish, q
cousin Of the Duke of Devonshire. This
Duke Is one of the richest men in Eng
land. His estates cover 10000 acres, and
he has six country houses, among them
being Chatsworth, which is the finest In
England.
| The present duke has no children, and
1t is not impossible that young Cavendis7
will inherit his title and estates. In any
case Cavendish is very rich, holds a high
| position, and even If ne does not inherit
| the dukedom he Is likely to receive an
! other title. E Ina May would no doubt
become Lady Cavendish in time, for the
Prince of Wales, when he ascends the
throne, win certainly have no objection to
| conferringtitles on men who have married
actresses.
Edna Mays domestic career Gales for
| passing mention. She was the daughter of
a letter carrier named Petty, of Syracuse.
Before she became a stage divinity she
sang in church choir. She met and mar
ried Fred Titus. famous professional
| bicycle rider. He was regarded as an
Of women vino freQuented bicycle races,
and when he conferred his hand upon
Edna May she was considered fortunate
above all ordinary girls.
Now things are strangely changed, Edna
May Is petted 10y the Prince Of Wales and
by London society, and may became thu
Duchess of Devonshire. Fred Titus Is
nobody compared to her. She Is seeking
divorce from him. Hehas gone over to
London with the intention of making
peace with her. but is driven from her
menIals. The story Of Edna Mays brill
liant success Is also tragedy of the do
mestic life and the stage.
The third person In the triumvirate Of
American beauties who fascinated the
youthful aristocracy of England Is Miss
Phyllis Rankin. She played the part of
Fiji Fricot. in THE Belle OF New York"
and charmed alike by her French accent
and the manner in which she fiicked her
skirts UP and down..
The young Marquis Of Headfort was her
most devoted admirer in London, but she
has left him over there Perhaps she pre-
TdIner
than peerless OF England. The MARQUIS
bears an Irish title. is only tweney-one
years old, and Is engaged in scattering his
patrimony more rapidly than any man
with the same opportunities in London.
Miss Rankin returned to this country
recently and obtained a divorce from her
husband, an actor named Gibbs.
Without double the Anglo-American alN-
ance will be further cemented before long
by the addition of a bevy of American
actresses to the peerage.
Alan Dale. theh Journals dramatic critic
in London, thus describes his visit to Edna
May:
The caibby wlnked his eyes when I told
him to drive me to Miss Edna MAYS
house, in West Park Village, Gloucester
Gate. don't know what these cabbies
think Of me. They always seem to be
rolling me up to actresses houses, lrop-
rather fancyhwvbhuw Observation-Disclosures
Ping me in and then rolling me back
again. They ask no questions, but rath-
er fancy that suspiciin begins to rest upon
me. At any rate. this particular cab5Ie
winled his eye at one Of his associates
as named the above address. 1t was a
bleary eye but al! the same 1 could detect
a drab look of doubt in It. However, with
a clear conscience, what matters It? How
Edna May lives, how she takes her sue
cess and any l.ttle impertinent details she
might vouchafe TO give-these were my
real excuses. SO I tried to forget cabbies
implied insolence and to make myself as
comfortable as possible under the harrow
ing circumstances.
Edna Mays house IS not palatial. II
is a pretty little two-story cottage, in a
quaint, bungl!ng lane forming a sort Of
semi-circle and leadng out OF Albany
street. Those OF you who have heard that
Edna lives in palace and is obsequiously
waited upon by a retinue II gold-laced
iunkeys. would probably be very dlsap-
pointed in the unaSsuming proportions OF
her habitation. 1t is neat, and coy, and
restful. but 1t Is not expensive. The re-
tlnue OF gold-laced funkeys was repre-
scented by one not particularly ''neat-hand-
ed Phyllis" who told me that Miss May
was hin" and was expecting me. I told
the ca6ble TO wait for me and again he
'winked. q shall complain about you TO
the company; I wont stand it,
Miss May was at Afternoon tea" with
mommer and a few others. but she came
out in a most ingenious cordiality and
made me feel like two long lost brothers.
She looked very sweet and cool. in a white
opanwork dress. made in thhe latest STYLE
"a style that seems TO me to resemble |
masculine trousers at thhe back. London
evidently agrees with Edna. Her COM |
plexion vas creamy; her figure charming;
her fluffy hair Ike silk floss; altogether she |