Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1910-02-24

matte offering, winning her away from
Gilbert Canaan. whom he than re-
garded as a mere boy.
Author'r Happiness Disturbed.
But mere boys have a way OF grow
ing up. and Canaan apparently never
forgot his early love, for when, after
starting life as a member of the Lon
don Stock Exchange. he branched into
dramatic literature. he once more
manifested his affection for the love of
his youth.
When It was announced that Mr..
Barrie was suing his wife for divorce,
alleging misconduct with Gilbert
Canaan, social and literary circles Of
two continents were convulsed. At
first 1t was believed that Barrie de-
sired to secure his freedom in order to
wed Pauline Chase, then playing In
Peter Pam" but the actual trial of the
case. shortened by Judge who re-
fused to hear further salacious testi-
mony, brought out the fact that Barrie
had been forced by his wife to take
action. that he had begged her to re-
turn to him. offering to settle 100000
upon her II she would do so, and,
when she finally refused, providing
amply for her future and extracting
from the correspondent, Gilbert Can
q cnInVor rrnrnfon 20 hnV q
son as the decree should permit.
Since that day when j. M. Barrie
walked out of the courtroom a broken
man 1t is said he has never written a
line. His creative faculty seems be-
numbed and all literary London is
asking Was his the artistic tempera-
ment?"
The Case Of the Leavitts.
The separation of William Homer
Leavitt and Ruth Bryan Leavitt
stirred art circles in Paris and polite
al circles in America. Young Leavitt
painted the portrait of William Jen-
nings Bryan and won the three-time
candidates daughter at one and the
same time. Father Bryan was opposed;
young woman from Leavitt's native
town in Rhode Island threatened a
breach-of-promise suit, but both OBJ
stacles were swept aside by the two
determined young people, and in due
time they were married and went to
Paris for the husband to pursue his
art career. In an incredibly short
time word came across the seas that
Mr.. Leavitt was engrossed in what he
hoped to make his masterpiece, THE
Last Supper" while his wife, accom-
panied by their two children. was
travelling as far and as fast as she
could from the artistic atmosphere for
which she had once yearned.
At any rate, despite denials from
both sides, there came a day when the
artist brought his masterpiece to
America to be exhibited, but his wife
was not among those who came to see
and admire. She was extremely busy
in Denver-American stronghold of
the misunderstanding her divorce.
The judge called 1t cruelty" inso-
much as in this case the wife alleged
that the artistic temperament caused
her much mental anguish. Her hus-
band laconically remarked that it was
not painting, but cash, or the lack of
1t, which had broken up his happy
home. He made no countercharges,
but let the case go by default, which
shows that at least the artistic tenn
permanent knows how to dodge trouble.
A Partial Explanation.
A New York man of recognized tai
ent, If not genius, who is living apart
from his wife though no legal separa-
ton has been announced, offered this
explanation:
THE man who is doing big creative
things ought to live in madhouse or
sanitarium while working out any
thing new-and see his wife and family
only in the rare interludes of sanity.
Seriously, realize that l made 1t as
hard for my wife-as she made 1t for
me. must draw my inspiration from
people. Sometimes when people inter- |
ested me l remained with them until
daybreak. That group of men could
sit around table discussing matters
of common interest and not get into
mischief was something my wife could |
not appreciate. She became Jealous.
Then as my reputation grew l was
asked, not as man, but as per-
former, to the homes of certain social
leaders whose influence was invalu- |
able. My wife was not invited. She
resented my going without her. She |
could not understand that this was not |
a snub for her-merely business.
when | went home tired I heard |