Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-21
sARA's SCHOOL DAYS.
Some Fresh Gossip About Bernhard.
Fcom the London Truth.

Feom the London Truth.
OF the school girl period of existence Of Rern.
hardt ] have been furnished with an account he
a lady who was her fellow pensionnoire at tho
Convent of the Sacre Ceur at Versailles. She
has never met Sara since she Quilted that
establishment. but preserves kindly recoIlec-
lion OF her. The future actress was lavish of
her pocket-money, of which she sometimes had
a good deal. There were other times when the
supply was scanty. Her mother. who often
visited her, was apparently the sport of fortune.
There were days when she came superbIy
dressed, and in magnificent equipage of her
own. On other occasions she looked the reverse
OF opuient and asked the Superior to
give her credit for anticipated expenses.
When the world went Ill with
Madame Bernhardt. sister of hers, who was
on terms of friendly intimacy with a fnancier.
paid the bills. She was fond OF her niece, and
used to say of her. ''Elle ira loin.' Sara was
studl0us by tits and starts, and learned rapidlv
At about the age Of fourteen she threw herself
with fervid zeal into devotional exercises, and
demanded to be baptised;; Her ecstatic piety
edited the nuns and the chaplain who prepared
her for that rite. She dreamt dreams and saw,
when praying In the chapel, celestial yisitants
" hat she most desired was to enter the sister,
hood OF NOtre Dame de Sion. But the ruin of
her annt's financial friend precluded her
from hoping for the dowry without
which she could not make VOW of
poverty in that community, as protested nun.
So she DETECTED from 1.-The steep and thorny
path TO Heaven and. on leaving the convent,
went to study dramatic art at the COnserva-
tore, Sara, at school. adopted two orphan
children, who we're good deal younger than
herself. frequently made them presents, looked
after them in the hours OF recreation, and
Taught them to dress their dolls. She was ha-
btuaiiy insOlent to some daughters of wealthy
houses tn do
anct for tOrmenting them with her sarcasms
AT the Sacre Cpur she manifested histriOnic
talent. Defamation was carefully taught there,
ana the feasts OF the church were often cele-
brated by theatrical performances
1t will thus be seen that the girl Sara was
I'D the NOrdsworthian sense. the mother of the
gifted actress who shines on the stage. paints.
sculpts, makes balloon ascensions, writes me-
mors invents new things in the way of adj
vertisements, is dominated by her emotions.
and contrives in making fortunes to remain
poor When Sara has funds at her disposal
money burns holes In her pockets. The cure Of
her parish knows that she gives away with q
free hand. and is not backward in applying to
her for subscriptions. He often visits her. and
trusts that she will finish her career In an edit
Tying manner. Her marriage with the heretical
Damala in an Anglican church was in his mind,
greater sin than any of those peches niqnons
which French actresses are so liable to commit
Sara, not yet being grandmother tries to
console herself for Danala's ingratitude by
making pet of Jean Richepin's child, a bright
eyed, curly-haired boy of three or four years
old. He is for the present her darling and her
toy, and she is modelling bust-likeness of
him.
Agood story illustrative Of her prodigality ia
now told. This winter young artist dropped
at noon into the studio Of Bastien Lepage. and
asked to be allowed to share his dsje2'er. "You
come at an unfortunate time" quoth the in
valided painter, 'for | have nothing to give
you but sardines and an omelette' The femme
dc neendge asked with what should she season
the dishI Fines herbes. or anything else YOU
IKE. When the omelette was served. the two
artists We're agreeably surprised to find that it
was full of truffies. On inquiry being made as
to their procenance the woman said: 'On my
way to the greengrocer's met Sara Bern.
hardt's cook with basket of truff1es on her
arm. She was on hearing that i was going to
look for seasoning for an omelette, kind enough
to make fair division. There are still enough
in the kitchen to stuff fowl "What do
truffles now cost?" MA toi! Asset chere. 20 fir.
pound for black, and 13 fir. tor grey Those
that are in the omelette are as black as my
shoe"