The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-01-01
STORIES OF BERNHAROT.
The Wonderful Woman Who Is "Fin de
Steele" in Everything

Bernhardt's little scheme for apply
ing live snake to her barred breast IN
the death scene of Cleopatra. excites
:, laugh in the city which has become
quite used to being freshly fooled by
her on the production of each fresh
play. When Bernlardt puts her genius
1T the service of her charlatanry the
result is such glorious and unique
humbugging as only the boulevardS
could appreciate. but which they love
her for. Parisians will not soon for
ret how Bernhardt advertised one
piece by going to horse fair buying
two splendid horses for her son, re-
turning to Paris after midnight and
stabing the animals, for lack OF other
accommodations, in her magnificently
fitted studio. Next morning all Paris
was agog.
How could you allow such wanton
destruction~
"Ah," said the Bernhardt, her ewes
alight with maternal devotion. how
could | deny Maurice anything?"
Nor has Paris yet done talking of
how she posed as an angel at Maurice's
wedding, ray of light sifted through
stained glass falling softly on her up
lifted face as she knelt at the altar
wrapped in religious ecstasy. This
was almost as good an advertisement
as the news which not so very long
ago startled all France-Bernhard had
become insane. No, said monsieurs,
the journalists and dramatic critics.
YOU have deceived us too often; this
time we positively refuse to believe
one syllable. NJ. -. of Figaro. was
especially firm in his position. By the
great gods he had sworn, and he would
stand by his oath. that Bernhardt's
name should never again appear in
type which he controlled. But private
information came to him from sources
deemed incorruptible. and he was
brought to call on Bernhard to see
with his own eyes. In her boudoir,
with lights turned down, she kept him
waiting, and then bounced into the
apartment like one of her own tiger
cats and leaned against the mantel,
hair dishevelled, face haggard, feat
ures blank and unintelligent. fingers
trembling Her complexion was
ghastlv. her eyes wandering. Not a
word did she answer to his questions.
but mumbled to herself IN undertones.
After a little she dropped to the floor
and lay staring into the fire, babbling.
M. - was convinced. Next day he
came ont with lamentations Il great
light had gone out; Bernhardt had had
heE faults, but it would be long ere
they looked on her like again.
This was the moment for which
Bernhardt had been waiting. In two
hours a card from her was in every
newspaper Office in the city. She was
not insane; she could not imagine how
such canard started; her head had
never been clearer, as she hoped to
convince the public by her production
of --, in which she should open
the week following.
But none of her recent performances
have equallcd n somewhat earlier
achievement. There are gossips who
still laugh as they remember how,
after her marriage with Damala, the
rumor got about Paris that owing to
domestic duties, Bernhardt would be
unable TO finish her season. Fashion
writers who visited Worth discovered
that in good truth Bernhardt had or
dered complete outfit of new stage
dresses designed with the view of hid
ing Ser figure. II became the fashion
to 90 and see the actress in those
gowns. Bets were up rs to how many
hore nights she would play, when sud-
denly. without warning. rs the inter-
est reached its climax. the special
wardrobe was thrown aside. Bernhardt
laughed and Paris laughed with her as
it saw how well it had been fooled.
There is only one Bernhardt. She is
unique, unapproachable. But with
all her quackery Paris remembers to
her credit that she sincerely loved
Damala. She pulled him out of the
gutter, and, in spite of much, at the
end she incurred him. Letter to
Savannah NeWS.