Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-07
MRS. LANGTRY.
THE Actress American Stories-Inter-
view with Lea her Clad Cowboy.

IN an elegant costume, which would prove
very trying TO a less beautiful complex
ion. 1t is a steel-gray brocade, with a
mysterious scarf-hke garnish of soft
cachemire of the identical shade. No
other color except her own hue of pale
ivory, and hair of blonde ceRdTee, is visi-
bic upon Mrs. Langtry, except little
cream-coiored Nalois collar and the tip
of a tiny black satin shoe embroidered
with gold. The attire is simplicity itself
as Mr.. Whistler would say, symphony
in gray. Under one splendidly moulded
arm the actress carries a purely white
English terrier with a suspicion of the
bulldog in his head and forelegs This
is Billy" a dog who came into his mis-
tress' possession by accident, and has
since been her constant companion. He
is Unfortunately furious in his desire to
ego for other four-fOoted beasts, be the
same mice, rats or cats. His great re-
Venge has stomach for them all.D Only
the other day he accompanied his mis-
tress TO the rehearsal of peril" and COM
ported himself diScreetly till nearly the
close OF the performance, when the stuffed
hare is produced. Then Billy when for
him, and wound up the rehearsal with
''mOst admired disorder"
y
can nation, Mrs. Langtry escheWed that
hotel life so dear to it, and travelled in her
own railway car, a lengthy and spacious
edIflce endowed with a regular suite of
apartments, and also with a French cook
and other necessary myrmidOns. This
saved, as she thought, much wear and
tear, and permitted the luxury of ''eating
your dinner while flying through the
country to keep the next engagement"
But plan which was the wonder of
America entailed, OF course, some slight
inconvenience at times. Servants born
in tue United States, OF who have resided
there for a short while, acquire habits ex-
tremely inconyenient to those who pay
and feed them. They have knack of
walking of when they think their days
work is done, and of not returning until
they deem fit. Hence Mrs. Langtry once
experienced a great fright from a ''cOw-
boy" 1t is fairly we'll known in this
country, or at least it ought to be, that
the heTdsmen, or Cowboys" as they are
locally called on the cattle ranches of
the far West, are objects of terror to the
less adventurous inhabitants of those re-
giOns. They live up in the mountains
and only at rare intervals come into the
more populated districts, where their
wild looks and wilder ways brighten jog
trot citizens Outof their prOpriety. Mrs.
Langtry had been taught to dread the
cowboy as an incaTnate fiend to be fed
from at all risks She confesses, how
ever, that his evil qualities appear to be
exaggerated. On one occasion, when her
servants had marched off to the grogge-
lies Of the ghDoring settlement, she
was quite alone in her car, when there
came timld ard tentative knock at the
door. She opened it at once, and there
stood one of the dreaded race, gigantic
leather-cladcowboy. His look was strange
and Wild, but his words were meek and
miad. Extending his huge right paw and
raising his hat with the other, he said:
II guess, madam, you are Mrs. Langtry.
We are right glad to see you in our part
of the country. There's some of us bows
who work up in the mountains who don't
see woman, let alone pretty one, above
0ncst or twice a year" Mrs. Langtry
made suitable reply, whereat the cow
boy grew holder, and said: "Mioht Jest
ask you, madam, to wave your handker-
CHIEF out of the window? You see that
ldHtle house down yonder2 Wal, there's a
gal lives there as Pm dead gone on, and !
kinder promised her | wCwld try and get
you to wave your handkerchief to her. If
you would do this it might help me Bit"
Like any true woman, Mrs. Langtry had
no objection TO advance the cowboys love
affairs, and waved her handkerchief ac-
cOrdingly in the direction indicated. He
was profusely grateful, but still not en-
tirefy happy. Il guess" he went on,
''you are a kind-hearted lady. Now,
would you jest give me bit Of old ribbon,
or a glove you have worn, or a torn hand
kerchief, to show to the boys around as
something that once belonged to yOu?7
There was nothing for it, Mrs Langtrv
confesses, but to give him a scrap of pink
ribbon, and then, after more thanks and
expressions of the devotion Of the entire
Territory, he stalked off. II would have
been very unlike her sex if the actress
had net looked through a window of her
car to see what the Western did. He was
seen in the centre of group of admiring
cowboys, holding the ribbon aloft and APP
pareBtfY also holding forth on his brilliant
and successful Interview.
Only on one occasion did Mrs. Laugtry
experience in the far West what would
locally be called a real rough time, and
then it was on the Pacific slope. At the
conclusion of a successful venture in
Frisco she was persuaded to run down
F., IN her car to place in the Yosemite
valley. and there met with an appalling
reception. Showers Of stones were hurled
at her car by a crowd of patriotic, uncul-
tured citizens, who "didn't want no for
eigners' to interfere with or fOrestall the
success Of the dramatic stars of the local
armament. AS grOans and misses filled
the air and stones ratified against the car
NiIN. LdugLTy lOOk6u AROUND LOT IcI UdlG
domestics with a very faint hope that
there might be one man among the three
There was not At the first volley the
French ceOk--to employ the language of
the cOuntry-had 'yamOOsed." At the
second the niger who did everybody's
work felt unequal to the job before him,
and also showed his long heels to the car.
AT the third the fOOtman bolted, and when
bis mistress looked for her body guard
she found herself alone with her maid, the
latter, Of course, imbecile with terror.
still the stones ratified against the car,
and the crowd, coming close up, rOarel
louder and louder. SO Mrs. Langtry took
u desperate resolution, and, throwing
open the door Of the car, faced the mob.
They were n little taken aback for the
moment, and dessted from throwing
stones, but presently set up another roar.
What do you wantp asked Mrs. Lang
try, in her clear musical resonant tones.
they did not seem able 10 exactly formu-
late their wants. but they yelled and
gr0aned. "Aren't you ashamed Of your
seiyesV asked Mrs. Langtry. "Why
don't you go home, all Of y0uY' This in
quiry gave them pause, and prominent
ruihan said, ave will if yOu'll give us a
drink" Mrs. Langtry was quite equal TO
the occasion. and said ~ will do moth
faN 4. A.