Camille Clifford

(The Feilding Star [NZ] - 7th November, 1906)
THE GIBSON GIRL
INTERVIEW WITH MISS CLIFFORD

"The marriage bells will ring all night," said Miss Camille Clifford to a Hull reporter of the Daily Mail recently.

"Yes, dear, yes," whispered the Hon. Henry Lyndhurst Bruce, Lord Aberdare's heir, who had met her on her return from Christiania. Clasping her hand, he added, "Say on February 14th - say it."

Mr Bruce, who left King's Cross on a recent Saturday for Hull, adopted amusing expedients to escape observation. He had with him a tall, military-looking man, whose role was that of substitute. Both stayed at the Royal Station Hotel, Hull, and Mr Bruce registered as "Henry L. Beckett."

Mr Bruce impatiently awaited the arrival of the Wilson liner, which was somewhat delayed by fog. Aided by a friendly official, he managed to land his fiancee in sight, but not within reach, of a group of anxious journalists before the steamer was made fast. The captain, the officials of the Wilson Line, and Mr Bruce's ubiquitous 'substitute' all co-operated with Cupid, and the lovers spent an undisturbed hour in a quiet, but delightful little hotel, known as the "London," before the Daily Mail reporter intruded upon them.

Under the eyes of the waiting reporter, who was separated by an unbridged stream, the "Gibson Girl" was hurried into a cab and driven away. It was cleverly done.

MISS CLIFFORD'S CONFESSION.

After the Daily Mail reporter had waited at the London Hotel for half an hour, a cab-load of luggage was driven to the door, but before the cabman could unload it Mr Bruce came down and gave directions that it should be taken on to the Royal Station Hotel. "I can tell you nothing yet," he said to the Daily Mail reporter, "nothing yet," and he went upstairs again, three steps at a time, more eagerly than Romeo ascended to Juliet's balcony. In ten minutes, however, the Daily Mail reported was sent for, and found the lovers in a cosy little sitting room, chaperoned by Miss Cliffords maid. The clouds were swept aside.

"Shall I tell the Daily Mail readers that your engagement stands - that neither irate parent nor motor garage shall serve to break it?" was asked of Miss Clifford.

She laughed the laugh of charming embarrassment. "I scarcely know what to say. I don't want to say anything - it's almost as if you were proposing to me yourself."

Then the lover intervened in the manner of lovers, and the blushing girl replied, "Yes the bells will ring; but I don't know just when."

Looking upon Miss Clifford in all the grace and beauty of her girlhood, one could not wonder at the reckless fervour of Mr Bruce. Garbed in a softly clinging gown of grey, with here and there a sparkling but unobtrusive gem, a great picture-hat with drooping plumes surmounting her fair rippling hair, she made an attractive picture. Her manners are simple and unaffected. She has that "excellent thing in woman," a soft and gentle voice, and her intonation is that of a lady. Her journey from poverty to a prospective peerage has fitted her to be the companion of any lady in the land, and justifies the prediction of her lover: "If my father would only see her he would at once relent."

Mr Bruce, determined to avoid all further importunities, left with Miss Clifford, her maid, and his "substitute" at 8.5p.m., being due in London at three the next morning.

(San Antonio Light [USA] - 6th December, 1915)
How the Heroic End of Her Soldier Husband Has Transformed the Despised Wife Into the Petted Darling of Her Noble Father-in-law and Given Her the Social Position and Luxuries Denied Her While Her Husband Lived

Death has strangely completed the romance of Camille Clifford, the former American scrubwoman who became first the idol of beauty worshipping London and then the bride of the heir to a peerage.

When she was first engaged to the Hon. Henry Lyndhurst Bruce, son of Lord Aberdare, the latter was furious and opposed the match in the most bitter manner. Since then Camille Clifford has passed through every phase of social struggle, rehabilitation and reconciliation. The climax of this process has followed upon the heroic death of her husband in battle during the present war.

Over the bier of his heroic soldier son, old Lord Aberdare was finally reconciled to his beautiful American actress daughter-in-law. As he stood by the coffin of his oldest and once his favorite son, the proud peer lost all his pride and became simply a grieving father. It was really his pride in his handsome boy that made him so angry when that son took a wife not to hisliking. As he saw the grief-stricken widow he realized that her sorrow was not less than his own. He threw his arms around her and took her to his heart. Doubtless he told her that he admitted he had been wrong to put rank, wealth and social position before natural human feelings.

Old Lord Aberdare is now not only reconciled to his beautiful daughter-in-law, but finds her the chief comfort and support of his bereaved old age. The widowed Mrs. Lyndhurst Bruce has become one of the most dignified figures of London society. She is welcomed by princesses and duchesses to such social gatherings as the war permits. She is a prominent member of the various war relief organizations in which these social dignitaries are interested. In fact, she is one of the most distinguished and romantic figures of the British peerage.

Cast your eye over the picture of the beautiful, dignified, black-garbed British society leader and then turn back twenty years. A little Swedish peasant girl worked in the fields early and late, ate sparingly of simple food and grew strong. That was Camille Clifford. She was the daughter of a roving Danish sailor named Reynold Clifford, apparently of English descent. He was lost at sea a few years later.

Camille's mother died and she went to live with her aunt, Mrs. Franz Otterson, in Christiania, Norway. The Ottersons legally adopted the litte girl, only to make a household drudge of her. Strong and healthy, she could do the work of two ordinary servants - and could sing sweetly while doing it.

Learning of the girl's hard fate, a relative, who had become Mrs. Schilling, of Boston, sent money for her passage to America. When she found herself in the ill-smelling steerage of the ship it was like beginning life anew. She cast off the hated name of Otterson, which she associated only with drudgery, and insisted on being known as Camille Clifford.

The fresh, graceful beauty of little Camille caused Steward Nelson, a fatherly man, to take her out of the steerage and give her comfortable quarters in the second cabin. Then the captain fell under the spell of her childish charms and soon most of the first cabin passengers were in the same state. When she arrived at Boston she was taken to the home of Mrs. Schilling, who treated her like a daughter. But Camille could not endure idleness. She preferred going out to service. Reluctantly Mrs. Schilling consented, and Camille was promptly engaged as parlor maid by Mrs. Simon Carey, Jr., and taken to the Carey home at Falmouth, on Cape Cod.

While she went about her humble duties she could see gay parties passing along the road in automobiles. As she scrubbed the piazza steps of Mrs. Carey's Summer home did she dream that two or three years later she herself, fashionably dressed, would be gayly whirling along in one of those automobiles?

She developed an ambition for something more profitable than scrubbing doorsteps and doing general housework. She studied English until she lost all trace of her Swedish accent. For a while she was a seamstress. Then she was a salesgirl in a toy store. In January, 1903, came the grand transformation. She obtained a position as a chorus girl in "Morocco Bound," at the Park Theatre, Boston. After that she made a success in "The Prince of Pilsen," and with this company she went to London. There she became the chief beauty of the Gaiety company. The splendid figure she had acquired while hoeing potatoes and scrubbing floors made the other stage beauties seem artificial by contrast. So rich was her natural coloring that she needed no make-up.

A swarm of young peers and gilded youths besieged her with attentions and offers of marriage. For a time she kept them all at a respectful distance, but handsome young Henry Lyndhurst Bruce, son and heir of Lord Aberdare, won her heart. When Lord Aberdare angrily refused to consent to the marriage Miss Clifford deferred it in order to show him proper consideration. Finally the young heir overcame her hesitation and they were hastily married.

"Now we are going to have a scrubwoman peeress," was the spiteful comment of the ladies of the Aberdare family and circle. Young Bruce took his bride to see his father in the hope that her beauty would melt his heart. They arrived in an automobile rather late at night at the family seat, Duffryn Castle, Glamorganshire. The old nobleman came out into the baronial hall to meet his obstinate son. For a moment he could hardly speak with rage. Then he pointed his finger to the door and said: "Go, and take your music hall wife with you." After that he slammed the door.

Young Bruce was compelled to resign his commission in the army. In order to face married life without an income he bravely started out to make a living as an automobile salesman. Camille left the stage and devoted herself to being a model wife. The lordly salesman did not prove a brilliant success in business. His wife returned to the stage for a time, but the arrival of a little daughter compelled her to give this up once more. At this romantic point the couple began to suffer real distress. If Camille Clifford had dreamed of living in luxury as the bride of a future peer, she must have been bitterly disappointed.

After several years of struggle, some friends induced Lord Aberdare to relent somewhat. He began to be impressed by the modest bearing of the former actress. After a good deal of lecturing he gave the couple an allowance of £600 a year, sufficient to keep them in comfort, but they were by no means received back into full favor by aristocracy.

Then came the great war. Every man qualified to serve as an officer was eagerly accepted by the Government, and young Bruce, who had been compelled to leave the army through poverty, was appointed a captain in the Royal Scots' Regiment. His departure for the front brought his wife and his father nearer than they had ever been before. Captain Bruce served with distinction through the great battle of Ypres, the most sanguinary conflict of the war. At the very close he was shot dead while leading a charge on a German trench.

Death deprived Camille Clifford of the husband she loved dearly, but it gave her the social position which he had originally promised her.

Camille Clifford (1885-1971)

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