Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-18
MOTHER OF ANOTHER
TRlLBY GETS DIVORCE
ANGER OF FATHER AT POSING OF
DAUGHTER is GROUND
Girl Testifies That She Received Mo
Insults and That Work Was
Pleasing and Remu-
nerative

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 17.-When Trilby
was introduced to the mother of Little
Billee, her lover, the English matron
asked her what she did.
%, I'm a model was the reply.
"Of course you're a good, model girl
said the unsophisticated woman, a bit
puzzled. But I mean, what kind of
work do you do?"
II pose as a model-an artists
model" answered Trilby
The older woman, comprehending at
last, drew her skirts from contact with
those of the model and fled her pres
ence in panic of propriety.
A similar clash of hostile standards
was the basis of a divorce granted by
Judge Withrow to Mrs. Percy l.. Bur
ton of 1862 Olive street, whose adopted
daughter, Miss Myrtle Brown, is known
to St. Louis artists as 1.-THE Perfect
Model" because Of her consummate
physical symmetry. Charles A. Burton,
the defendant in the suit, believed the
girls calling to be Immoral and dis
honorable" But Miss Burton and her
foster mother were convinced of the
contrary.
These warning opinions caused dis
ruption in the family, and the two
women, ordered from the home at 1866
Forest Park boulevard went to live in
an apartment at the Olive street ad-
dress.
Burton, who is an officer of the Or
der of Railway Telegraphers, took up
his quarters in a hotel.
The Burtons were married in 1883 at
Jacksonville, ILL.,, on the same day they
first became acquainted. They lived IN
contentment together twenty years
But in the spring of 1908, after the
deaths of their two children, they de-
cided to adopt an orphan girl, then "
years old, who lived next door TO tnem
She is the young woman known as MISS
Myrtle Burton. =,
Miss Burton says that soon after her
abortion she was asked by an artist TO
pose for painting. She asked pernnis-
sion of Burton, and he refused IT, sne
asserts, in great rage. =.
"It is immoral and dishonorable TO
ba a model" she says he exclaimed
"and 1 will never permit you to be
one" -,
Flattering offers continued to reach
Miss Burton from artists and photog-
raphers. She had begun to feel that II
was undignified of her, as she was Oh
of age, to be dependent upon her roster s.
parents for her living and spending
money. A.. ,rr.
Bnrton' and was delighted to discover
that she approved of work as a moael.
So. with Mrs. Burton's consent MISS
MYRTLE accepted the next ofter proposeu
TO her, and for three months poseu loi
ertists and for classes at the School OF
| Fine Arts without the knowledge OIL
Burton. z,.oo,,arod
the secret, and there was a Vehenleh' en-
explosion of wrath according 10 the
women. nTise
| Rurton said. "He dinned into my ears
that I was dishonest and Shameless
and that my profession was immoral
| AS knew the contrary to be true IRON
nv own experience, l resented MS CRIT
| icism and continued to pose
'FWhen he finally learned | would no.
change he flew into a rage and ordereC
mother and me out of the house. Mr
Rurton once said he could not bear toi
other men to see my arms ana shoui'
ders.
eaniaI and pleasant. The artists al
Wore nerfect gentlemen. They see
girl only as a model, not as a woman
Ana the model herself becomes alb
sorbed in the art which she Is helplns
To create. and all question of sex Il
"T have sat for paintings in Greciar
art roses, and of Spanish and TURKISH
girls: and also for photographs TO OF
used in advertising fashions. All of my
poses have been in costume or In dra'
reries" ~
At the divorce hearing Miss Burtor
testified in behalf of her foster-mother
Burton attempted to utter TRADE OF
artists models, but was silenced by
| Judge Withrow. Mrs. Burton received
a. decree and $40 month alimony.