Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-26

An OLD ~ThespIan Talks Learn.
edly and Long ON the Arr.
p%hnaaoIph.n Tqme,.

the most e1ective n expressive sort
Of a kiss 10 bestow upon an ardent
lover on the stage. Love scenes,
said an old actor, yesterday, who 10
his young days was a famous "iuven-
lie, though they may seem so con.
genial, are recognized by actors and
actresses of ability as especially hard
10 portray, particularly before Ameri-
can audiences, who will not endure
them if they are at all mawkish or
gushing They require them to be
played by the actor with manly vigor
and strength, and by the actress with
a natural ~earnestness and grace. The
slightest impei lection, resulting from
lnexpeTience or awkvardness,
will mar the attempt and change the
tender wooing into a ridiculous farce.
The po Mt Of equipoise at which the
actor is required 10 maintain his de-
livery and movements is such a nice
one that it needs years OF experience
TO acquire the necessary tact. No
scenes are so carefully rehearsed as
these. |. will doubtless seem strange
to be told" continued the Thespian,
with a twinkle in his eye, that very
few people have anyidea how to en-
brace a woman gracefully and effee
lively. AT the first thought it would
appear that no instruction is necessary
to show a fellow how to put his arm
around a pretty girl and print a kiss
upon her lips. But let the amateur
stage lover try it before spectators and
he will be very likely to find himself
entangled in a train of delicate silk
that must neither be stepped on nor
stepped over; he will stagger under
the weight OF a healthy female whose
arms are clasped tightly about his
neck, and when she walks he will step
out with the wrong foot and the gait
will be anything but a graceful glide.
so the art of love making and the
art Of kissing" continued the old
stager, have been carefully studied
BY the leading actresses OF the day
and each OF them have their peculiar
methods Of meeting lips with lips.
Pretty Miss Nelson used to hang
about Romeo's neck with an ecstatic
abandon that was almost frantic at
times, and when the kiss came il
stayed a long while. Mrs. Langtry, it
is said, doesn't impress the spectator
with the idea that she wants to be
kissed, as she allows her leading man
to touch her lips respectfully, and
seems very i'll at ease while she is in
his arms. Miss Mary Anderson is
rather difficult to kiss nicely, because
she is too tall to nestle down upon
Mr.. Downing's broad chest. She
kisses in a good, straightforward way,
however, as though she isn't ashamed
OF it, and there is no nonsense about
the performance. It's in the part
and she does it, without putting
any very delicate touches to it.
Miss Catherine Lewis, whose
sprightly ways in opera boufe
win for her hosts of male admirers
in every city she visits, has evidently
given a great deal of thought to the
art. She wraps her arms about the
neck of her mock lover as if she
wanted to make them 60 twice arouad,
and when she is sure Of her grip she
gives a hungry snap, and then all is
still for a few seconds. Suddenly
there is a loud pop and the operation
is over. Her sister, Mrs. J%effreys
Lewis, is something like her, but
, more subdued. A favorite bit o.
| business Of hers is to have the lover
sit in a chair and she comes before
him. She walks cautiously around
, him first, as though she were watch
ing for a place to light on. With
, whrrl she falls on her knees anC
, bends backward over his right knee
tossing her arms about his neck anC
drawing his face close to hers. For {
/ moment she looks into his eyei
and then proceeds to business. The
/ kiss is long quiet and dreamy, anC
means whole volumes.
"Modjeska kisses in an intellectual.
fashion. She prefers to be kissed
. rather than to kiss, and her graceful.
movements make her an easy person
to act with. There is no u~Dnecessary
elutching and clawing to hold on t
her lover. She rests upon his bosom
in a picturesque way that is YER
pleasing to the eye. Lolita Just pecks
at a felloW's face and is liable to strike
anywhere between the eyes and chin
There is sjnmp and smack, and that's
all. 1t is the worst kind Of a kiss
because ii can't be anticipated and the
actor only realizes what it is when il
is all over. Clara Morris teeth have
been discolored and depleted by toe
much medicine, and her mouth is moi
an inviting one for this reason. There
is nothing girlish about her kisses
They are womanly and business like
%Janauschek has very little kissing tC
do, but she never t~arries over it Wher
it is to be done. She places hel
favors on the forehead in a materna'
way and does not appear to elicil
nor give much satisfaction
Sarah Jewett, the leading lady Of tn,
l Union Square Theater, is said to be
, stow a kiss as soft as velvet, and ha,
boone noted for the grace with whicl
she can pose within a pair of manly
, arms. Her scenes with Charles II
3 Thorne was always pretty because sh,
has about.the right relative hight t
s his. Maude 9raneer's kisses are gen
c orally bestowed with her head reclin
a ing languidly on the shoulder of heI
lover, and a magnificent pair Of arm
f, entwining him. Fannie Davenport il
g much too large for a man Of ordinar,
f, stature to look we'll with her in hi
t arms. She generally assumes the en-
t tire responsibility Of the kiss and it,!
Q a straight stand up performance. Alic,
3 Oates spreads her arms out wide anC
goes right for the objective point will
1 a will, aud the labial sound is nois,
= and indelicate. When the kissis givei
! a long-drawn sigh, a shake OF the heaC
and perhaps a backward kick indicate
. her delight. There was an alarmin,
uncertainty about Soldene's kisses
I which made it a toss up, whether tn,
, kisser would have to 20 on the insid,
, or remain out Of doors.
y
. New Ocean Steamship Line.
7 Nav Orieana Times lemnorat