Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-12
GOSSIP PROM NEW YORK.
Mr.. Eugene Kelly. Jr.'s, Dinner rsHy-A
Young California Actress Career.
Corrs<Don Asnca of Ths Evening Star

Mr.. Eugene Kelly, Jr.'s, Dinner Fany-A
Young California Actress Career.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 1882.
AT the dinner given q few days ago by Mr.
and Mrs. Eugene Kelly, jr., at Edgar Cottage,
Newport, to celebrate Mr.. Kellys appointment
as chamberlain to His Holiness Leo Kill
there was notable gathering Of distinguished
Catholics. The party included, besides the
host and hostess, LIE Oonte Maurice de Mauny,
the Marquis de Savaedra. attachet to the Spanish
legation; Miss Csld well, who was at one time
atianoed to Prince Murat and who has the distinc-
tion Of being the only woman in the world ex-
cept the Queen of Spain whom the pope has
decorated with the golden rose, and brioet
young California actress Miss Kathlynne stsun-
ton-Heron, who is the only surviving relative
Of the famous Archbishop MscHale, "ths
Lion Of the Fold Of Judah"
Miss Kathlynne staunton-Heron is very
pretty young woman who began IN exception
ably brilliant theatrical career some few years
ago in San Francisco. Cal, her native city, but
has been prevented from acting for two years
by dangerous illness from which she is but
lately recovering.
The beginning of Miss Heron's career reads
like romance. Her friends believing she had
great talent" besought Mime Modjeska to hear
her read. The gentle Modjeska had been asked
hopeful friends of aspiring young women and
firmly refused to hear Miss Heron.
One day a knock at her parlor door in the
Palace Hotel interrupted a chat Modjeska was
having with an old-time friend.
To the invitation to come in q pretty young
girl, below the medium height, entered. She
looked scarcely moro than q child, Is she wore
her heavy dark hair In a braid down her back.
and her lovely blue Irish eyes with their long
black lashes, had the appealing look Of a child
in them Is she said breathlessly:
Dear Iadame Modjeska, l am Kathlynne
staunton Heron, and I've come to ask you to
hear me read, just little. II you don't, it
will ruin my whole future life. because every
body will say: She cannot amount to any,
thing; Modjeska refused fatly to hear her
read"
Whether it vas the awful responsibility that
Modjeska felt was thrust upon her or her NATL
raj warm womanly sympathies prevailed was
never discovered, but she said. smiling indul-
gently at the child:
"ReadI VIVA. will you read?"
"'Celia,' if you do not mind" said the tremb-
ling young woman, now thor oughly frightened
by her own temerity.
Every well, begin"
Miss Heron read for little while when
Modjeska said:
''Wai.. will read 'Rosalind' to your Celia. ""
They finished the play. Modjeska said moth
ing. She sat down and wrote a note.
The applicant for histrionic honors wonder
ing II she had been wise to do such daring
thing. nearly tainted when Modjeska said:
Here, take this note to Al Hayman, and tell
him You are to play with NE. Come to re-
hesrsal tomorrow"
This unusually bright beginning launched
Miss Heron into the smooth current of the
theatrical stream Sic Was called The Cali
tornia prodigy" She vas but sixteen years
Old. After playing with Modjesks abe played
with Fanny Davenport, Henley and Edward
So.heln She wss the pet Of society. and when
she became i'll with nervous pross alton ne
gay deni1ens Of the grsnde monde Of San Fran
CISCO were unrenitting in their kind and help
fui attentions.
Al soen as Miss Heron recovered she was sent
to Nes York, her physicians predicting the
change o. climate would materially improve
her health. She brought letters 70 distinguish ed
people II New York ard is enjoying the social
world Of Newport under the suspicious cbape-
rons&e OF Mrs. Eugene Kelly, IT,, one Of the
most charming Of women.