The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-25
THE JERSEY LILY.
Her Treatment by the American Press as
Actress and Woman.

Interview in New York Herald.
When the manner of her treatment by the
press was alluded to Mrs. Langtry seemed
to become serious, but suddenly broke into
hearty laugh. There is no denying the
fact" said she, that there are many enter
prising gentlemen connected with the news
papers. l have more than once enjoyed the
luxury of reading a column or more of an
interview with myself not one word of
which l had uttered The last time, strange
to say, was in staid and proper Balti-
more 1 wouldn't mind it so much if
they did not make me say such silly, foolish
things In the last case, for instance, | go
into rapturous transports over the beautiful
ladies of Baltimore, and all sorts of silly
gush is put into my mouth. In one place |
am made to express desire to rush out be-
fore the footlightS and clasp some of them to
my heard No matter how much l might
think OF them, would not speak so absurdly
as that However" smiling pleasantly, I've
got quite used to it now"
You have been somewhat harshly criti-
cised by some OF the newspapers~ pursued
the reporter.
The smile disappeared. Mrs Langtry
paused moment before speaking When
she did speak it was earnestly and i'm
pressively.
Il have avoided responding to the COM
ments of the press" she said Possibly my
silence has been construed by some into an
acknowledgment of the justice of the criti-
cisms. 1t was simply sense of dignity that
restrained me. Then, TOO, reasoned that was
public character and liable to be attacked
not however, to have such cruel things
said Of me as have been said However, l
could have patiently endured it had alone
bQpD ed I do TO cav hat /
think the manner in which my sister-in-law,
Miss Langtry, has been spoken of is shame
full and unmanly to the last degree. 1t is
said that we quarreled and parted
because of the attentions she re-
ceived from gentleman. 1t is false.
1t was at my suggestion that she re-
manned at Toronto, where we both have
friends. 1t was agreed between us that she
was to return home because, in the first
place, she was homesick, and because speak
ing candidly, she did not like America The
gentleman to whose care | confided her was
an old and intimate friend of both. We
often visited his nome, and were on the
closest terms of friendship with his wife.
They came to New York to take the steamer;
| but, if you remember the City of Richmond
was disabled and they were compelled to
| remain here for few DAYS When [ came
| here, |, of course, visited them, and then il
| was said there had been reconciliation
| Oh, it was shameful, the way in which that
poor girl was malignedl For myself | will saw
| this, in conclusion" and Mrs. Langtry spoke
even more impressively. Il am eight and
| twenty years of age. Eight of those wears
were spent in London, where there are more
| temptations hundred fold than there are
| here. Do you suppose that after passing
! through the temptations of London life l
would come to America and abandon my
self to the wickedness charged against me? l
have spoken freely to the Herald-more free
1xr fhoT, / hnxT vat I,r-;H
ply this: The American press has treated
my histrionic efforts very generously. Aside
| from that some of the papers have spoken
very unkindly of me. l am woman and
defenseless. If they think it manly or Chi
Various to continue their attacks presume
it is their privilege to do So
THE NE YORK STYLE OF CRITICISM
William White in the 7 ibune.
Mrs. Langtry's acting last night in Galatea
made it evident that she has profted by ex-
perience. The imperson alton has greater
mental repose at a high pitch of excitement
than was evineed in either of her previous
efforts. If self-consciousness has not oeen
entirely subdued, at least the actress has
learned how neasureably to conceal it, Her
attitudes were graceful, her movements were
simple and free, her gestures were no longer
too numerous; her elocution was earnest
intelligent, valuable and generally melodious
but fora sing-song cadence in the passionate
speeches. Her handsome, spacious figure
well suited to antique drapery was impress
sively displayed, and bore with it an au-
| thentic dignity. And her execu-
ton of the part, while deficient
in the atiluent power of passion and
OF pathos, and not evenly sustained, was
clearly seen to be intelligent in purpose, and
as to the lighter elements of the character
its righteousness, its unconscious playful
ness, its mystifed perplexity and its pretty
and chidiike fundamentally adequate
and charming Mrs. Langtry's ideal OF Gala
tea is probably as distinct and correct as any
ideal of poetic abstraction can be that is
| formed without poetic intuition"