Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-06
WRITTEN FOR THE D1srArcH.I

Lady Salisbury had called on Miss Ander-
son and spent two hours with the American
actress at the home of Baroness Won Hugel.
When the Prime Minister left he had Sc
| cured from Miss Anderson O promise that
she would 90 down to his country place tor
the latter part of September. 1t was an
incident of no particular Importance in one
way, but it showed the difference between
art in Europe and commerce in America.
| A woman whom the most stalwart, impos-
ing and important man in Great Britain,
and one of the three great powers in the
politics of the world, pays the most respect
ful sort of homage to, is absolutely driven
out of her own country by the scurrility OF
newspaper abuse, while Mrs. Leslie Garter
and the rest of her frowsy crewed creatures
of scandal have their beauty praised by
these newspapers and are photographed
from one end of the country to the other,
and pose as heroines.
HoNoRING ART IN ENGLAND.
do not know whether most people would
consider the Prime Minister OF Great
Britain more important person than the
President of the United States or not, but if
the President of the United States and Mrs.
Harrison should call upon an actress, it
would be considered rather startling thing.
Miss Anderso belong: to the most exact
ing and exhausting of professions, Dut it is
q profession nowadays, and the art of acting
has been so thoroughly, so universally re-
cognized and respected in the great art GEN.
tiers of Enrope that the prominence of this
American girl is far greater than people
here realize.
We have never had an actress in Ameri-
ca who in any sense entered society. The
fact that the woman has appeared on the
stage seems to be considered as bane to the
Goldfish aristocracy and og-killing nobility
of the -Four Hundred. The fact that she is
on the dramatic stage instead of the operatic
is an impenetrable barrier to social recog-
milton here. Take Mary Anderson again,
The extent of her social success in New
York has been an occasional reception by a
woman's society of sort OF semi-public
nature in Delmonico's. That IS all. The
good and decent people of New York have
left her as severely alone as they would a
leper. Why? She is good woman, beau
tiIul, gifted and generous. Her birth is
respectable and her personality is attractive.
Her genJIeness and religious devotion are
sincere and the outcome of refined and
beautiful nature. The most exclusive and
influential people of England have been
delighted to honor her. She has moved
and is now moving, in grade of society
there in which no other American woman
has ever found herself secure. 1t is no
wonder that she goes back there, after the
manner in which she has been treated here.
When Miss Anderson arrived in London
this year there was a considerable commo-
ton. The London newspapers had been
filled with cable dispatches from the Amer
ican asserting that Miss Anderson was in
sane, that she had utterly lost her reason,
and that her health was shattered. On the
arrival of the actress there was a tremen-
dous rush of visitors to her house. She was
stopping at a big mansion out toward
Hampstead Heath, with her devoted friend,
the Baroness Won Hugel, and 1 drove out
there on the day of her arrival. Just as
was entering the house William Black, the
novelist, came out. He told me Miss Ander-
son had decided to see no one else this day,
so that she might rest from her voyage, and
did not 60 in.
DENoUNCING sLANDERERS.
Mr.. Black and drove back to the heart
of London together, and ON the way
learned that he had spent nearly an hour
with Miss Anderson, and do not think I
ever listened to more eloquent denuncia-
tion of the world of liars than he gave in the
cab that afternoon. He told me that moth
ing in the world could be more absurd than
the allegations concerning the sanity of Miss
Anderson. She was worried and nervous,
and that was all. Her mental poise was as
absolutely perfect as it had always been.
This was the judgment of man who knew
Miss Anderson very we'll, for Mr. and Mrs.
Black are among her warm personal friends
in England. The other day, in talking
with Mr.. Henry E. Abbey, who has re-
Gently returned from Europe. he said:
"What on earth is the use of standing up
and denying silly rumor all day long. If
people wish to lie about Miss Anderson
suppose they will do it. 1 have done every
thing in my power to try and place the true
facts of the case before the public, but if
they will have sensations let them 60 ahead.
Miss Anderson is too invincible and serene
a figure to be moved in the slightest way by
this sort of talk now that her health has
come back to her. I saw her three times in
England before left, and during our talks
we entered into the most minute details of
business, made all the arrangements for the
coming season here, talked about the small
events of the tours, consumes, productions
and so on, and in ali these talks found Miss
Anderson to have the same keen-witted ideas
of business as of old. She was, in word, the
thoroughly balanced actress that L have
always known her to be. She had perfect
command OF every pointin question, and she
was no more insane than am 30 feet high.
What pleased me most about her was the
fact that the awful sting arising from the
abuse she received over here had departed
with her returning health. Since I left
London, one of my agents and member of
our firm have both arrived-the last one
within few days. They all report Miss
Anderson's health as being even more robust
than when saw her. Ali her scenery and
costumes are here, and time is booked for
the theaters next year commencing at the
Broadway Theater, in New York, for the
season of 1890 and 1891. We open her in
November. Miss Anderson overstrained
her physical powers, but she does not mean
to retire from the stage. She has chosen
America for her return Of her own free will.
was quite ready to bring her out for sea-
SON or two in England, where we have ex-
tensive connections now, but she preferred
this country"
WORKED BEYOND HER STRENGTH.
I mention this. because believe among