The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-02-24
"CamiIIe" in n COnniptfon Fit.

in IA COnniptfon Fit
Sarah Bernhard IS q great actress;
at least we have heard 50 and read it ID
the voluminous criticisms of the New
York critics. We furthermore believe
it to be true. A lady who can be the
leading pensionaire of the Theatre
Francois must be a great actress. But
from what we saw of her last night we
would Judge that she is a very peeVish
star.
The curtain rose on the dlminutlve
stage of Temperance Hall at the APP
pointed hour. The house was a me
one; the most select we have seen III
this city. Mile. Bernhard had been
back of the stage since halfNpast SIX
o'clock. and had perpetrated some very
heavy Jokes about the beauty and mag
nitude of the dressing room, its da~
mask curtains, ITS Brussels carpets, its
marble bathroom, etc. Slowly but
perceptibly the persons around her
began to notice that Mademoiseille
.tdaSdt la mOue. or as we say in En-
glish; was working herself up into one
of her fantums. When she appeared
on the stage the audience Immediately
noticed that there was something
wrong. She never acknowledged their
reception. She began talking with a
rapidity and volubility that would have
shamed the potSSardeS Of Nine. Angot,
and when the supper was brought on
the stage the guylng started. From
that time it was plain to the more ex>
perienced in theatrical matters that
the play was to be a farce. The sight
of tie Lucullan feast which had been
spread for Mademoiselle. accustomed
to the menu OF the Maison Dorec,
didn't suit her. She giggled; she
laughed; she screamed; she could not
speak her lines, and finally she rushed
off the stage in q very unceremonlous
manner, leaving her guests at the sup
per table to wink expresslveiy at the
prompter to ring down the curtain
Bnt Mademoiselle had gone too far, and
the result was a very serious hysterlcal
fit. 1t came on suddenly. Her screams
could be heard a block away. Schles-
singers orchestre tried their best to
drown the shrieks by playing a "Barbe
Blue medley, but the music grated SO
on Mademoiselle's eals, that 1T had to
be stopped. The ladies got nervous.
Some one remarked Lets have that
scene on the stage" The ladies got
still more nervous; and the whole post
scenic performance was getting to be
tiresome, when DR.. HenstIs stepped ID
front of the curtain with MIR. Shaw,
and announced that the lady was too
i'll to appear. Mile. Bernhardt was
then really very ill, but she had
brought it on herself, and last night
after she was carried to her car, she was
III the weak and depressing condition
which generally follows such nervous
attacks.
We sympathize with Mr.. Abbey,
who felt the tiasc0 as much as the au
dience, and perhaps more so IN a Pc
cuuiary way. He has with him q
spoiled child, impregnated with the
deleterious Partisan incense, and liable
to fall to pieces at any time. So far
she has done very well, but constant
travelling and overwork have shattered
the a~rticulated skeleton with animated
eyes, He was the loser by her antics
last night. He did his best to keep
his faith with the public of Mobile,
and we appreciate his eudeavors.
The truth of the matter is, Temper
aLce Hall should never have been en-
Gagged for Mile. Bernhardt. If the
Theatre could not have been secured,
she should have passed on, and we
would have been spared some French
screams QaeiS cJiS!-MOGHe RegtSter.