St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-03
HOW BERNHARDT DRESSES.
She Wears Tights and No Extra
Gathers.

HOW BERNHARDT DRESSES.
She Wears Tights and No Extra
Gathers.
Toronto Mail
Nine. Bernhard uses very little make
up. She never wears wig save as
Cleopatra. where the heavy ornaments
would pull and destroy her own hair.
She never touches her eyebrows, which
are of the same reddish color as her
tresses. On her arms, neck and superb
shoulders she spreads a thick soft
cream brought-as all her cosmetiques
are-from Paris, and then powders
them freely. Her eyes are touched with
blue-black color, which increases their
almond shape, and she brushes her
cheeks, chin and even her nose with the
slightest touch of rouge, which she puts
thickly on her ears. She is much more
careful about her mouth, which she tints
with little brush dipped in carmine.
Between every act Bernhardt gaIgles
her throat with a preparation of her
own, and washes her hands to prevent
them from swelling. She has very
dainty hands and feet, and there Is no
longer any need TO muff1e up her neck
in those high collars made fashionable
by her. All the hollows are filled out,
and Bernhardt's figure is superb. She
wears no underSkirts, simply princess
undergarment of pink silk, sort of
combination garment, which fits closely
TO the figure, and is without neck or
sleeves. Over this the draperieS are ar
ranged with safety and jeweled pins; a
scarf or ceinture of diamonds and anne
thysts and sometimes Onlya wide ribbon
sash is wound tightly around the hips
never about the waist-and these cein-
lures define perfectly her 1.-THE, supple
figure.
81 never have worn the corset. 1t is
a mistake; see,;' and she threw her
arms over her head and bent and swayed
her sinuous form till one wondered at
the almost tigerish swiftness and grace
of the woman.
You never have your gowns decol-
lete, Nine. Sara?"
Non, do not like the decollete in
front, at the back 1t is diferent-but Oh
the stage the decollete-Quand on nou
tire la poGrine-is detestabe."
And truly her draperies are decollete
nearly down to her waist at the back,
showing her smooth white shoulder,
though In front her dress is modest as
that of young debutante-in fact,
more SO. Now and again member of
the company would drop in to consult
madame on his or her get-up. To Nine.
Vallot, who played the part of Count
eSS Olga, and who came into Bern
hardt'S dressing room to get au opinion
about her dress of silver-gray satin
trimmed with black crepe and lace,
Nine. Sara said: ''Ah! that is not right
it is too triste, too sad. 1t Is not
artistic-gray and white it should be.
al 70 nj
it with white; then you will look like a
soft gray cloud with white edges" To
young man in blond wig, who was
anxious about his eyebrows, the great
actress gave many directions. She
made him stand before the mirror at
her side and carefully pointed out to
him the manner in which he was to ar
range those brows and very speaking
eyes of his. He listened like child,
and recognized at once that madame's
artistic advice was just what he wanted
to make him an ideal lover.
All this time the big, gentle, Danish
hound lay under Bernhardt's dressing
table, while the silky Sykes slept in a
far corner. Madame takes these dogs
with her everywhere she goes. and has
special valet to take charge of them.
They are beauties. and adore Sarah.
When she was posing to-day for an
artist, the dogs stared up into her face
and Immediately posed. too.
In the third act of Fedora" Nine.
Bernhardt wears a gorgeous gown Of
pale blue satin, embroidered all over
with precious stones. turquoise, pearls
and amethysts. Over this is worn
redingote of delicate fawn-colored plush,
with long train, and ceinture of am
ethvsts and diamonds. Standing erect
before the glass Bernhardt raises her
arms swiftly. A few pins are taken
ont by the femme de chambre, and
the whole Shimmerlng mass of silk and
satin and jewels falls from the deli
cately voluptuous form, and madame
steps out in her fine silk stockings and
tight pink silk undergarment, and sur
veys herself carefully in the mirror.
Presently ''drapery" of pale green
crepe de chine, covered with priceless
point lace, is thrown over the 1.-THE fig
ure, few pins are djusted, and when
the call comes Bernhardt is always the
first to be ready, wrapped up in
coquettish little lace shawl.
In her dressing room you are talking
to bright, natural woman, who looks
at herself frequently in the glass, and
seems to admire her exquisite eyes and
red lips as she smiles and mods to her
mirrored image. On the stage all this
is forgotten. In the last terrible scene
in Fedora" where the unfortunate
woman poisons herself and dies in her
lovers arms, begging forgiveness in that
most pathetic and marvellous voice, 1t is
genius that reignS supreme. 1t Is Fee
dora, not Bernhardt, whom we see
Never, never can that death scene be
forgotten-the drawn face, livid with
horror, the eyes coal-black now and
blazing with fear, love, divine passion,
the hands crooked and thrust into the
carefully arranged hair, until the curls
are all disarranged, aud instead of nest
ling piquantly round the face are
pushed with nervous hands up above
the broad brow, to the utter disregard
of dress, ornaments or any of the feml-
nine trifles but moment before so
carefully adjusted. 1t is sublime! Its
genius! 1t is Bernhard at her greatest
and best!
When she returned to her dressing
room, pale, her eyes burning, her
mouth yet quivering with the passion
ate words of love and grief she had
spoken to her lover, was almost afraid
to speak. She pantedas she sank into
chair, while outside the audience
Numbered and roared plaudit upon
plaudit, and sang the "Marseillaise,"
and seemed as If they would tear down
the house to get at the woman who had
so convulSed them with the magnetism
of voice and eye and gesture.