Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-06-16
How Sarah Studies.

One Of Sarah Bernhardt's most marked
peculiarities. says a correspondent, is the
manner in which she is constantly, al
most uuconsciously, experimenting with
and studying her art, though even the
most trivial and Insignificant incidents
of daily life. Mrs. Slddons is said to
have ordered besfsteak with the air of
a tragedy queen, but the Berndardt avails
herself of every chance remark or action
to test her ideas of naturalness and TO
watch the effect of her acting on Others.
For illustration, one night, while she was
stopping at Mobile, the hotel servant
who responded TO her bell was atonished
to behold her start suddenly as he open
ed the door, turn pale, clutch the chair
for support, and whisper hearsely, though
in very broken English of course: Great
heavens! 1t is he! Quick! conceal your
selves in this cabinet!" followed by a
hasty closing of closet door. If this
had occurred at hotel here, the waiter
would have discreetly withdrawn. In
this instance, however, he reported the
incident at the Office, and the proprietor
at once proceeded to inforce the propri-
eties. As the landlord entered the sus-
pected apartment the star tripped smil-
ingly towards him with the native, fresh,
girlish affection of 6 year old daught-
er.
BE seated, dear father, J." she said. You
must indeed be fatigued by your long
walk from Rouen."
What? stammered the hotsl-keeper.
The actress instantly changed her man
her to that of woman struggling with
rage and jealousy.
Il have sent for you, NJ. lie Perfect, to
denounce thief. Yesterday l was
robbed of case of jewels5an the Grim
inal is that woman !" and she actually
seemed to dilate in size as, with glaring
eyes and outstretched finger, she pointed
to dress lying upon the bed.
ga woman !" grasped the host, who
was now convinced that he was talking
to maniac. Il thought there was a
man in here, but see I was mis-
'Sh-s-s-s-h " whispered the star, with
her finger on her lips and an expression
of stealthy horror that made the listeners
blood curdle. do you not hear his
blood still drip on the marble floor? He
lies in he little cell yonder. Come let
us peep at him. Five stilettos in his
breast. How Venice will shout in the
morning, andlshe dragged the tremb-
ling man to the wardrobe.
4 don't see any-anything, he sfalter-
ed, meditating how he could NAKED a
running start for the door.
'Ah! she said peering into his eyes
with searching glance. 'Wouldst be-
tray us, then, have heart?' Then tits
thou alone shall fire the palace. Quick;
here's thy torch And the facile Sarah
handed the wretched man a match. and
seizing a property dagger from the
mantelpiece, placed her back against tn e
door.
Now if I yell out suppose I'm gone
coon, said the landlord, the perspiration
dripping from his forehead. This crazy
billiard cue will slice me all up Just
then his eye fell upon sthe electric sfre
button. VI L. ID yssi ...sa..s,-
Certainly, I'll fire the palace he said
aloud, and, lighting the match, he laid
it under the indicator.
The result was that, in few seconds.
the door was burst open, and a porter
with Babcock extinguisher dashed in
to the room and almost squirted tn e
Bernhardt's head off. The landlord
escaped in the confusion, and was about
sending for a commissioner in lunacy,
when Manager Abbey appeared and ex-
planned matters. But up to the day the
troupe leftsMobile the landlordigave the
tragedienne wide berth, and never
even heard her electric voice yelling
over the banisters for the chambermaid.
or more towels, without shutting his
eyes and shivering like a dog swallowing
a bone.