The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-26
THE TIRELEss BERNHARDT.
Visit 10 the Dressing Room of thu
Great French Actress.

treat french Actress.
Paris Letter in Philadelphia Telegraph.
Madame Sarah Bernhardt rehearses all
day and acts Gismonda every night, and
for sheer activity and untiringness would
distance whole hive of bees. It happens
hearsal of Suderman's ..Magda," an in
tensely disagreeable piece foredoomed to
failure, though Sarah will be superb as the
heroine and the clearing of the stage for
the evening performance, so we sent in our
stage door, a up up very steep staircase, and
received at the door of the star dressing
room by the only one of Sarah's pets, she
footman Abdul, whose white teeth and
jacket embroidered with gold old He opens
the door and we enter a rather large
perfumes of diving flowers and stage COS
metics, and our hostess, all in mouse-gray
velvet made in the long floating lines she
affects, and the folds held together at the
waist by wide antique silver clasps greets
us with smiling grace, and in the exquisite
voice we Parisians love SO we'll asks us to
inspect her domain. and then most hospita-
bly, invites US to picnic" with her. As she
lives SO far from the theater, she does not
go home except to sleep, and her meals are
sent in and served at the theater itself.
The great actress shows us her magnificent
be packed away. Then her dresser draws
aside an immense screen, and we perceive
end of it be cut off at pleasure, and
behind the screen is toilet table loaded
wit WITH 5 a., ma ann , Of stage make Ike
room thus concealed was found of
one gigantic sheet of plate glass mirror
frame of foliage and large pink blossoms,
while bed of verdure ran along the foot of
the glass. Noticing our puzzled glance at
this heavy frame work, Sarah laughed mus
ically. pressed a knob and in instant
each pink blossom glowed with an electric
line Of electric lights. This is where I
make up, quoth the actress. These lights
with the long. -nanther-iike step peculiar
TO her. she glided up to the mirror and
stood in the cruel light, gazing at her
own reflection meditatively. Her dress,
though rich, was trying, her short, fluffy
hair was skewered up in its usual careless
fashion, she had been toiling all day at
backs seen close at hand, she looked even
younger than on the stage. Her fair face
essential to Partisan woman, thin coat
ing Of powder; her blue eyes were lustrous
tary silence, then Abdul opened the door
and admitted two walters, bearing a small
table set for dinner. Nj. Ulman, the bus
mess manager of Sarah, strolled in to par
take of the meal and we dispose of our
selves on various chairs and nibble perse--
veringly and chatter much. SHOP of
course, was the order of the day. and Sarah
discourses about her classic garb of pale
rose-colored Grape, brocaded with silver
Of palest sea green, which she is to wear
in the forthcoming production of Am
color and mutely decide that no earthly
power would induce us to sit through a
classic play in cold weather. Then we de-
'LAge Difficile." NJ. Lemaitre is a very
charming man and a talented dra-
attic critic, but there are limits
to impropriety. even in Paris, and
Partisan firmness of nerve by it's absolutely
remarkable freedom of speech and action
We then became philosophic and decided in
conclave that no French dramatic critic can
write a perfect play. because he goes to see
so many startling pieces at the private
theaters of Paris, whereof the Theatre
I4ibre was the pioneer, that his moral sense
is necessarily blunted by long course of
dreadful productions. Philosophy how
ever, is not in it's place behind the scenes
fee brought by Sarah's sable protege, Abdul
and change the subject to one which is
lightly ignored by the French press in gen.
SON of the famous novelist, from Jeanne
Hugo, the idolized grandchild of Victor
Hugo, once the lady heroine of such deli
to his darling. Incompatibility of temper,
1t seems. The young wife was a spoiled
and petted child; the young husband wild
young Partisan. with tendency to do as
he pleased. Result, the clash of two strong
wills and the sundering of the marriage
tie. The mention of Victor Hugo recalls
the fact that the last opera produced at the
merelda," the exquisite book whereof was
Grand Opera by a woman composer was
"Esmerelda,' the exquisite Nook whereof
was written by the great poet, and failed
because of the weakness of the music Of
Mile Louise Berth in 1886, some time ago.
This suddenly reminds us that we are due
at the opera to contemplate the work of a
woman composer then to be produced, and
also that Sarah needs some rest before the
evening performance; SO we all scramble up
and depart in hot haste, leaving the great
actress holding back the draperies that
curtain the door and smiling her farewell to
the animated party that was fockng down