The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-14
sARpou,s COUNTRY HOME.
Fanny Devenport's Impressions of the
Great French Dramatlst.

From the NetU York Times.
The home life Of Sardou, the Great French
| dramatst, is a subject of interest to all who
have admired his works, and no person is
better abeto describe it than Fanny Daven-
port, who has shared his hospitality and
whom no has chosen to interpret his works
IN this county, as he did Bernhard in
France. The American Cleopatra" is
never weary of talking about Sardou, whom
she regards as great master of the drama.
Speaking Of the author 10 a reporter yester-
day, Miss Davenport said:
"Of course, have had little opportunity
30 study him as a man, except when, at his
invitation, my husband and STAYED at his
country home in the environs of Paris a
short while-a favor that he rarely grants,
because the theater is like his business Office,
and his home is quite properly a retreat
from business and its associations The
house stands in the midst of magnificent
grounds. for Sardou is sensitive to every
thing beautiful, and he takes great pride in
the flowers and smooth lawns that Surround
his home The house itself is not I'M
usually large OF striking in appear
ance, but it Is artistic and quaint in
tts architecture. Sardou himself Impressed
me as man who, without egotism, is thor
| oughly conscious of his own abilities, and
controls them so we'll as to use them to the
very best advantage. No man who is
hailed by a nation as lie Maitre' of the
drama can be expected to show extreme
/ modesty, and Sardou certainly realizes his
| own value to the stage. He is a man of
average stature, talks with the usual Quick,
nervous volubility of the Frenchman, and
extends courteous hospitality to his
friends, for which his compatriots are
| noted.
''Sardou," continued the actress, "works
nI nall in II
| cozy library, with the usual shadowy
gloom about it that seems necessary to
awaken his genius. When writing play
he secures every book he can obtain that
has the slightest bearing in any way upon
the subject he has chosen, and he studies
them all before beginning to write. He
gave me Veritable monument OF books
treating Of the appearance and manner Of
Cleopatra, and the incidents of her life. He
has charming wife, a tall, 1.-the, graceful
woman, who was ailing when we paid our
visit, and three children. AS parent he
Is strict and somewhat brusque, but full of
love for his children. We were offered
during our stay some rare old wine, which
was made expressively for the royal palace
OF an adjoining monarch and which the
king had presented to Sardou.n
''One morning. Miss Davenport said,
1.-THE dramatist took from corner of the
library huge key. the hiding place of
which is secret Of the Sardou family, and
led US across the garden to an old rusty
door, set In massive stone-work. Fitting
the key into the door he opened it and led
US into wild growth Of shrubbery, long
grass and giant trees-a sort of woodland
that had apparently escaped the eye of
civilization for years. The place had quite
an extended area, and was surrounded by a
high stone wall. This wood, Sardou told
us, had once been the favorite hunting
ground of French royalty, and upon the ad-
vent of the republic had been decided to
him. A few wild animals were still there,
he said, but they were rare. We afterward
learned that no person but Sardou himself
eyer opened the gateway to this sacred
| cemetery of nature"
Sardou's writing, as shown in several
| letters to Miss Davenport, is so small as to
almost require magnifying glass to read
| it. The original French manuscript Of
Cleopatra" had few stage directions or
| suggestions for business and it is due to
Miss Davenport's abilities as a stage direc-
tor that her production of cleopatra" is
| SO full Of life and incident.