The San Francisco call., 1906-07-08
ROMANCE OF
MISS TERRY
A MYSTERY
Her Marriage to Watts, the
Painter, Followed by
a Separation.
WEDS WHEN SIXTEEN
Children Of Distinguished
Actress Go by the
Name Of Craig.
SPECIAL CABLE TO THE CALL.


LONDON. July Ellen Terry's
jubilee has brought up the story Of her
marriage TO Watts. the painter-the
one thing in her life which has always
been more or less Of a mystery. That
The marriage took place and that a
legal separation was obtained by
Watts many years after the pair had
parted are about the only facts known
10 the general public
MISS Terry was only sixteen when
the then middle-aged artist fell in love
with her golden hair. her dancing blue
eyes and her graceful form. A woman
who was at the wedding SAYS it was
q sight never. TO be forgotten as Ellen
Terry walked, or rather skipped. down
the aisle on the arm of the dignified
distinguished man. she looking like
some fairy from the realms of the
sprites as the sunlight caught her
hair and her roguish glance few from
one friend 10 another
Watts lived in a big house with two
maiden sisters. who managed his sim
PIE but stately establishment with all
the rigid decOrum which only English
people seem capable or maintaining in
their everyday existence. This was
the home 10 which Watts took his
bride a sunny faced. undisciplined,
wayward child, reared in an atmos-
phere Of Bohemia and totally unable to
comprehend the serious people who
undertook 10 order her life.
Watts had an adherence Of the
stage as a Mt place for his wife, but
Miss Terry had already tasted of the
excitement and success Of the theater
and was not at all prepared TO give it
up altogether She was now removed
entirely from any association with it.
and her time was purposely filled by
her husband with a succession of visits
among friends as conventional as him
self and by humdrum duties when at
home.
Watts was a man of great nobility
OF character. but he was not broad in
his sympathies and was inclined TO
be harsh and stern in his judgments.
He never understood Ellen Terry and
had very little influence in restraining
her.
She PLAYED pranKs all over the
house, 10 the open disgust and amaze
ment OF the servants. and she Mortified
the two maiden sisters every hour in
the day
At last matters came to such pass
that she determined TO leave the house
and return TO her life on the stage.
She managed 10 get her clothes out;
then she arranged her farewell with
the consummate mischievousness
which characterized her. There was
q big dinner party at the house, as
staid and formal as the circle Of peo-
pie in which Watts moved Every
guest was in place. bat the young wife
had not appeared. A servant was sent
, for her and all waited.
Finally she came. audacious and
dimpling, her graceful figure outlined
in pink tights She made her bow
and then fed.
years he cherished the hope that she
would give up everything and return
TO him. He acknowledged that he
probably was very largely TO blame,
and he never ceased to care for her.
An artist friend who was travelling
in Egypt with him few years before
his death tells story Of coming
across a beautiful young girl in Cairo,
an English girl with Ellen Terry's face
and hair and manner. Watts turned
deathly pale when he saw her and
nearly tainted, but gathered strength
TO get back TO his hotel where he shut
himself up for the rest OF the day.
Miss Terry's children, TO whom she
gave the name Of Craig, are very un-
like. The daughter. Edith, is quiet.
rather plain, and spends her life max
ing stunning stage gowns. She has q
little house in the Westminster quar-
ter with her lifelong friend, a woman
known N the LCnCOn literary ana ara
matte world as Christopher St John"
II is well known that Miss Terry is
poor because of the numerous estab-
lishments she maintains-her own
house in town at Chelsea and her coun-
try home in Surrey, her daughters
home, q fat for her son Gordon Craig
and another for his wife and children.
Gordon Craig is Miss Terry's pride
and JOY though he has cost her dear
in money and worry. He has a pretty
and charming wife and four lovely
children, but he has practically de-
serted them. and his mother supports
them.
Gordon Craig has many curious
ideas about stage craft. Many will re-
member how Miss Terry jeopardized
her success at the Imperial Theater a
few years ago in order to introduce
his innovations.
Irving was always very kind to the
Craig children, and was godfather TO
Gordon Craig's son.
Irving had a broad-gauge view of
life and an infinite fund of sympathy
He and Miss Terry never had a serious
quarrel until the one which separated
them And this was really brought
bout by the maneuverings of a good
looking young woman who had gained
z temporary influence upon Irving
When il was too late Irving bitterly
regretted the estrangement, for Miss
Terry, with her old willfulness, was
difficult to reconcile. But a reconcilia-
tion did take place before Irving's
death.