The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-03

From New York letter to the Albany journal
Let me show to you more comely
person who has varied aspects. Mod
jeska, the actress, has gone home to
Poland, and does not intend to return
for any performances in this country
next season. Therefore l shall not be
accused of injuriEg her business when
T describe her as facially ugly wom-
an, nor of helping it when / say that
her visage is beautiful. Those two
opposite assertions are true. Let me
specify. She is no longer young, as
can be readily descerned across the
footlights; and the many years of
NIGHTLY painting have CELEBRATED
whatever of bloom there may ever
have been in her complexion, which
is now salloW and llfeleSs. Great no.
bility is the chief characteristic of her
features, and it is when they are in
repose that, dull, eXpressionless, irreg-
ular and deep-lined, they constitute
an undeDiable ugliness. This aspect
is rarely presented to an audience, and
is only occasionally seen when she isn't
acting, for in conversation she usual
ly exercises her eyes, nose and mouth
with about equal industry. That i'm
parts the SprlghtlineSs and Vivacity
which change her from dull woman
to an exceedingly bright one. l have
observed her in complete self-occupa-
ton, when she at strangers glance
seemed fifty years old, and sour at
that; but in'an instant her features
would compose themselves into an ar
rangement quite different, merry lips
and eyes would take ten
years, a decade, from her age,
and at first utterance she
would come down to thirty. Alto
gether, a curious woman is ModjeSka.
You kooW about her as an actress, no
doubt, and probably admire her. In
social Intercourse she is remarkable
for culture and intellect; and she also
possesses that self-complacent esti-
mate of her own abilities without
which, suppose, no actress could at
tain much success. 1 met her a few
days ago in the studio of Frank Fowl
er, an artist, who had invited a COM
pany to see a portrait which he had
painted of her. If a lady in private
life had thus put her real face under
inspection alongside of a picture Of it,
she would be open to the charge OF.
immodesty; but it must be borne in
mind that Modjeska is accustomed to
publicity. AT all events, she amused
us immensely.
"The work isn't likeness at ALL"
remarked somebody, gazing at the
original and then at the painting.
'Zat ees true" the actress replied;
"see. zare ees nothing similar. Look
at lis BOTH We are not efen seesters."
There was more difference than be-
fore.
"But look at us now"
She took place close by the pic
ture, struck the attitude in which it
represented her, and, behold, the faces
were one in likene. s. She had readily
put her features into exactly the com
bination shown on the canvas. Sub
sequently l saw her give an odd exhi-
bition of an album full of her photo
graphs. There were over twenty rad
ically different views of her face,
ranging from grave to gay. She
made herself like each Of them at
viii.
81 do wonder which of these faces
is yours when you are asleep" said a
girl.
Not any auf dem, /" remarked Count
BoZenta, her husband.
1 ungallantly surmlsed that her
slubrous countenance was the old
and vacuous one which l have de-
scribed.