Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-04-11
MADAME MODJESkA'S TRIUMPH.
Her Own Account Of Her First Sue.
cess in this Country at san Fran
cisco.
Philadelphia Press.

cisco.
Philadelphia Press.
After a few months of country life I
got very tired of the corn and potatoes,
tie pigs and the chickens, and went up
10 San Francisco to see if | could not
get Il chance to resume my profession
III this country
'Iiow did yOu succeed?'
1T is very funny story" said the
distinguished actress, laughingly. land
| never look back to it now without
amusement. ! Lad friends there. but
they, like myself, were strangers to the
language you speak and to the people |
must approach. But had determined
to make trial. so l met Mr. John Me-
Culloush, and he was very kind and
gentlemanly. asked him to give me q
chance to play. He finally consented,
and decided l should play Ophelia in
Polish to Mr.. Booths Hai 'et in Eng
lish if lie could get his consent. When
he made the request to Mr.. Booth he
refused to play with me. He did not
know me. and probably thought | was
ali enthusiastic amateur, and not an
artist | could not speak the language
to convince him, and, therefore, got
no chance to play.
81 determined to learn English, AMI
| did. got teacher ut once and be-
gan learning the language as a boy
does the multiplication table. Istudicd
night and day. / would catch few
words and then repeat them over and
over again until | had them secure and
then kept on to get the pronunciation
right 1t did not take me great
willie, because L put my whole heart
and soul into the work. When l could
speak reasonably well, l learned to
read Adrienne Lecouvreur, and it was
only few months from the time | first
began 10 study English, before l went
to Mr.. Barton Hill, manager for Mr..
Mccullough, and asked for IL hearing.
He did not receive me very cordially,
for he probably thought was novice
who was stage-struck. | was so earnest
III my request, however, that he finally
said
Madame, if consent may | express
nay honest opinion toy you? May criti-
else you frankly"
|
"All L ask is that you will hear me"
1t was agreed that should come to the
theatre the next day. Can you imagine
anything moro dishcartening than APP
pearing for the first time to read the
lines of play in a theatre, with only
one man for an audience. and that one
a critic who starts out with the feeling
that you are consuming his time unneces-
sarily? This was my situation when L
reached the theatre in San Francisco
to read Adrienne to a doubling mana.
ger in language which l had
only just begun to learn. a chain
was sat upon the stage fol
me to speak to and Mr.. Hill sat in the
stalls. There were no admiring friends
in the seats, no other actors. no scenes,
no properties, no audience t. stimulate
and all me. Only the chair TO talk to
and the ose unsympathctic man to
Judge. l had, however, determined to
succeed. and with these dismal sur-
roundings l began reading the lines.
As proceeded i watched Mr.. Hill
carefully. soon noticed that had
Interested him, then he seemed aroused,
| uutt HHaiiy Elaue HIN cry. when
had finished said, What is my fate
Will you give mo an opening?' Not
only an opening said he warmly, but
weeks, and as many Of them as You
want
Mr.. Hill reported to Mr. Mccullough
Al, d he asked me to read the play again
and for him. The next day repeated
the same performance for Mr.. McCul-
Tough and Mr.. Hill that on the first day
l had given to Mr.. Hill alone. He was
very kind to me and spoke highly of my
advancement. They arranged at once
for my appearance, and l began in
Adrienne, Mr.. Mccullough appearing
with me. / was successful from the
start, and from that day to this have to
thank the American people for their
great kindness aud consideration. ]
have met with much success in this
country. This is the simple story OF
my beginning here in this country. O
course, l have learned much since my
first start. We never cease to learn in
this profession.