The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-07-31
Ex-DncheSs to
Go On Stage
Former Wife of Duke Of West
minister Playing a 0ne-Act
Farce With Her Present
Husband.

Now that Shelagh West, one time
duchess OF Westminster. IS an honest
to-goodness actress, II Ia conceivable
that tho duke. who always had a pen
chant for London stage beauties. may
discover how attractive she is. This
seems all the more probable because
the lady is no longer the dukes wife.
bnt the wife Of a former captain OF the
British air service.
wife OF the richest British peer wrest
the laurels from her old rivals. Tor no.
acting in the private theatricais she
gave at Eaton hall. Once she played
a role that verged on the risque, Nor
man Forbes Of the professional stage
coaching her In the part and playing
Why He Preferred Actresses.
That was when Gertie Millar OF the
Gaiety theater In London was absorb
ing tina dukes attention, and one of
his friends remarked to another: "Odd,
lint 1t that Toodles should be run.
ming around with that Gaiety girl when
his wife's so good looking"
"Oh, but actresses are 80 diverting,
replied the other. And looks don't
plenty Of the devil in you"
A One OF the dukes friends had the
nerve to ask him straight out why he
was 80 fond Of the society of actresses
and he replied they were less mercen .,
his own set, which shows how cynical
q duke may be. -
II the duchess appeared that time at
Eaton hall In "Scaramouche" to divert
failed signaily. What he liked in others
he would not suffer his wife TO do and
SO she played the madcap heroine, wore
short skirts. slid down bannisters.
leaped hedges, rode bareback, all to no
The newspapers told how she smoked
with her feet on the mantel and COM
plimented her 'underpinnings." The
men guests were very much taken with
the performance, which they pro-
nounosd almost az good as The Spring
TOO Much for the Duke,
But. the. duke frowned and brought
suit for divorce, naming the duke OF
Alba and even privately. It was SAID.
only, the duchess did what he long had
desired her to do-brought q counter
suit and a deed Of separation was
signed. the duchess receiving 100000
The eldest Of the two daughters is
IT years old. The son died at the
S Since her divorce. a year ago. the
duchess has remarked. She Is now
tn0 WIG OF Capt. d. rilDphtiiSN iSS"io;
| ten years her, junior and short and
slight. He Is appearing with her In
the one-act farce, "A Modern Cinde-
rella."
for charity. Mrs. Lewis has been ca
gcrly besought by several managers to
| sign long term contracts at D,ooO
week No responsible critic has ven
tured to say whether she has talent or
| not. she does not. Of course, need
| talent to draw crowds In London when
she has an absolutely secure position
| In the public eye.
Dukes EIopement Averted.
The duke OF Westminster then only
| the heir to the dukedom, was only Id
when Shelagh West, aged 10, met him
| in the country during the shooting sen
son. They fell in love instantly, but
| the old duke managed to put or the
| marriage until the boy was nearly 20.
| when he went to South Africa and was
| caught IN 'he web spun TOR him ana
| fer great many others before him,
| by that pretty spider, Mrs, Anterior
| wife of a colonel In the British army
| An elopement was barely averted, for
| the tYoupg duke could hardly be per-
| suaded that 1t was his money the motto,
| rious vampire was after. He married
Shelagh, but he seems never to have
| cared for her, or for any other woman
| Of his own set. after that.