Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-13
SARAH" IN A NEW LIGHT.

One of Sarah Bernhardt's most marked
peculiarities is the manner IN which she Is
constantly, almost unconsciously, expert
menting with and studying her art, through
even the most trivial and insignificant H.
stances of daily life. Mrs. Siddons is said
to have ordered beefsteak with the air
OF tragedy queen, but Bernhardt avails
herself of every chance remark or action
to test her ideas of naturalness and vrais.
emblance, and to watch the effect of her
acting on Others For illustration, one
night, while she was stopping in London,
the hotel servant who responded to her
bell was astonished to behold the star start
suddenly as he opened the door, turn pale,
clutch chair for support, and whisper
hoarsely, though in very broken English,
of course "Great heavens 1t is he !
Quick Conceal yourselves in this cabi-
net !" followed by the hasty closing of a
closet door. If this had occurred at no.
tel in France the waiter would have
discreetly withdrawn. In this instance,
however, he reported the incident at the
office. and the proprietor at once proceeded
to enforce the proprieties. As the land
lord entered the suspected apartments the
star tripped smilingly towards him with
the native, fresh, girlish affection of six
teen-year old daughter. "Be seated, dear
father" she said. ou must, indeed, be
fatigued by your long walk from Rouen p
"W-h-a t?'' stammered the hotel-keeper.
The actress Immediately changed her man
ner to that of proud woman struggling
with rage and jealousy. " have sent for
you, NJ. lie Project, to denounce thief.
Yesterday I was robbed of a case of jewels,
and the criminal 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 !" gasped the host, who was now
convinced that ne was talking to a maniac.
81 thought there was man In here, but
[ see | was mis-" "Sh.s-s.s-h !" whis.
pered the star, with her finger on her lip
and an expression of stealthy horror that
made the listeners blood curdie. Do
you not hear his blood still drip on the
marble floor? He lies in the little cell yon-
der. Come, let US peep at him. Five
stilettos in his breast. How Venice will
shout in the morning." and she dragged
the trembling man to the wardrobe. Il
don't see any-anything," he faltered,
meditating how he could make running
start for the door. ''Ah !" she said, peer.
ing into his eyes with searching glance.
'Wouldst betray us, then, hare heart? Then
tbs thou alone shall fire the palace.
Quick here's thy torch. will guard the
postern, and the facile Sarah handed the
wretched man a match, and selling a prop.
erty dagger from the mantlepiece, placed
her back against the door. Now, if /
yell out suppose I'm a gone coon" said
the landlord, the preparation dripping
from his forehead. Just then his eye fell
upon the electric tire-alarm button. Ger
tainly, I'll fire the palace, he said aloud,
and lighting the match held it under the
indicator. The result was that in few
seconds the door was burst open, and a
porter with Babcock extinguisher dashed
into the room and almost squirted the
Bernhardt's head off The landlord es-
capped in the confusion, and was about
sending for a commissioner in lunacy, when
the manager appeared and explained mat
tiers. But up to the day the troupe LEFT
Hollingshead the landlord gave the ira
gedienne wide berth, and never even
heard her electric voice yelling over the
banisters for the chambermaid or more
towels, without shutting his eyes and shiv-
ering like dog swallowing bone.