Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-08
MAY WE'D MRS. CHASE
Barrie Reported Suitor for
Washington Actress Hand.
AUTHOR SEEKS DIVORCE
Wife Will Not Oppose Dissolution Of
Marital Bonds.
OLD SWEETHEART IS CAUSE
Pauline Bliss, Who Afterward Took
Grandmother's Name, Famous
as "Pajama GIRL

LONDON, October 8 - Miss Pauline
Chase, actress, is a Washington girl: and
friends of James NJ. Barrie say she Is
to become Mrs. Barrie when decree OF
divorce is awarded the author and play.
wright in his pending suit against his
present wife.
eff Barrie wins the divorce SUIT he has
begun in the high court of Justice. he will
marry Miss Pauline Chase, the lovely
American actress, for whom he has al
ways shown undisguised admiration
Mr.. Barrie's friends are telling each
other.
But even such gossip has not ventured
to insinuate that Barrie instituted the
suit to rid himself of his wife in order
that he might take another.
Mrs Barrie's friends declare she is not
the only one at fault-if either is at
fault. They say Mr.. Barrie's Scotch
thrift caused the first rift in the lutte.
Mrs Barrie had more liberal ideas Of
entertaining and spending money than
her husband
Wife Jealous, It Is Rumored.
The personal interest which Mr.. Barrie
has taken in some younger actresses
whom he has selected to play roles in
his famous plays also occasoned some
disputes, it is rumored
No one there has any idea that this
interest had any significance beyond the
natural admiration of a playwright for
a clever actress, such as the winsome
Miss Pauline Chase. whom he and Mrs.
Barrie practically adopted on her arrival
in London.
Mr.. Barrie was her godfather when she
was baptized few years ago and she
added his second name, Matthew, to her
own.
Mr.. Barrie insisted on her taking the
leading roles in several of his plays,
among them peter Pan and "Panta-
loon Miss Chase is the original Pink
Pajama GiTi' who made such a hit in
New York in the Liberty Bellies eight
or nine years ago.
She was a mere child even when she
made her London debut. The Barries
took her up Immediately.
Mr.. Barrie first saw her when she APP
peared in The: Schoolgirl in London.
and greatly admired her He afterward
vote 1.-The Panta!oon' especially for her.
Mr.. Barrie always predicted a great flu
ture for Miss Chase on the stage. In his
play Peter Pan in which Maude Adams
won such wide fame. Miss Chase played
the part in London 400 times. Twice was
she commanded to appear in the play be-
fore the King and Queen of England.
Barrie's Interest Fatherly.
Miss Chase is said to be engaged to a
young Englishman OF her own age-but
she is always reported engaged to some
body. Mr.. Barrie's interest in her is gen.
orally regarded as fatherly.
AT the time of her baptism she was
engaged to Nicholas Wood, a young So
ciety man. VINO jokingly said one day:
Pauline, l can't marry you, because
you've never been baptized
fnII Mr.
who promptly arranged for the baptism.
While Barrie and his wife have seemed
to live congenially. they differ greatly in
temperament. They have no children;
close a friend of both and their guest SO
often that she has come to be known
as their adopted daughter
People in general are SURPRISE indeed
gTleVed, at Barrie'S petition for divorce
But 1t is said now. as usual, that his fam
lily and intimates have expected such an
unhappy development for some time.
Although many of his prominent friends
reconciliation between him and his wife,
they have found tna couple both eager to
be separated by divorce.
Correspondent a Broker.
In fact Barrie names a correspondent
in his suit. Gilbert Canaan. a member
of the stock exchange, and not yet twen-
tv-five years old. Canaan was amo e the
friends whom the Barries entertained
In London and at their country residence
Canaan, according TO report, was suit
or for the hand of Mary Ansell before
she became Mrs. Barrie. She was Wei
known actress. who took a leading part in
Mr.. Barries first play, which was pro-
duced seventeen years ago. Mr.. Canaan
is a novelist, playwright and dramatic
critic
The suit will not be defended by Mrs.
Barrie nor by Canaan.
Report has it, too, that if Mrs. Barrie
had wished to bring the suit fog divorce