Telegram-herald., 1889-05-13


III BE- his last professional tour. have
frequently been applied % by those inter
esged Ia dramatic art, for such Information
a. | could furnish regarding him. am the
more ready 30 aecode 70 the request which
has been made 0f ne. More especially 50
a. have oeea somewhat amazed at some
recent and to me apparently uncalled for,
oaslaushts which have been made Ia the
public press on that national school OF
acting OF which he is eau safely say after
making allowances for nay hlisi paFJiAlty.
the most noted living exemplar IL has
been charged that the Italian stage con
tri.strd with that OF IT'S neig gbbor France.
exempiid-s the physical and drastic rather
than the intellectually subtle side Of his
tri0nic art. To al educated Italian such a
charge would appear 70 be due more 10
malice than ignorance. but l am perfectly
convinced that the latter state OF mind
alone wts responsible.
The fact that my father has been seen
here in certain parts Of Al heroic nature
the characters being ss II were seminar
barrie aud requiring tue display OF almost
barbaric force and the further fact that
the truthfulness OF bis art gives To his
creations the absolute havOr OF reality,
has. ridiculous As 10 may appear. given al
impression that the actor himself i a man
OF nasty and uncurbed temper. To those
who know him. 10 his son especially. such
an idea Is absolutely ludicrous. | can
conceive no human being possessed OF
greater tenderness or sweetness of disposi-
tiOn than my father or one whose temper
T. more absolutely under control Indeed,
have only seen him moved 10 forcible ex-
pressiOns Of anger when .onfronted with
evidences OF meanness, or lack OF rectitude
on the part OF anyone in whom he may
have rsposed faith. My father II a man,
too. OF peculiarly strict and precise notions
OF morality both social and commercial.
To him his word Is absolutely, and by no
figure OF speech. as his bond, and 10 any
contract be will adhere with scrupulous
fidelity, only on the other hand be cannot
understand that the party OF the other
part. As legal documents say, should not
do likewise aud any suspicion that he is
being unfairly dealt with causes him at
once % be up in arms against the offender
This preci,eness mingled with u loving
regard for habits and customs TO which he
euaes with true old-vorid conservatism
runs through his whole life and affects
even the ordering Of his household. Our
town house or palace As we call il, in
Florence, i conducted with the precision
O. clock work. Every morning Al the
stme hour the early cup of coffee Is served
70 each one IN the bed room. At the same
hour to q second the family assemble FOR
the dcICmer l0 fOuTchCtte and on the
srrOSe OF the clock dinner l. served every
dty and the servant lifts the cover from
the SOUP as the clock stri <eS. Even II my
father himself Is ate ,ve dO not walt for
him unless We would wish 70 incur his
spleasnre. Yet. 90 not mean 10 imply
that my father j. q martinez. In his house
hoid-7ulY that he i careful 'snd method
ical in MS ways OCCASIONALLY the ord er
o. things will be seriously disarransed.
This : when there il a guest. VI father
quietly aud unobtrusiv-ly finds ont THE
hours 20 which his visitor i accustomed
and then everything If necessary j. altered
- ss 90 suit the strangers habits. who
frequently never dreams tha- any differ
euce IL being made
In ais library and study the same love of
order prevails Not paper Is out OF its
place and ne can in an instant put bis
hand on any book or document he may re-
qI.re. He never destroys a letter bur files
it carefully away for future reference. and
am sure \ search through some 0f the
lsrger boxes iu waicn ne Se@ps his earlier
correspondence would r-sui5 in the dis
oavery of much valuab's aud interesting.
historical treasure trover.
In bis profrSsions. life my father exhibits
the same merhojicti and conservative
habits Of mind \ clever uut unScrupu-
us business s1.nt whom be had ouce rm-
4 1y-5 nut bad 3isu s-ed. sought to throw
r,ii-ul- on bin by reference ro the increi-
f,le AMI marvellous fact chat my father in
his contract iu-lsr-i ou having four new
v~tx candles every evening in hls tressi ~
rror-l and retained rhs uuhurnr PORTIONS ~
taem The first baif ~ this accusation /
have no doubt ia perfectly true aud per
haps che latter haif also This 10 not
know lt = the fashion in our country for
the dressing room % be - illuminated
ard my father having bean used 70 his
four wax candles every Zht would. / At
most thiuk. be uusoie % ret unless he p Al
first made un'' hv rhe accustomed iiGht.
Hfsfpxistancs on tbjs odd clause therefore
was thoroughly Characteristic q two
phases NJ bis cns-screr First his scrupu-
f4us nfcatv regarding ~ Agreements and
fsar 81 any loon-hole for controversy being
laft ooen. and secondly his inmate conssTv-
slisu, and devotion 81 the customs of a
lie time
T, other vsvs no This latter feeling
erons out Ny father ALWAYS PACKS and
,lrrscks his stage trunk himself. and ar
ranges his costumes he arrives a. the
theatre 'rir t.vo hcurs before the tims
SCI f,r tre rising of the currsin sud
le.srrelv begins hfs ure1s---ions for "a
evenings r1ake-un Although be gener
.iv has dresser In sttencencr ~
rarely makes u=e ~ arm hut prefers q
make HIS srsre t7i'ef uusss. -fel Darins
th- rsi-s between rhe acts and vaiie b
is urr on rrr stag. ~ laIsureiy puffs
su,e c zar which lasts hi7' s~s r1iie dar
iur he en- ~ evening. AfoHt tasse c.
gars. tso. rrere is guite a lie hlstorT
Nvfsther hss always smoked psrtic''-
La sort cf Italian cigar. vhich J mus
frankly svn is. ~ nv rrfvste optnion
ABOUT ths worst specimen II manu-
fsrrur-d to6scca n the world b thel
whst they may though. these are th'
ei-.sxSshak * llxes - sTaoxe. szd Tor feal