Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-04-21
A "Reminiscences of Lady WiEde's
Salon and Her Notorious Son

lNFN3t Hlulit atmosphere ana lnhtchui
being q saturday afternoon. there be-
ing no cycles in those days. / would
take tho nearest omnibus going some
Nhere countryWayS for q walk.
How Wilde Became Famous.
Lady Wide always spoke with ex-
treme affection Of her good ana dut,-
ful son. Oscar, who. with his elder and
only brother never failed 10 attend
be famous receptions. These In time
lost their character Of unfashionnbe-
ness and became more and more not
able oscar gradually ana in the
strangest manner did become famous
through the drawings Of his friend.
Frank Miles, who ala achieve ono OF
those short vivid popularities that an
true artists dread. They have no in
herent strength. and flash and disap-
pear. leaving no trace. as the electric
spark. Il was Frank Miles drawings
Ian Punch tthe well known ones)
which first drew the attention Of tho
great open-mouthod world. who wish
"a look a celebrity, forgetful that they
themselves, hy their gaping. fabrcate
that notorietE until All sense of pro.
portion lanishes and a false. danger
ous celebrity Us created oscar Wilde
waa q genius. but his enjoyment OF
the pleasures Qf life was so strong
tlas he bent all the energies he hod
bN hook or by crook to support q POI
sition as celebrity which he had won
rather bg force Of personality than by
literary merit, for his literary abill-
ties in those days were not of the first
order lIe married % charming Dub
lin gr Ga FIRST cousin. who had
small fortune Of few hundred
year ] feel very sorry for her, for
ann convinced that She had true af
lection for her cousin. and recognize
his genius She herself, had no tall /
cnt however and little ability to play
the role OF SHOW lady" for her hus-
banjs artistic theories.
The Talk Of London.
] think few people really estimate I.
tho peculiar position, full OF tempta- /.
ton Of that unhappy Young couple. I.
Ihcy We're thc talk OF London. Every I
body who aimed at the smallest TASTE .
chttcrpd about Oscar Wilde lie was .
40 bc seen and his m9ts were repeated,
everywhere. An the tfadespeople We'd
for their custom and shoWered their
Roods upon them Ii Mrs oscar
Wilde was supposed TO, or ala, wear
a pretty hat, tho shop from which 1t
was bought was besieged Likewise.
every detail Of their house was chron-
ieled len those days society scarcely
realizes the excitement. perhaps exhil-
aratiou that the "eult OF beauty" Il
caused in those days.
Where Il Idvcrpool?p
Tho last time | saw Oscar Wilde /,
was at private view Ia the new gal I,
lep ne shook hands with me and II
said Doc understood l was leaving Lon. {
don ami he added, in That large. IAN.
zuid Voice. which his TAN celebrity. Z
snip assumed when he wished the /
crowd O. hear. "And where are You
going TO live9" replied shortly Lily Is
arpooI where is Liverpoole" ne b
said, largely. vaguely and nquirlngly.
but os I knew he was only talking for z
effect only said Nowhere. Never a
mind. Goodby" / never saw him {
lcain neither his poor innocent wife
IN duo time. as life can never be G
maintained comfortably ON such G
pinnacle he fell from &c. but not inn .
oedutolN Things only came with a II
'ush 20 the end His expenses soon
'u'un his income Tradespeople are
always ou The alert for signs of de-
line m popularity, Poor Mrs Oscar .
Wilde WAS compelled quietly to leave =
lre home and husband She knew it
Mas impossible TO keep her anguish -
Id herself except i'm strict Retirement. =
ihd She died not long afterwards.
tiualIv came the climax which all f.
snow and Lady Wide died of grief ..
laung her sons Imprisonment =.