The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-07-19
Mrs. SiddOnS as the Tragic Muse


1t was in her second season at Drury
Lame when. as Hazlett says, ''she was re-
ceiving Il homage greater than that which
is paid to Queens, that Mrs. SiIdons wa,
painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds az; the
Tragic Muse.
The actress herself has related the cir
cumstances attending that celebrated
painting:. when l attended him for the
first sitting, after more gratifying Ell
comiums than / can now repeat he took
me by the hand, saying: Ascend your
undisputed throne and sraciously bestow
upon me some good idea of the Tragic
Muse l walked up the steps and i'll
stantly seated myself III the attitude in
which the Tragic Muse now appears
out one moments hesitation he deter
mined not to alter it,
When the picture was finished he told
her that the colors would remain unfaded
as long us the canvas would keep them
together, CALAMITY adding: "And to con-
firm my opinion here is my name; for |
have; resolved to go down to posterity OH
the hem Of your garment" Sir Joshua
by the way, was not in the habit of sign
ing his pictures.
''Sir JOSHUA" wrote Mrs. Siddons aft
erward, ''Uften hOnored me by his pres
ence at the thcatcr. He approved very
much of my costumes, and of my hair
without powder, which at that time was
used i'll great profusiol,. with a reddish
brown tint. My locks were generally
braided in small compass, 80 as to as
certain the size and shape Of my head
which. to Il painters eye. was of course
an agreeable departure from the mode
My short waist, to. was to him Il pleas
ing contrast to the long stiff stays and
hoop petticoats which were then the fash
ion, even on the stage. and it obtained his
ina inn - al,
in the orchestra. AMI i'll that place were to
Gibbon. Sheridan, Windham and last
not least. the ill,strious Fox
Mrs. Siddoms was once seen on the
boards in the character of the Tragic
role when Garrick's Jubilee" was re-
vived. This was a sort of pageant or pro
cession Of the whole company, chiefly in
the costumes of ShaktsI,taran characters
ApropoS of the plan to fix Mrs. Siddons
i'll marble in the pose of the Tragic Muse
it may be said that she herself studied
sculpture and practiced it just as Sarah
brarv at South kcnsngton at the present
time is her own bust of herself Moore
records that she told Lord Lans,lowne
that ''the first thing that suggested to her
the mode of expressing intensity of feel
ing was the position of some of the Egyu-
tan statues, with the arms close down by
the side and the hands clinched''
She exclaimed before the Apollo Relvi
d"re when she saw it for the first timr in
the Louvre. ''What Il great idea it gives
It's of God to think that He has made Il
human being capable of faShioning Iii
vine FORM
Thr Picnic Hamper.
1t is not always essential to the success
Of a picnic to be q Percy Noakcs and "a
devilish good fellow" as every one will
realize who has read THE Steam En-
cursion,' so inimitably described by
Dickens.
But it is essential that whoever goes
on picnic should possess the power to
find sermons in stones. books in the
running brooks and good in everything"
know how to dress. know where to go
and above all, to know what to carry to
eat.
\ very great variety of food should
he avoided. also soft buildings and
creamy mixtures of any sort, which per-
sistcntly leak out Plain. substantial
food. simple and well-cooked. should ever
be chosen. with Il few sweet and simple
dainties to top off with. This can be
divided up among the party by the one
who Is most executive, with the ladies
to furnish the suhstuntials and the
gentlemen the beverages
laraftinc paper is Indispensable in
wrapping up the viands. which are much
more wisely carried in boxes than baS-
ketS. as the former can be thrown away
and the fewer the burdens of the home
coming the better. a rubber coat or
macintosh is also Il necessity. for no
matter how warm the day, there is Il risk
in sitting out in the woods on the bare
ground. This can be easily managed in
a shawl strap. 1t is best not to carry
Il tablecloth, but if something is pre-
ferrel to spread upon the ground strip
of cnameled cloth is the most satisfactory
thing, and whatever is spilled upon it
can I've easily cleaned off. Japanese nap
kins take the place of linen. and wooden
plates, which can be thrown away, are
most desirable. like those which the
bakers use for pies.
There are several important items
which must not be forgotten, and among
them are handtowel and soap, Il hair
comb. handmirror, thread needle and
and now for the bill of fare.
TO begin with the substantials, Il cold
roast, a boiled tongue, deviled eggs, cucunl-
her sandwiches, and oyster bay aspnra-
gus, are simple and tasty. The roast
may be sliced off before going, and care
fully wrapped up, but the tongue should
he carried whole and cut up when re-
quired, or it is apt to become dry. The
eggs are easily prepared, being hard
boiled, cut lengthwise, the yolks taken
out, mixed in bowl, with pepper, salt
and mustard, and Il few Glrops of Wor-