Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-11-03
The Dramatic Skeleton as Seen
at Her Home.
pnrl. cor. n. \. pntriot.l

INllh kult Az ~ aAANAsA
The actress, looking something like
a thirteen-year-old boy in her flannel
suit, skips around the bust, blowing
water upon it from a nondescript ma
chine like a bellows then she ~installs
us in a corner rich with warmly col
ored carpets, brazen plates and bits of
tapestry, and the business of the inter
view is speedily transacted. She
speaks of her pictures which she will
take to America with her; and | can
not help drawing a picture in my mind
of her New York studio and the visi-
tors to it and the impressions that she
will create when she goes like a flash
of light from one corner to another,
or when she stands talking with both
hands thrust into the pockets of her
flannel jacket, and with the sunshine
playing hide and seek in her yellow
hair.
One thing which is vastly to her
credit is to be observed; she betrays
no stage faint in her speech; none of
the idotic slang in which some French
actresses delight to indulge, disfgures
her lips; her words are those of lady
and her euunciation is SO beautifully
distinct that, even when she talks
with great animation, every syllable
is easily heard. Her days are filed
with hard work, even when she is not
acting. She paints and models in clay
with as much energy as if she won
her bread by those arts. She is at
her toll long before nine in the morn
ing and manages to see dozens of peo-
pie daily. When the hour Of seven
arrives, her dinner is served and there
Is always a numerous company. The
actress flies among them, kissing one,
seolding another, talking seriously
with yet another, and giving every
minute or two half a dozen orders to
the patient faced elderly woman who
attends TO her innumerable commits
siOns- The outer door is guarded by
two servants who are always sure that
Madame is not at home" unless they
are confident that the visitor belongs
to the circle Of intimate acquaintance,
or comes on business.
The studio has been often enough
described 1t is a cheerful place, rich
in color, with tropical plants and large
pictures and Dusts and potteries, and
luxurious chairs aud cushions on
everyhand. Over the fireplace hangs
the great painting Of Sara herself, sit
ting on a sofa in a corner with yards
Of white robe trailing about her feet.
In one nook is a %cleyerly executed
portrait Of Emile de Girardin; here is
a screen, there a radiant group ofdrap-
cries; on a table a collection Of costly
presents from admirers; on the right a
staircase communicating with the up
per regions Of the house. Mademoi-
selle Sara skips up this fight of steps
as nimbly as if she were but sixteen;
she is admirable, felicitOus in gesture.
gait and manner, never losing a GER
tain natural dignity, which has a
charm. She is modest withal, not
disposed 20 speak ofhistrionic triumphs
nor to fish for compliments, as many
actresses do. She protests that she
knows nothing about business. She
had prepared a draft for a certain
sum of money, which was to be for.
warded 70 her London solicitor, and a
fearful and wonderful document il
certainly was. / doubt whether even
alawyer could have made anything OF
it.
Mademoiselle Bernhardt is sincerely
DESTROYS ~ofpleasing the American pub
lie, and has made most elaborate prep
arations for her tour. Thirty Of the
dresses which she will take over are
new, and some of them are magnif-
cent. She REGRETS very much that she
has not had the time to try the effect
of them before appearing in them il
the United States. She is very vel
pleased with the company which is t.
assist her, and means to do her best t
achieve a great artistic triumph dur.
ing. her campaign Of one hundred
nights.