The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-11
AN ACTRESS AT HOME.
How Queen of the Stage Passes the Sum
mer Holiday in Rural Seclusion.

How a Queen of the Stage Passes the Sum-
Holiday in Rural Seclusion.
Philadelphia Times.
''How do you pass the summer9' wrote an adj
mirer of Fannie Davenport to that favorite
actress. The question elected a prompt reply
from the lady, who in private life is Mrs. Edwin
Price from her beautiful country home near
Canton, among the Pennsylvania hills: I'm the
quiet of the glorious Fourth-for it's as silent as
the grave here-I am going to answer your ques-
ton You ask how ], who spend so much of my
life in the glare of the footlights, endure the
monotony of country life. Endure it! / revel
in it; but then find no monotony in it. Not
day nor an hour but has its own duty, its own
pleasures. Is it not strange the public think we
live differently from other people! Still the
curiosity in regard to lives at home u.s. l
think, compliment, for it means celebrity
abroad.
''Since coming to my home q few weeks ago,
have gone over my house from cellar to attic;
have hung some three hundred pictures; have
put up curtains; have put down carpets, washed
paints and secured windows in fact, | can think
Of nothing about house that have not done.
Now that have come forth from this chaos Of
furniture, china, pictures, tins. brica bac, etc,
what do | do!
''Well, rise at o'clock, and, after my bath
and coffee, go like true housewife into my
kitchen, into my pantry and larder, right what
is wrong and give my orders for market and
directions to the cook, together with the details
So familiar to every housekeeper. My fine china
and ornaments are my next care, and then de-
vote myself for couple of hours to my books. |
am taking an inventory of them for | pride my
self on my library, and think | have the finest
collection of books of any woman in the country.
| have chosen them myself, buying them grad
ually. have always had an ambition to own a
library, and when went on the stage | made
rule from the first of buying book week
Sometimes it was a complete set, more times it
was single volume. The foundation, however,
to my library was little book, wee Testament.
with the following inscription on the fy-leaf:
Miss Davenport From her parents, Septem-
Der s, 1865 There followed a Scrptural verse
The first book, or books, | ever bought was
Dickens, second hand set, for which paid, |
think, So This was the nucleus to my present
large collection Of books.
1--WE live here in true country fashion, dining
at o'clock, after which | study Il am busy now
on Lady Macbeth and Medean or write until
the sun begins to go down, and l am off for my
gallop over the hills, followed by my beautiful
deerhounds, which brought with me from San
my engagement there. They are mag
nifcent animals, named Frisco and
Scout. After tea, at Z another good, old-fash-
toned hour, | walk over to my mothers house.
a little distance from mine or the family come
TO spend the evening with me. We invariably
spend our evenings with music, cards or other
games. Our latest fancy is for progressive
euchre.' One night we play at mothers Mrs
Il. H. Davenport's) the next at Frank Mayos
whose country seat adjoins mothers; the next at
my home. My summer life is uneventful, but
so peaceful so happy!
Il have my horses. I call one Bill after Mr.
Sykes; another Peg, after Wellington Nancy
called for Mrs. Sykes. is a small terrier have
game cock. named 'Tharon and hog. named
'Bouncer,' after Mistress Bouncer, of Regular
Fix fame. And so holiday time passes pleas
antly, happily and oh. SO rapidly"