Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-01-02
MARY ANDERSON
This Foremost American Actress at
Home Again

Home Again
Mary Anderson IS again on her na
tive soil. New Workers are now listen
ing TO her nightly, and her London
triumphs are to lie repeated as usual on
this side Of the water. What a Won
derful career this woman has hadl
No better evidence Of the fact that
Mary Anderson is 4 born actress is
given than the following, related by her
mother:
\ distressing ami fatal accident had
occurred near their home one day TO a
builder or workman engaged on n house
in the immediate neighborhood; he had
fallen from the roof of the building 10
the pavement below and been killed
Mrs. Griffin and Mary, hearing the
cries in the street, rushed 10 tie front
window, and while the elder lady'5
heart was rent by the sight OF the un-
fortunate mans wife huTrying by She
was shocked to find that her usually
tender Hearted daughter was intent
only upon catching and initiating the
horror stricken expression on the poor
womanrs face. Miss Anderson was at
that time but 10 years Of age. Shortly
after this she made her first appearance
on the stage in Louisville
She is native of California and was
| born in Sacramento, July 2S, 1889 She
was taken to Louisville in lS6O, was
reared in the Roman Catholic faith,
and left school when she was II years
| of age. Miss Whittier says of Mary
| Anderson's life IN Louisville ut this
| time:
II was ut the time school girl and
Mary Anderson was 16 or II years OF
age. Her tall, 1.-the, slender figure,
/ lacking the roundnesS to make il beau
| tiful. and earnest face that wore an al
most moody expression OF studious alb
stractiOn, impressed me indelIbly when
| / first met her. On this occasion Pro
fessor Noble Butler had taken several
/ Of his pupils TO see his protege, this
Young girl who from having been a
student under him had gOne TO New
] York 10 be under the instruction or
/ Nandenhoff, and now had returned TO
/ Louisville for brief interval OF rest be-
| fore pursuing her studies further.
''She had amiably signiied her WILL
Ingness TO recite for US on any evening
| that Professor Butler should select for
| the visit, and with a good deal of in
/ terest we looked forward 10 hearing
| this phenomenon about whom he was
always talking. The house, which has
since become historical, was an old
/ tumble down looking structure, which,
/ notwithstanding the poverty Of its fur
| nishingS, had vet an air OF home like
comfort in the small front bed room
/ into which we were uShered. lremem-
| Der there was an open piano 1T which
Mary had been pracucins, and some
i thing was said about her possible inten-
| tion of ultimately going on the concert
stage; for ut this time her profession
was lot chosen, and the bud of her
genius which under pressure of circum-
stances was sOCn to burst into full flower
was still in embryo. She recited Col
linS' ode on the PASSIONS" " and 4 scene
from The Hunchback,' her mother
reading the corresponding parts IN tile
dialogue. She threw herself into The
Ode thoroughly, and l have never
heard il so well rendered; the graceful,
boyish figure swayed with passion as
her genius famed up. Her clear cut
features glOwed and her eyes shot fire
as she sounded, with her deep rich
voice, tie gamut of hatred, rage and
despair. When she had finished, her
little audience sat speechleSs with an
awe struck wonder, and / went home
wild with enthusiasm for this girl who
AlsAu UGH u sui VI LGNG4Al4OA 10
Two weeks later she made her debut
before 4 Louisville audience"
Mary Anderson's life in London is
perhaps the most interesting part of her
career rs an actress. She likes Lon
don, but declares that she will always
remain an American at heart. This is
somewhat inconsistent with the uncon-
tradicted statement that she has been
naturalized and is now British sub
ject. She has n private residence i'll
South Hampstead, about five miles
away from the theatre. There she
lives during her London engagements.
The house IS dark red brick modern
structure. From its windows nearly
all OF London can be seen on a clear
day lying below. 1t is in the midst of
ample grounds and is above the fog
line. The house is handsome, large
and well fitted. The hallway is very
broad, square and in dark oak, with a
| great fire place upon one side. All Of
the rooms on this floor open into the
hall.
One day Buffalo BIZ was Miss Ander-
sons guest. When her little brother
learned that this great western demi-
god was actually i'll the room and that
he was TO speak to him, his excitement
became intense. His face turned so
pale that his mother went to him,
frightened. She said: "What is the
matter with you, you little goose?
Your heart is beating like a trip-ham-
mer."
Miss Anderson is very faithful in her
work, and during her London lie she
thinks nothing of rehearsing from IL
till $3.50 and then going to the British
museum TO study. J. Ii. Barnes, who
played lngomar with her. relates that
on one occasion when they were rehears-
ing "lngomar," i'll one scene he gave
up his sword in the manner he had
learned, standing with his body sup
ported by the right leg in advance.
Miss Anderson" he says, ''in the
kindest way possible, suggested i
change. She thought Ingomar should
stand more erect. with his weight
thrown back on his left foot.
''Hou are more upright, you see,
she said. You stand firmer and are
altogether like man. Well, that wa:
hint. she said, picked up from n study
of one or two pieces OF sculpture at the
museum which she named. 1t shows
much thought aud care. 1 saw tht
value of the hint at once, and gladly
adopted it,"
1
| Not n Bad Test OF Faith.
| a plumber and an uDhOlSterer wer,