Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-22
MARY ANDERSON.
How the Queenly Girl Captured
Cincinnati.

Cor. NOV. 49, cOurier-Jeurnal.
Miss Anderson has been with us all
week, and, as a Kentucky production,
| propose to give her 9 special notice.
She began the week with good houses,
the first two nights not up to her aver.
age, but for tho remainder of the
week there was hardly room in the
Grand Operahouss for the people.
Her performances have given great
satisfaction, although there are still
many who seem TO take a special de-
light in ~critioiEing her. The number,
however, who say she stepped at
once to the zenith Of her power, and
has not advanced since her first
appearance. has greatly diminished, if
not disappeared entirely, for the
improvement in her acting is so no.
ticeable that only a blind man or a
chronic fault finder could not see it.
Last night was the browning glory Of
the week, when she appeared as Gala
tea. The audience was requested by
Manager Miles to remain for a few
moments after the last act, and when
the curtain went up after this wait"
a MAGNIFICENT floral emblem was dis
played from the stage. 1t consisted
OF a disc Of flowers eight feet in
diameter, from which rose a ladder of
camelias and rosebuds six or seven
feet in hight, with a beautiful star
surmounted by a crown at its summit,
indicative of Miss Anderson's career.
Ga the rounds Of the ladder were the
letters in blue immortelles MARY,
while across the disc was the name
Anderson in blue immortelles upon
white bouvardias. Below this were
the initials q. d. +. A. Cincinnati
Dramatic Festival Association in
white immortelles on red bouvardias.
The beautiful emblem was
the gift Of the Cincinnati Dramatic
Festival Association to Miss Ander
son, whom the gallant Col. Miles
designated as the Queen of the Fes-
tivsl and in the absence Of ex-Gov.
Il. 4. Noyes, who was to have made
the presentation speech, the Colonel
read a letter from Gen. Noyes, which
has already appeared in the Courier
Journal.
Round after round Of applause was
given as the curtain went down, aod
everybody felt in as good humor as
did the Louisville people last week
when the same fair girl was crowned
with laurels at their hands.
Friday afternoon | called on Mis-
Anderson with a mutual friend, moi
in a journalistic capacity, but as one
Kentuckihn would call upon another
She occupies a suite OF rooms at the
Burnett House, made famous by sucf
occupants as Jenny Lind, Sontag
Nelson aud many others of equal re
nown. The reception room is mum
bered 81, aud 81 has attained t
historical gre itness by its associations
The room is plainly but handsomely
finished and furnished, and is pleas
antly situated, overlooking ThirC
street. Books and pictures wcr,
scattered around,an open desk Uttered
with letters and papers, showing tina.
somebody worked there, occupied
place by a window; an opel
piano was over beyond
pleasant FIRE cracked in the hearth
and there was a general air Of cozi
ness and comfort. On the centeI
table, with other volumes, was tn,
copy of OscarW ilde's poems presented
by the author to Miss Anderson with
the now famous inscription, From 1
poet to 3 poemi' on the fly leaf are
the words, Miss Mary Anderson,
from her friend, Oscar Wilde, New
York" The book is aesthetic in ap
pearance, the leaves unbeveled and
the binding OF white linen, with a gilt
square in one corner Of the back.
Across this white surface are written
in an oscarwildesque hand the FIRST
mentioned legend. After a short wait
Mics Anderson came in and
vas prepared to be received in
all the cold intellectually and
hauteur ascribed to her BY the
critics, but | was most agreeably
impressed at her easy and cor.
dial manner, by which she
makes q visitor at once feel
welcome and at home. Louisville
people may admire Miss Anderson but
not more SO than she does them
During our conversation we touched
upon what the critics said Of her, and
she said she could not understand
why the papers Of Louisville, Cincin.
natl and st. Louis especially, would
persist in saying she could not inter
pref with sufficient warmth the love
passages Of her plays, and that she
should love somebody first 70 compre
bend the divine passion. / could moi
explain, and she went on to say thai
they didn't know whether she had
been in love or not, and should not
judge her by lack Of knowledge on
their part. | told her she might write
a card if she wished explaining the
situation, but she laughed merrily and
firmly declined. All in all the cal
was q charming one, and if the young
lady could be her real natural SELF on
the stage, | think there would be lee,
cayil at her lack Of feeling aud her 50
called hesrtlessness.