The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-11-17
MILE SER ARD
sara the Ernaciated Arrives I'm rev
YORK. and IL Royalty welcome
by aEae G~OahaHnztes

Rlackbird which brought the desired Sara,
steamed into the Harbor of New YORK, and
some fifty or sixty gentlemen went down the
Bay to meet her and to welcome her 70 the
soil OF America. They boarded the steam
shin before she had completed her toilet, ana
took possession Of the nearly deserted main
saloon. There was, heWever, on the Tar
side Of the room, seated entirely alone at the
table, an elderly lady dressed in deep mourn
ing. She wore a plain, black bomoazlne
dress. A Grape veil was thrown back from
her pale wrinkled face She had finished her
breakfast before Mile Bernhardts admirers
entered the saloon. AS she arose to leave,
the band, with a flare of trumpets. filed in.
Quite dazed and bewildered by the din and
confusion, she paused and stood with her
hand resting upon the back Of the chair from
which she had risen. A moment later the
crimson curtain was drawn aside, and Mile
Bernhardt, enveloped in sealskin and smiles,
stood in the doorway Of the saloon. Forty
champagne glasses were instantly lifted over
the heads of as many persons, and the band
blew itself quite red in the face in a struggle
with the s'Star Spangled Banner Seeing 3
quiet way Of escape open to her, the elderly
lady in black MRS. Abraham Lincoln) went
out Of the door as Mile Bernhardt, loosing
the sealskin rope which extended to her feet
and decking her face in fresh smiles, entered
the other. A seat was made at the head Of
one of the tables for the Frenchwoman, and,
with q sweeping courtesy, she sank gracefully
down upon it. Under the arched, protruding
headdress was a very attractive face, while
from behind it hoated out a little cloud Of
curly hair in a color between light brown and
golden. Her face is long but wears no trace
Of that pinched expression made familiar by
the photographs that have found their way to
this side of the ocean. She has large gray
eyes, a nose barely suggestive of her Hebrew
origin, a large mouth, which, when open,
discloses a fine set of teeth, a we'll rounded
chin, small ears, cheeks, though not plump,
well filled out, and q small white throat.
Her voice is musical and sympathetic. There
had been transferred from the Blackbird to
the ship an elegant porcelain plaque around
which was an immense wreath Of flowers,
which NJ. MERCER proceeded to present to the
actress in a little speech. It was q wreath
surrounding and having for its background
a porcelain plaque. It was big, it was sweet
anu tri-colored. 1t was in every body's way.
Mile Bernhard being fanally seated, N. Mer-
cier arose with this gigantic trophy in his
arms and said:
ssMADAM: We come in the name Of the
Cercle Artistique Francisa Of New York to
welcome you to America. We thought it be-
came the artists, your countrymen 1--WE dare
not say your colleagues, but most certainly
your friends), to be among the first, if not
the first, to greet you and say, You are
welcome. You have endeared yourself to
Us By your generosity to the suffering. We
are proud of you, for you are one Of the
lights Of our country. To see you is
to admire you. 1t remains for us now to ex-
press the sincere wish that you may be happy
in this country, where you are impatiently
expected. Once again we welcome you, and
beg you toaccept these flowers, to which one
of our members has added q souvenir which
we hope you will keep IN remembrance
of the respect and homage that we have the
agreeable mission Of Offering you"
The lady received the present with many
pretty anectations Of establishment and de-
light, and then, rising, spoke q few words in
French, Of which the following is a literal
translation:
"GENTLEMEN: I am greatly moved at the
reception that I find among you; 50 much 50
| can but express my thanks. All that
can do Is to assure you that Twill do all that
I can to justify the enthusiasm you have
shown ne, and 7 believe will succeed. !
had prepared a very nice phrase to address
you, but I am too much moved. Thanks!
Thanks"
.sHow pleasant it is" said she, after q long
sigh, ito be able to be On ones feet once
more. just to think, / have been ten days
il my berth, unable to rise. Oh, no; I am
not a coward. I am more courageous than
Mile. Marimon was; but 1 am tired. | was
not afraid to leave Havre (Which By the way
| left in tears). It is one of those scenes
which never will be obliterated from ones
memory"
The affection which I nave for the Ameri-
cans encourages me. / know the Americans
50 ~ ..r .Ma Z# s0##@ AZ