MISS ADA WARD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3182, 6 May 1909, Page 3

MISS ADA WARD.

STORY OF HER LIFE. SOME SIDELIGHTS ON THE STAGE. The famous actress-evangelist, Miss Ada Ward, who has been giving a series of lectures in Dunedin, and ' whose Dunedin season concluded last week, has in her repertoire two addressed which, no matter in what part of the civilised world they may be delivered, never fail to draw a crowd. One is called, "Can and Actress be a Christian?" the other is "The Story of My Life." The latter was given by Miss Ward in the Salvation Army Barracks, and the big hall was packed. The mayor presided. The evangelist (says the "Otago Daily Times") procpeded to sketch a career that has probably in all the sk continents few equals. Success and failure, mad joy and crushing sorrow, dissipation, excitement, happiness, lonliness, and finally conversion—all the best and worst of human emotions have been known by this remarkable woman, who now uses her extraordinary histrionic ability to make clear to others the lesson's taught by her strange and awful experiences. She was one of a family of six children, and for some reason or other she was not cared for as were the others. She was a strangely lonely, sensitive child, much given to reading and studying Shakesphere, and passionately fond of the theatre. As soon as she was old enough to be left by herself she used to make her way to the doors of the theatres and music halls, beg tickets, and sit for hours watching the stage. Then she was sent to France, to Paris, to a convent there, to be educated, and, being an apt pupil, she, in a few years' time, returned to England competent to take a post as governess. At home she found the same coldness towards her, j and she gladly accepted a position of nursery governess in London. She saw something of fashionable life, and having still a great liking for the stage she became very ambitious. She applied for a position in an amateur performance, and was engaged at 15s per week. She made the part a tremendous success, and soon was receivinhg £5 a week. From then Miss Ward never looked back, and was soon one of the bestknown and popular actresses of the day. And it was then that she began to drift into dissipation. She became the gayest of gay butterflies, the centre of a large crowd of adoring friends, the recipient of innumerable notes, bouquets, and flowers. Suppers, parties, races—all the temptations that assail a young, actress when first she appears as a success assailed her. She lived the life of an actress that was passionately fond of it. Then, one day when she had made for herseli a good position, she was introduced by her friends to an exceedingly handsome and wellcultured gentleman, apparently of great wealth, who gave her many expensive presents, paid her much attention and ultimately asked har to marry him. Believing she had reached the summit of her sinbition. she did. The honeymoon was spent in France, and than she returned with him to London ar/1 the stage—for she would hot give up her profession. Some time afterwards the j denouement came. She was to her i astonishment asked to pay a bill for jewellery given to her by her husband before they were married, and subsequently he confessed that he was a penniless adventurer, and that he expected her earnings as an actress to support, them both. For the sake of giving tnose an idea of the experiences she had undergone, Miss Ward said that that divorce was granted before she was 16 years of age. After that the young woman got together a company of her own, and began to tour Britain. She was successful from the first, and made much money.

Every form of excitement attract-1 ed Miss Ward, and she became a | regular visitor at Monte Carlo, and j a feverish" and inveterate gambler, i She lost enormous sums at the tables, and repeatedly was returned to England at the expense of the Prince of Monaco. Then, seeking fresh experiences, sh« extended her sphere of traveled visited Australia and America and other parts of the world, everywhere "drifting" into the most awful forms of excitement that ever a woman drifted into. Again she married, but her husband was killed at Kimberley, South A fric3 Finally the young actress returned to England, and began to study a new play, being then in retired apartments in Portsmouth. There she was induced to go to a Salvation Army meeting, and was converted to Christianity. It was her very first contact with religion, churches, praying, or anything appertaining to that aspect of life. She immediately cancelled all engagements possible, played, in accordance with one contract, for 12 nights in her new part (which the papers described as her greatest success), and then finally and absolutely left the theatre. For the last eight years Ada Ward's life has been devoted to the life of an evangelist, and she has travelled all over the world. It had been stated that she was to resume the life of an actress. This, of course, was not correct. She had been interviewed by a reporter, and had stated that she was returning to the stage. The reporter at once got excited, and asked permisson to publish it. He was so eager that she simply had not the heart to spoil his copy, and let the report go uncontradicted. It caused a great sensation, and she had received telegrams concerning it from all over the world. She intended to go back to the stage, not as an actress, but as an evangelist. ■ She intended to work among the London theatres. She wanted to reach the young girls from the pantomimes. "They are young and innocent, taken by the managers because of their beautiful faces and good figures. What does it mean to them?" For one person made better by reason of the stage there weve a thousand ruined. That was why she was "returning to the stage"—and she believed there was great opportunity for her there.