The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-15
ga Lady of Quality. Must Have
Divorce.
Win Apply to Courts to Break
the Ties.
HER GREAT AMBITION.
Robert Downing, the Husband,
Is in the Way.
Both COurted the Applause of
the Multitude.
HER GREAT AMBITION

New York. Sept. 15-Ambition and
professional jealousy are the reasons for
Eugene Blair's desire for q divorce from
her husband. Robert Downing, the trag-
ecfan
Incompatibilfty Of temper is the legal
fiction which viii be considered by the
Washington court when the application
IS heard BY the learned judge Both hus-
old story among stage folk. Both hus-
band and wife wanted the center Of the
stage They could not give up the play
er's craving for notoriety and mutually
subordinate self-advertisement for
peaceful married life
We both made our mistakes" said
Miss Blair. 1T is too late to talk about
it now always thought 1t tommyrot
when heard II said that art brooks no
rivals, but learned the bitter truth in
my married life. / was not willing TO
give up the stage for home life Down
ing was not willing TO share his good
luck with me- He wanted all the praise
and all the glory. Ny share he begrudg-
ed me When won my own little tri-
umph as an actress there was sure to be
a quarrel and bitter sayings On both
sides
BOTH YOUNG WHEN MARRIED.
Then We were both young when we
married back in 1892 I had won my
way near to the top Of the ladder by
playing leading parts with Lawrence
Barrett and Frederick Warde when
met Downing We played in the same
company for a time and fell in love with
each other.
Downing in 1892 started out as a star
and I was his leading woman I played
Parthenia in Ingomar-' It was my best
partrand when we played It I laWayS got
the best criticisms AS a result Downing
played II less and less He would stick
to The Gladiator in which played the
Christian girl. and sVirginius,' in which
I was Virginia Neither OF the roles was
exactly desirable. but even in them my
friends and the critics said was better
than the star
and An Indiana Romance In all three
plays he got and held the center Of the
stage letting me take what was left of
the applause and honors.
I wanted to star. I believed it was
IN me TO win some honor as an actress.
He opposed my starring and many times
said he wished would fail In 1895
went my own way With my own COM
pany played Camille Ingomar,s The
Iron Master and The New AIagdaIene-'
South and west I was a big success
We went into New Orleans, where
Downing was at the head Of a stock
company. and played seven weeks Ny
success was very sweet to me, but hurt
Downing's pride We dr1fted apart
Marriage was not what expected 1t to
be and not in the least what I had
hoped for or dreamed Of Downing no
doubt, felt the same way. Instead of
working and playing together sharing
our glory and our failures, we behaved
just the opposite
Both were to blame We had lots of
friends TO tell US how bad the other
acted and how good we were and that
did not make our married life any hap
pier
COULD NOT SURRENDER GLORY.
As the season grew older and my
success as star greater, Just could i
not give up the applause and the glory of
It all 70 return to a second place and be
told what TO do and what not to do in
the praise
Downing. suppose, felt ne was not
yet ready to divide hOnorS- and we saw
little Of each other that summer As
each season passed 1t grew harder to
reunite- Downing got a good play and
made his hit got The Lady Of Quail
ity- ClOrinda Wildairs was a role
suited to me I dared not offer Down
ing anything because I knew he would
not accept the role He is the star in
Damon and Pythias.' There was moth
ing in it for me- even if we should be
reconciled-
I'VE have met only half dozen times
in the last four years The relation
snip must be as calling to him as it is
irksOme to me- I want my freedom It
IS my intention 70 stick to the stage and !
become a great actress some day If it |
IS in me, and I think IL is Both Of Us
are ambitious We cannot share our |
stage 1riumphs> do not think Downing |
VIII 0Efer any objections TO a divorce.
We have never had any serious quar- 1
rels- I'm glad to hear Of his success. but |
want my share Of it when we play to /
gether-"
PLAYS STRANGE INFLUENCE
There never was a young married cou- /
PIE with brighter prospects. Downing 4
had already won success in the support
OF Booth Mccullough Mary Anderson i
and Barrett His plays. The Gladiator /
Samson" and .sVirginus' We're favor
ties especially IN the west Downing Is /
a man OF much physical beauty and Is a Il
hero Of the gallery wherever he plays.
Miss Blair is the daughter of Colonel \
Blair Of Columbus. s. c Her debut on 4
the stage was q baby in ldrs John 1
she played the child IN Oliver Doud Rv-
ronS thriller Across the Continent - II
She left the stage and went to school in Il
Chicago After brief experience in a 4
chicago stock company she Joined Law
renee Barrett company and was soon |
playing Ophelia to his Hamlet After a |
season she Joined Frederick Warde's i
company and played leading roles in an 4
the standard tragedies. She next Joined |
DOWn1ng'S company and married him i
their first season together
This season Downing takes the road |
with his own style of plays and Miss 1
Blair sticks to her role as a star.
Miss Blair is playing Clorfnda Wild 4
airs in "A Lady Of Quality She an
pears N boys suit IN the first acr
Only a year ago she refused to NAV a 1
part in The Clubs Baby because she /
had to wear a dress suit in the second \
act Miss Blair threw up her role be- |
cause. as she said. her figure could not
accommodate itself to lines OF mems |
evening garb-
There seems to be a strange match
making influence in this play Shortly 4
after Miss Julia Arthur produced the 1
play she was married TO b P Cheney /
1frs- Frances HodsScn Burnett. one Of |