ELLEN TERRY'S MARRIAGE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8847, 25 June 1907, Page 4

ELLEN TERRY'S MARRIAGE.

Barely has the theatrical world | hud a greater or more pleasant sur- 1 . prise than that afforded in the nows i that Miss Ellen Terry had been i secretly married to James Carew, at Pittsburg, on March 33.1 n New York where the news leaked out, doubt was at first thrown upon the story, for the secret of the wedding had , been cleverly kept between husband (and wife and Miss Edith Craig. But the doubt was speedily dispelled when on the night of Saturday, May 4, after Miss Terry had sailed for Europe, '“Mr Oarcw asked h s guests at a dinner party he gave to toast his bride. The reason for secrecy was then explained. Miss Terry feared that the public might construe the Incidents as a scheme to obtain advertisement. She, therefore, insisted that the news of her marriage should not he made known until she had embarked to return to England. The three witnesses to the wedding—Mis Edith Craig (Miss | Terry’s and two lawyer • friend* of the bridegroom, Messrs ( Bell and Thompson—had all been i sworm Jto ihaecreoy until the bride t should have departed. Thus the sur-1 prise «f the wnonucement was com- i pleie. Despite* the disparity in ages, for Hr Carew is only 83, while Miss Terry has seen nearly twice a# many aumiaers, it was a true love-match. “I fell in love with her art, and then with herself,” was Mr Oarew’s ■ remark to an inquisitive interviewer, 8 and that Miss Terry is deeply in I love with her husband there can be Ino possible doubt. For some time I before the departure of the prospec--1 tive bride aud bridegroom for America, ijthey had been seen together, at first nights and various society functions. To intimate friends Mr Oarew made no secret of his admiration for the great actress. On her part Miss Terry was always loud in her praises of her leading man. There were hints of a joint manugcmeant in times to come, so that shrewd observers drew their own conclusions, and in England to certain persons the news of,the wedding was not the surprise it has • proved In other quarters. It was on January IS last that Miss Terry, Mr Carew, and other members of her company sailed for New York, j They played together in various places, and it was while in Chicago some weeks before the visit to Pittsburg that the wedding was arranged. Pittsburg was selected to he the scene of the ceremony because Mr Carew was so well known ill Chicago that it was feared the secret would, nob ho kept if the wedding took place in tbe latter city. At Pittsburg accordingly, on March 33, in the office of Mr Campbell, local justice s of the peace, which is situated in the little suburb of Belleviow, the two were duly made one. All the pre■nrorn mnf?o "hv TVTl** fInTAW

friends, Messrs .Bell and Thompson, eo that everything was ready for the principals when they arrived. This was late min jthe afternoon, quite after nsual honrs, the time being purposely jjchosen so as to prevent any likelihood of the record of the marriage being made public. The lovers had left the rest of the company at a hotel, going off together as-if for a little afternoon drive. There was an amnsing scene at'the office when the clerk of the justice of peace, as in duty bound, asked the nsual questions of those intending to marry. After Mr Oarew had declared that he was a bachelor and had not been married before, the question was put to Miss Terry. She admitted that this would be her third marriage, and protested with mock pathos against such personal questions. ... “My first marriage, said ‘she, “ wnsAissolved by divorce, and my second by death. You see, I was quite young when I was married the first time, and it was a mistake.” To the qustion, “How old are you?” Miss Terry cried, “Oh, mercy, put mo down at 50, if yon must, but ko6p it a secret, or people will think that this is an advertising trick. ’ ’ Mr Campbell tbon married them in the presence'of the two lawyers and the clerk, and after pledging all to secrecy, they returned to the hotel. Thoug'h they both appeared exceedingly happy, and Miss Terry in her sprightliest mood that night, not one of the 'company suspected what had happened. Mr Oarew’s home is in Chicago, and his real name is Usselmann. His mother still lives in Chicago, and in an interview she said that she was aware of her son’s intentions when lie was last in the city.” “I was sorry,” said she, “when my sou told mo of the intended marriage, and I could not approve, because of the disparity in their ages. Then I met Miss Terry, continued Mrs Usselmann. ‘ She was so vivacious, beautiful, and graceful that I said to myself, possibly she is older in years, but she is at one with James in spirit. I am convinced that it is a perfect union, and I am glad my son has so gracious a wife. ’ ’ Miss Terry, who has now made her third marriage in such romantic circumstances. was horn in Coventry, in 1848. She made her detention the stage when she was eight years old, at the Princess, as Mamilius, in “A Winter’s Talc,” under the management of Charles Kean, in 1353 . she . joined J. H,Chute’s famous “stock” company, at the old Royal Theatre, Bristol. She reappeared subsequently in London at the Haymarkot, under the E. A. Sothern’s management, playing, amongst other parts, Hero in ‘ ‘ Much Ado About Nothing, ’ ’ Julia in ‘ 1 The Rivals, ’ ’ and Lady Dolly in the “ Belle’s Stratagem.” Miss Terry’s first marriage took place': on February 20, 1864, when she was just 16 years of age. The man she married was George Frederick Watts, destined to become a Royal Academician ud one of the world’s most famous painters. For a time she retired from the footlights, hut the union was not a very happy one, and in a few months was dissolved by a Divorce Court decree. Three years later, after touring with her sister in the provinces Miss Terry returned to Loudon and appeared at the Adelphi. There she met and married her second husband the actor, Wardoll, whose stage name was Kelly, by whom she had a son and daughter, Miss Ailsa Craig, and Mr Gordon Oraig, both of whom are well known on the stage to-day. Charles Wardell died 20 years ago.