The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-03
MEMOIRS OF SARAH BARNUM.
The Actresses Trip to America, and How She
Conducted Herself in This Country.
New York Special.


New York Special.
Sarah Barnum,7 Mile. Colombers book, the
publication of which in Paris produced the now
famous scene between the divine Sarah and the
author has reached New York. The following
extracts from the volume give the account of
Mile. Barnums trip to America and the descrip
ton of her death, with which the book closes:
''The female Barnum left London pitably
enough She had gathered harvest of glory.
She had herself largely advertised there, but
she had not gained any sympathy, and if she
had earned a good deal of money she had scat
tered it SO recklessly that she returned more en-
barrassed than ever. Arriving in Paris she
found a condition of affairs worse than feared.
Never in her life had she been in such a box.
1t was real disaster-in fact, worse than
tons showered down from all sides worse
than hail while friends deserted her
in manner to discourage the most
Indifferent the most philosophic of bohemians.
in fact, every conceivable misfortune befell her.
1t was generally believed that in quitting the
Theatre Franchise Sarah had hidden farewell to
the profession, Everything tumbled down on
her at once like shower of tiles, crash of
chimneys. There was no armOr which could
withstand such shock. She reproached herself
for having disguised the obscurity and the petty
miselies of her past life. Why, the present was
much worse. She compared the humiliatlng
forts of the great lordin hiding in order to avoid
payment of the draft or note for 800 francs per
emptorily demanded by his carriage maker OF
horse dealer That very day the actress had re
ceived notice of the protest of a note OF 81, 900
francs, and had dned at II o'clock in the evening,
because the grocer had refused to trust her ten
sous worth of cheese, and the butcher forty
sous We ii of outlets. SO why should
she not have welcomed the South American man
ager who came to propose to her a tour of his
country Parbleu, yes, she would 60. Mexican,
Gillian and Brazilian dollars alone could get her
out of heI trouble. She signed the contract,
eager to start at once. She was ready to pack
her trunk that night She forgot her former
promise, her signature given to the London man
ager, Even more, she also forgot the American
when the pushing Curry presented himself with
honeyed words. He did not make along Job of it.
A sheet of stamped paper guaranteeing the star
$500 francs performance besides her expenses,
a stroke of the pen, and, criccrac! it was done.
She was to leave in a month. The female Bar
mum signed her name with vigorous flourish,
which tore the paper. Her signature gotten, the
expedition was organized and company was
formed Annette, the stars sister, was
naturally picked out After Sarah, she was to
be the number one Of the South American
tour. Angel, our old acquaintance was also TO
be the number one among the gentlemen The
only thing left was to take the express for st.
Nazane and to get on the steamer Lafayette,
bound for Aspinwall, vl1garly called Colon.
Very pretty, indeed-On paper it looked very
pretty in Curry's letters!q Like most of his com
patriots the Snowman advanced money to every
body excepting the star. The latter was to
travel and live at her own expense until her ar
rival, or rather until the evening of her first
hibition. That's the way he expected to manage
her. In three days she would embark. Alas,
three times alas A last beam was to fall from
beneath her feet. Her sister Annette falls seri-
ously sick Here is the departure compromised!
She must have time to find some one who will
consent to take the place of the sick woman, and
above all who can do it, for she would have to
learn Ell route six or seven great parts
After her customary string of oaths Sarah
passed all her friends in review, and found-no
one. Suddenly she uttered aloud Eureka"
She recollected. There was Martha Colombier.
Her dear Martha. who always loved her in spite
of everythin She would say to her:
1T is a question of life or DEATH and to save
her Martha would once more devote herself to
her. The female Barnum told her AN engage
ment will be unnecessary: as you replace my sis
ter you will have her roles and her salary of
5000 francs a month Martha did not insist.
Had she not three years ago refused to go on a
tour in the United States with Maurice Grau, at
a salary of l,500 francs a month"; But now the
question was to save Sarah. We arrive at Mex
leo. The managers ut the request of the stars
agent, Chevilett, advertise enormously but the
female Barnum gains nothing by it except to be-
come phenomenon. People come to see her as
curiosity: My talent she says; is barely per
ceived These people are incapable of appreciat-
ing it, But then the receipts good, neverthe
less On account of the dollars the artist con-
soles herself for not being appauded according to
her desires. She cannot pardon her auditors for
not admiring her as woman. She must resign
herself to it.
Gin and whisky aid her She more and moro
aquiesces in the habit of induging in ardent
liquors. and becomes intoxicated every evening.
Cities and States successfully visited without
her pleasing any one, whatever his tastes Poor
Sarah, poor star! On account of the notoIiety
she has been counseed to lead an exemplary life,
but prudence soon Expresses her and she seeks
relief by renewing with Angel her old caprice
of the Parthenon."
The following is Mdlle. Colo"'Hier's deectable
description of the probable end of the great
French actress.
''One morning of the autumn of IS, people
read in the Oearsinger the following paragraph
DO people remember in this Paris, where fame
is as ephemeral as fashion, the celebration by
which was nauguarted six years ago the Pas
toral Folies Theater at that time called the
Sarah Barpum Theater! We remembered short
time since that Incompatible evening while
corting to their last home the remains of the
poor but great artist who was Sarah Barnum."
Here follow Il few lines devoted to the life and
of the departed up to the time of her fall.
I'VE can say now, respecting the true causes
of the death, that the female Barnum did
kill herself. Abandoned by the she
loved-a homely fellow, are told
the poor woman sought forgetfulness i'll drink.
Last Thursday she tried last step toward her
lover, and not having been able to win him back
she returned home in dispair. Sarah busted
herself in settling her affairs. She had not
awaited the expiration of the forty days grace
to send from America by cable the 80, 900 francs
necessary to save her house from being sold.
Durinp the rrst of the trim $50 900 more francs