The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-03-11
sarah Rernhardt Growing Stout and
Looking Distract.

A Paris correspondent writes: ~ Ihefe mas
been a great deal about Sarah Bernhard, her latest
triumph in Fedora the sale Of her Jewels, the
debts In which she has become entangled, etc, but
far the change IN Sarah herself seems to have
mained unnoticed. l saw her in Fedora while
the exhibition of her diamonds taking place
the Hotel DrouOt, which may have had something to
do with the dfstrhhe manner Ia which She went
through the first acts, II Is quite cOmpfehenSi
BILE that she should by distrdte with the number OF
things preying upon her mind-the wonder is that
she can play part at all but the effect of trying
10 run with the hare and hunt with the hounds
Is already beginning 10 show itself. one OF shiah's
strong points, at least during her American ionr,
was the marvellous way In which she could hold the
attention of the public during the inactive portions
OF play. In certain parts of Dona Sol remember
she absolutely hlled the stage though often having
little more To do Inan to listen we'll But in the
queter scenes Of Fedora she shows an evident
want of Interest or preoccupation. Her eyes wander
all the house MS though she were wondering
whether the Ambigu, the theatre she manages In her
SON 8 name, were rs well filled as the Vaudeville.
- During the last Two acts the great tragrdienne,
she Is now generally acknowledged to be awakens
ana carries yOn away In the whrlwlnd OF her passion;
but after the curtain drops the first Impression returns
Intensified by the force Of contrast. Mlne Dainala
has changed as much In appearance hs she has III the
shades Of her acting. In the hrst place she eau no
longer lie held mp a, the paragon oI etereaizel hu-
nanlty, "a character to which her claim has always
heen somewhat exaggerated. She has really grown
quite plump and to me, at least, the alteration Is de-
cldedy for the worse. She has acquired look uf
maturity II one can 50 express i-a subtle something
that almost Banies desrripOn--a change one some
times upon the hrst glimpse of woman after
year or 50 OF absence. second look may show her
10 you almost she used TO be, but the impression Is
never 10 be forgotten, she has passed the border
line which she never return. Is II the de-
patuTe of Youth Is It footprint of sorrow and dlsap-
pointmenti
- Whatever II may be, the mysterious veil has fallen
upon sarah BuTnhaTdt, but so lightly that II may re-
main Invisible 10 the eyes OF the public for years TO
come. To sarah friends and admirers the mention
uf years seems almost paradOrlcal. No human being
eau stand tho strain size has put upon herself for long
While she Is playing Fedora, part requiring the
strongest mental and physical powers she rs anxious
aud harassed about the success of some play AZ the
Ambigu. she rs largely hampered by debts, aud her
domestic arrangements are said 10 ha somewhat
cOuded. Her husband having definitely left the stage
aud enlisted Ia Ghe French army, may, however put
au end 10 any storms In that quarter. NJ aud Alme.
nanaa married In haste, but they certainly have not
Tepented at leisure,
..I heard the other day that the appearance OF
sarahs hotel IN the Avenue dc NllieTs anything
but reassuTing ifsymbOCa OF her domestic life. 10
be- sure. II only Judged from the entrance aud
small TeeeptlOnrO rOOm but these arc generally pretty
fair samples Of the whole house. They were dirty aud
scrubby 10 degree the furniture aud hangings
looked though the slightest touch would bring out
clouds OF dust. An old hat sOied piece OF lace, to-
getheF with other miscellaneous articles, gave tho
room the look Of not yet having been made up. OF
genius cannot be expected 10 stOop 10 the de-
tails of every -day life, yet sensitive genius might
easily mud some gtOOp for IL. Al any rate this
cddTe sl0yenness aud confusion Is anything but
agreeable substitute for tbs blaze OF the fOOtghis
aud the peTieOtons Of all sorts fashioned by the mag
nation rs suitable home for this fayorlte OF the
Muses.