A FAMOUS BEAUTY.

NZ Truth, Issue 87, 16 February 1907, Page 6

A FAMOUS BEAUTY.

— ; — *- — — : .. ' Dies m Poverty. "'' . . "■' ' ... ■'■-'' i 1 New York. Romance. ■. • „ , 1 Sylvia Gerrish, whose wonderful beauty made her tit one time the most admired and most 'Photographed- woman Mil' America, died m New York last month inpoverty. Thirteen , years ,ago she played m London m "Nitouche," and there, to quote the criticism of the clay, "her marvellous face, deep bi;qwn eyes, raven hair, and perfect figure—, more still her poetic limbs— played havoc with the English Johnnies." American magazines, when she was m her prime, delighted- to present her as the "most beautiful woman m the world; "and many playgoers have gazed upon the beauties of the European stage still a v,er that there has been none to equal her. Sylvia was born forty-sight, years ago m a little mining camp at Big Oak Plat, Calaveras County, California. In 1889 Sylvia came to New York, appearing at the old Casino as A'dolph do Valladolid m "The Brigands." She spoke not a line, simply smiled at the front row and boxes, 'bent her dimpled knees, and went up stage again. Yet m the morning she was famous ; she had taken the city by storm. The critics described her as "the girl with the poetical legs." Henry Hilton, son of Judge Hilton,, of New York, gave up wife and fortune for her. When Hilton's wife died m 1901 he married Sylvia Both were Bohemians of' the gayest set. Judge Hilton had set his soul , on breaking the attachment of his son, but it was no use. and he died heart-broken. Sylvia Gerrish wore only a j\'p. 1 boot, and Ihe year the Thistle came across the Atlantic to "lift the cup" one of these slips of leather was nailed to the cutter's mast for a talisman. Her husband died last year m po?ertv and now the wife, whose beauty was once the talk of New York and London, whose smile enchanted thousands, is dead.