The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-06-23

fifty years ago. The author of it was
Lieut.. O'Brien, of the Eighth Infantry,
who died afterwards in Florida.
A Wonderful Baby Actress.
The Naples Qtaly) correspondent Of
the Philadelphia Press writes: There
has recently appeared at the Arena Ma
ziOnale- Theater, of Florence, one of the
most wondrous dramatic geniuses that
ever trod the stage. 1 speak of born
artistic, in the person of Comma Cuni-
berti, a child of five years. She is a
lovely creature, with q figure as ex-
quisitely beautiful as if it had been
nodded by Praxiteles, arms that rival
those of the Venus de Medicis, q grace
full head, eyes as bright as two stars, q
sweet mouth with pearl-white teeth, and
features that seem capable of every kind
of expression. Young as she is, her
voice is sympathetic, elastic and we'll
toned to an extraordinary degree. The
little angel, for she really seems a super
natural creation, is all grace and witch
cry. While she is provoking thunders
of applause and floral tributes in such
profusion that the stage is covered with
bouquets like great flower garden, she
herself is apparently unconscious of the
extent of her triumph. She enters into
her part with such natural zest that it
does notseem acting, and appears rather
the extemporaneOus utterance of her
own brain. Less artificial acting has
never been witnessed. Sheis altogether
a child of nature. She memories
rapidly, and retails whatever she has
acquired with tenacity that nothing
can disturb. She has, as it were, an in
tuitive perception of the character she
plays, and without aid or instruction she
develops it with marvellous correctness.
Undoubtedly, Comma is an instance
of the rarest precocity, but there is no
evidence of overstrained application to
produce extraordinary effects. She
walks the stage with as much ease and
freedom as if she had trod it all her life.
She talks, laughs, mimics, coquets,
makes love, and accepts the homage of
adorers as prettily as the most accom-
plished actress could do. She enjoys the
performance as much as the audience,
and forgets herself entirely in her part.
1t is difficult to distinguish between the
child and the actress. Off the stage she
is as guileless, as merry and playful as
other children of her age. Nothing
pleases her better than to romp and
sport with her little friends. She is, in
fact, apparently unconscious of her
power and endowments, and it is only
when studying her part that she be-
comes serious and reserved. All Flor
ence nightly focks to see her. The
performers at the other theaters 90 to
study her and learn from her. Poets
have written verses in her honor, and
the celebrated writer, Vittorio Bersezio,
has criticised her performances at length.
If she were Ristori herself, he could not
have spoken of her acting in more
terms. The journals seem to
have forgotten the Eastern question in
their enthusiastic admiration for this in
fantile prodigy of beauty and talent.
The wife of Salvini, the tragedian, made
her gift of a precious necklace, and
the Princess Royal Margherita express
ed her appreciation in a present of ex-
quisite beauty and of considerable val
ne. On the night of her benefit, verses
in her praise, printed on tinted and per-
fumed paper, were showered down
on the boxes from the upper
tiers in thousands of copies. |
All the elite of the ancient Tuscan CAPT. |
tai, the nobility and the professional
classes were present, each one seeming |
to vie with the other in the expression of |
his enthusiasm. Such scene, where q |
child of five years of age held one of the |
most refined and intellectual audiences |
that ever gathered within the walls of a
theatre spell-bound by the exhibition of |
her histriOnic talents, has never been
seen in any other country. Master Bar
~, the English youthful prodigy, was
Of another style, and not to be compared
in qualities of mind and character with
Comma. While she has brain she has
> good physique, and body and mind
seem to be fairly balanced, one against
The other. She is healthy child phys
cally and morally. Cavaliere Rossi,
he great tragedian, predicts for her q
splendid career, and that she will inn
prove with age until she becomes the
greatest actress the world has ever seen.
Little Comma has an ingenius ambition.
She plays now to please those most near
md dear to her, but she will soon love
% delight the great world, to feed on its
applause, and to fascinate it with her
developed genius. Heaven
mile on thee, little Comma! Thou art
low the joy of thy parents, the idol of
IN enraptured public, and hereafter, if
ny life is spared, the world will be fill
ID with thy fame.