Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-07-21
THE EVENING STAR.
sara Bernhard and Mrs. Langtry as
a FAIR

q Fair
MT. Smalley, the London correspondent OF the
n. \. Tribune, sends to that paper a lively de-
scrfption OF the grand fair at Albert Hall, Or
gained by French residents OF London In aid
or the French hospital. In this he gives the
following particulars OF the appearance OF the
two most famous women Of the day, sara BerC-
t naa1,, me french actress, and Mrs. Langtry,
"At the extreme end were three stalls which
9lSplayed no individual name, but were all la
wanted to go TO these or not, you were borne
lrresistibly thither by the tide OF humanity
which set steadily from the entrance OF the hail
onward past the booths OF arstocratic blazonry,
and straight to the central stall OF the French
company. You know already who was I'm It,
You have read enough OF the passion OF Lon.
don for one woman during these last few weeks
to guess that the pfieStesS OF this altar can be
no other than Mile. Sara Bernhard Early as
1t Is, you must bide your time before you can
get near enough to the shrine TO make any per-
Sonal offerings In your own behalf. There are
men and women In the crowd, but the women
far outnumber the men: and this is not the
first time that female curiosity has
with the 70 sreaa ac Gee ana
extraordinary woman whose name nils
everyb0dy's mouth. Her costume alone f.
enough to excite feminine enthusiasm. Al
creamy white, from the hat which you can see
10 the diminutive satin slippers which are Wis,
ole 10 the eye OF the imagination; With Cloud
OF priceless lace about her throat, and sheen
OF Silk over shoulders and waist fitting Ike
skin. l don't presume to offer NV own Opinion
On such mysteries. / am only repeating, In a
mcdlneo aud sober way, some OF the eulogies |
makers art by ladies who are themselves the
living witnesses OF a skill not much inferior
ana SO presumably good judges ON the LEFT
snoulder Tie creamy white deepened into the
pare fe1oW or rare roses and over the hands
ana arms were drawn gloves OF the same hue
wTlDk!ed above the wrists In limp folds OF vel
low Kid hanging as loosely as a cavaliers boots
In the olden times, before SPANS chivalry was
laughed away. The ashen blond hair seemed
only deeper shade Of the tone which made the
whole igue a harmony of pure color, to
WHICH The only contrasts were the mink
cheeks, which flushed and faded from minute TO
minute, and eyes OF steel-blue which flashed fire
beneath deeply shaded lashes. Nile. Sara
Bernhard possesses the art OF conversing with
dozen people at once, and none the less keep
Ing sharp lookout for business as the talk
goes on. She Is acting all the time," said one
fair critic with spice OF bitterness. II she had
said actress all the time, she would not have
been far wrong, for Mile. Bernhardt never forgot
that she was there to entrance and cajole her
customers just as on the stage she is there
beguile them into wonder and unwontei
emotion. She had wares OF many kinds to
sell; fans painted by herself to be bought for
fabulous prices; reduced copy OF her own
bust OF NJ. de Girardin; japanese bronzes
life and from n. BasIien lie Pages portrait,
lately the most admired picture OF the Salon
In Paris masterpiece Of portraiture aad
likeness OF character as well as of feature
and form. 1t did not much matter what
she sold; people were ready to buy because she
was the seller, and when she delgned to add her
autograph TO fan, or photograph, the gra-
cious air with which she handled the pen dol-
bled the price Of the commodity, and the dazed
Briton paid his guinea instead OF 10 shillings
Tor bit OF card board possessing an intrinS
value OF two pence; then marching off proud y
with his treasure and melting others TO 60 and
do likewise. All the afternoon till long past 6,
the nominal hour for closing, this merchandise
went on. To the last, Mile Bernhardt-or, as
her comrades, who bear her none too mucn
love, call her, Mile. Sara-continued dispensing
smiles and subtle gesture and all the Infinite
variety OF destinations belonging to q gifted
and beautiful woman which highland which
always did-enSnare the wary and unwary
buyer alike.
When Royalty arrived, it did as the rest OF
the world had been doing-made first for the
French bazaar. 1 did not happen to see the
Princes and PrincesSeS make their descent into
the arena, being on duty for the moment else
where. But all their goings and comings are
papers. They kept their word better than kings
and kings sons and daughters are expected to
keep 1t. The Prince and Princess OF Wales, the
Duke and Duchess Of Edinburgh, the Duke and
Crown Prince Of Sweden were all there and all
came down from their boxes to mingle In the
throng which blocked up the bazaar. The
Prince bought cage OF white kittens from
Mile. Bernhardt for the Princess, signed pho
tograph, fan, and know not what else-leav-
Ing behind him, as one journal records In a
note ofIbreathleSS awe, a handful of bank notes
in exchange. heard from Mile. Bernhardt that
she had asked him two gutneaS for the photo
graph, and that he chose to pay f1ve- pound
tote for lie.
When you once committed yourself to the
current ard took your chance with the ooZlag
crowd In the narrow a1sleS between the booths,
the temptations which beSet you were not
fewer, nor the temptresseS less enterprising.
At every turn some great lady, some young
daughter OF noble house, some beauty CT
fashion, lay In wait for you. You might nil
your pockets with cigars from Mrs. CORVALLIS
West at Shilling apiece (Which meant half q
crown or half guinea, according to ctrcum-
stances), or with roses which Mrs. Wheeler
ofered you for whatever you liked to give.
Mrs. LangtIy contented herself with a sta
tionary post. In her light straw hat
and brocade dress she stood patiently
at the receipt OF custom, surrounded by
admirers, and rivallng the attractions OF
just been describing. In the glare OF light
which streamed through countless windows
the Incompatible delicacy of this lady'S beauty
was more surprising than ever. There were
plenty OF others, some Of them who have be-
come famous more lately, some perhaps with
the advantage OF a year or two In age, but Mrs.
Langtry's empire has not yet been shaken. She
may be, suppose, some four and twenty years
OF age. There are dozen whom have not
mentioned, but 1t is quite time TO stop. The
total receipts are reckoned for the day at
$4,000 and another day is to come"
TURNING SAHARA INTO LAKK-It seems that
the conversion OF the Desert OF Sahara into an
inland sea might not after all be so much OF a