The Washington herald., 1915-03-14

- height of her theatrical ca
reer, two hissful marriages in
three short years, and the stage is the
only sufferer!
Such, in brief, is the story of Hope
Latham.
Just when she had reached the pin
nacle Of fame in the histrionic realm,
when her name, after many years of
hard, faithful work, was emblazoned on
Broadway, she disappeared from theat-
rical affairs, from the metropolis and,
apparently, from the world.
"A few weeks ago she reappeared, as
the widowed-bride of Collin Kemper.
They are now honeymooning in the
south. And in the three years that had
interviewed Hope Latham had seemingly
tasted all of Iife's happiness. She left
the stage to wed a recluse, who carried
her away to his beautiful Hudson river
estate and kept her there until his death,
last fall. q.
All this while Hope Latham was loved
by another man, a man who also made
a fortune and retired from the the
atrical producing business. Collin KEN
per had never married. When he met
the girl that eliminated his fortune as
producer, he vowed he would never wed,
unless 1t were her. She deserted the
stage for another man, man, by the by,
who hated the stage and all its connec-
tions, and Kemper; gave up the producing
business, although he and his partner
had made million each out of it and
were then in the heyday Of their for
tunes.
When the wealthy Harry Sheppard
Coykendall died peaceful death amid
the birds and flowers and woods of his
estate he loved so we'll, Miss Latham
again heard the call of the stage. She
could have lived quietly on the beautiful
estate of her husband, but she preferred,
as she thought then and had been think
ing for two years, that she loved the
stage next only to her husband. Now
that he was gone, she would return to
the stage.
Miss Latham went back to New York
and, naturally, called on the man who
had made her a star. Collin Kemper.
Then Kemper, retired from the produc-
ing business, told her of his love that
had grown during the two years. she had
been away. To make a long story short,
January small party went to Ho-
boken and saw them married. The we'd
ding was not to have been announced
until June. but it leaked out, as news has
a way Of leaking out around New York.
Will Miss Latham return to the stage
again? She doesn't know, but it is not
probable. Collin Kemper, with his mil
lion made out of the theatrical business,
will probably induce her to return to the
quiet domestic life she learned to love on
the Hudson valley estate.
Having married one man who hated
the stage, and another who has retired
from the business, it would seem that
Miss Latham was lost forever to the
footlights. And Broadway is grievfng
Miss Latham won her stardom by hard.
conscientious work. She was not a star
made overnight to last>the season out.
She appeared first on the stage in New
York in Clyde Fitch's play THE Woman
In the Case" In the season following
she appeared with Johp/ Drew in His
House in Order" at the Empire and sub
sequently in comedy. In "Seven Days."
produced by Wagenhals & Kemper, she
had one of her best roles. 1t was then
that Collin Kemper met her and learned
10 love her. And that love endured and
lasted until his hopes were fulfilled.
But while she was playing Seven
Days" Miss Latham met Mr.. Coykendau
at small social gathering. He was at
tracted to her at once and they met
Sten. Three months later, and by this
time the millionaire recluse was deeply
in love with her, she asked him:
"Have you seen the play Seven
Days'?"
why should 1 see it," he answered
carelessly. 81 understand it is a noisy,
common affair. Why do you wish me to
see it,"
Because 1 am playing it," she re-
torted.
Coykendall was shocked. His face