The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-02
THEY SET THE FASHION.
French Actresses Who are Looked
Up to for Their Style.
THEY ARE FULLY ABLE TO KEEP
Up Their ReputatIOn...Good Taste
Combined With Personal Attrac-
lions aud Their Prominence in the
Stage World, is Responsiblo..Bern-
hardt tho Most Conspicuous.

the women OF this earth who aspire TO
walk abroad clothed according to the
latest mandates Of the modiste must
look each year for hints upon the al
ways vital question Of costume. Worth
is the genius that creates; they are his
models, and all others are imitators.
Tho six or seven best dressed women in
Paris-that is enough. It means the
best dressed women in the world, and
that is why their pictures are presented
here. They are all actresses and are
constantly before the public, so that to
know what to wear no French woman
need 90 far for model, though as far
as that is concerned few French women
need models in the matter OF costume.
THE GREATEST ACTRESS OF ALL.
For the benefit Of the very few who
are not familiar with the story OF Bern
hardfs life it may be briefly said that
Sarah Bernhardt is OF Dutch-Fronch
parentaGe, born in Paris. She was edu-
Gated in a convent, from which she was
four times expelled for the trifles there
regarded as mortal SINS but such was
the singular charm Of the child that
after each expulsion the good Sisters
took her back again, and she eventually
graduated with many honors.
She then declared her Intention OF be-
coming a nun, "unless," she added, 81
am an actress"
The most interesting part OF her the
atrical career in the light OF her success
afterwards is that she played the part
of the Fairy Queen in La Biche aux
Bois," spectacular play OF the BLACK
Crook" order.
Like Rachel, Bernhard was consumed
by an inward fire. A restless, eager,
ail-pervading energy drove the woman
forward like an engine. She could not
fail, and she believed wholly and firmly
in herself At last her time came. In
the sphinx" she played part OF
suffering and iorgiying virtue, and in
the opinion OF the critics she was the
success OF the piece.
From that time till now her reputa.
ton has grown steadily, and now she is
the greatest living actress. When she
left the convent she hesitated between
being a nun or an actress. When she
was at last an actress she suddenly felt
that she had missed her vocation and
that abe was intended for q sculptor.
She took few lessons, and few years
ago colossal group Of hers, mother
with dead child in her arms, appeared
at an exhibition in Paris. She passes
all her days in her studio when she is
not rehearsing or galloping about on
horseback, and already, in spite OF her
SUCCESS as sculptor, che has turned
her restless intellect to the art OF paint
ing.
bert has been the reigniing sensation in
Paris, and vet she is only cafe chant
ant singer, but she is so respectable
cafe chantant singer that she ID quite
the fashion.
Yvette Guilbert's father was gam
bier who completely ruined himself and
left his widow with Yvette to support
The widow set up small dressmaEing
establishment, and Yvette, when she
was eighteen years old, acted as dummy
and tried on the dresses OF the custo-
mers. She also sat as model in the
studios OF various painters. At that
time none thought that Yvette was par
ticularly witty or pretty. She was sim
ply good-looking, well-made girl, but
there was within her strong feeling
that she was made for something better
than q painters model. She felt, as
the saying is, called" to the stage.
Something told her that she would sue
coed. That was three years ago.
AFA11uRE IN LIGHT OPERA.
After little preliminary training she
obtained an engagement at the Theatre
des Nouveautes and here she appeared
in several operettas; but nobody
thought anything Of her and she grew
tired of obscurity and tried the Theatre
des Varieties, but here she succeeded
no better, and after two years Of bitter
disappointment she went back to her
dressmaking Inundated and broken
hearted. Her ambition, though banked,
was simply smouldering, and one day
she resolved to try the sage again, and
this time it was the music hall. Here
she made an instant success and awoke
one morning 10 find herself famous.
Now she makes at least S., 900 year.
Two years ago she would have thought
herself lucky to be making $40 month.
Her beauty is unconventional. Her
eyes are soft and expressive, her mouth
delicate and full Of character, and her
hair rich auburn. Her voice has no
particular quality, but is full Of ex-
preston, and changes readily from
grave to gay. She sings almost as much
in private drawing-rooms as she does in
music halls. She sings in two halls a
night, however.
The chief secret Of Yvette Guilberps
success is the singular combination OF
dash and refinement with which she
sings the songs Of the streets.
OTTER LEADING ACTRESSES.
OF Jane Hading it may be said in the
first place that her real name is Jeanne
Hadingue, and that she was born in
Marseilles. Her father was an actor,
and from him sho obtained her histrio-
mic training. Her most successful part
was that Of Claire de Beaulieu. in the
"Maitre de FORCES" and in this sho has
made great success. Jane Hading Is
not,a genius like Bernhardt, but she is
an extremely clever, competent and
we'll trained actress, and beautiful
and gracious woman into the bargain.
The chicf attraction OF Jane Hard
ing lies in a radiancy which pervades
hor presence and q youthful dignity
which accompanies all her attitudes, in
the exquisite tone OF her voice and the
purity Of her pronunciation.
Among other PariAisn actresses who
set tho fashion because Of thoir taste
in dress and personal attractions are