The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-09

most wonderful thing in Paris, and there
are many wonderful things in Paris. For
get thal she is an actress, if YOU pleass
tas / did yesterday when / saw herr. and
remember only she is a woman. When
you meet Gladstone and Bismarck you will
forget that they are statesmen, and re-
member only that they are men. You viii
say amen to the populace which has
uicknamed them Grand Old Men" and
then, after you have met Bernhardt, yoa
will nickname her Grand Old Woman"
I write this through no lack of gallantry,
but let it rise from the depths Of a very
deep. admiration.
She has not as beautiful a home now.
] am told, as her old hotel was, but il
is one of the most beautiful places that
/ have ever seen. Its facade is not i'm
posing-it is merely a part Of the dead
stone monotony which lines the streets
of Paris. But the monotony ended when
/ rang the bell. In Paris every resi-
dence building has its court yard in the
center. To this one is admitted through
a door big enough to pass vehicles az
well as pedestrians. This is guarded
by a concierge, who keeps a sharp eye
on visitors. So far Sarah's house Is
like every other house in Paris But
you have only to cross the first thresh-
old in order to discover Sarah. She IS
there in the grotesque copper vases
which flank the doorway leading from
the court yard into her house, and whieh
are unlike any other copper vases ever
designed by the hand of man; in the
great moose skin, which, surrounded by
the deep, rich fur of the black bea-
hangs upon the wall of the entrance
way, and which is one of the trophies
of one of Sarah's own hunting expedi-
lions; in. the bell pull, cleverly disguised
as a clinging vine, from the end of which
hangs a handle A jerk at it started a
great Gathering and changing a-going
somewhere in the interior of the house.
Evidently Sarahs nerves are mere com
posed than the nimble-fingered paragraph
er would have us think That bell must
have been originally designed for the ears
of a blacksmith.
The door opend noiselessly and framed
man servant, who gided before until
he had led us to the entrance to the ate
place was taken by a little apparition
with shining black face and hands and
the loosely draped folds of white silk
zouave suit, surmounting black stock
inss, and, alas! conventional black shoes.
Sarah should give more attention to de-
tail. This tiny Turk, or indian, or ne
gro-whatever he may be would have
been perfect had his shoes been in char
acter. But they were heavy and coarseA
Ihey clattered. They were not consist
ent.
1t took the room itself to remove the
unhappy effect of the little boys shoes
1t is glorious room-long and high, with
one stained glass side, and with the light
from its peaked stained glass roof tenn
pered by curtains which may be manip-
ulated from below. Its furnishings are
gorgeous and unique. At one end is a
great fireplace, in which fire logs sput-
teri and flashed behind a brass gauze
screen, calculated to confine the sparks,
but to release the warmth. The day was
chilly over in the corner nearest to the
fireplace is a pile of cushions hooded by
a splendid canopy and making a divan
Of great elegance. An Incompatible cab
met full of the mementos of Sarah's
wide travelling, stands nearby. There
are three pictures of Importance on the
walls. One is of Sarahs son, Maurice,
made when he was a boy of about 10
and showing him accompanied by a mag
nncent hound. The other two are of her
self, and art both near to life size. In
an extension, built in a window opposite
The picture of little Maurice, is a big
cage occupied by a splendid ape and a
parrot of gorgeous plumage They ap-
parently dwell together in peace and har-
mony. This side of the room is cut into
alcoves by fine cabinets and other big
pieces of furniture. In one of these al
coNes is a PEDESTAL upon which is dis
IIdNeQ a
sculptor. A great chunk of pure white
marble she has cut into the semblance
Of human head, freshly decapitated.
II is not a pleasant effgy. But it chimes
IN with the popular conception of Sa-
rah's eccentricity.
While l waited for madame l heard her
laughing and talking with friends in the
breakfast room. They were very merry
II was about ! O'Clock in the afternoon,
ana she was entertaining a breakfast
party.
BY and by she came, the little apparition
N black holding aside the curtains for her
as she passed down the three or four
broad steps which led into the room.
She might have been woman of IS, as
she walked down the length of the atelier
WIN that splendid grace which seems to
De ners alone. Her long white dress, COW
Srea by a white robe, fur-lined and still
longer swept behind her across the rugs.
dor America and all who come from there
mat Is part of her finesse.
IL Is probable that there is no other per-
SoH IN the world who can talk as rapidly
As Bernhardt habitually does, and still
makes every syllable distinct and crisp.
lsr French is comforting TO the person
VINO mas learned the language from teach
els' 1t has been said that there is no other
t7lson In France whose French is so easy
10 understand.
;. Ah"' she cried You are from New
sork. | am going to New York again. l
-eei as # must see New York once in a
mniie' 1t is so new and fresh. 1t inspires
ne This may or may not have been
sllGere. But no one who heard her say it
SUuld at that moment have doubted its
sincerity.
OF a moment she stood before the fire
tdIllhg with indescribable vivacity. Then
sank down among the cushions of the
US ulVan ready to answer questions. It
19 with a gesture of the most engaging
rSaIuonment that she placed herself at the
It-tey Of the American newspaper man.
0n her spreading, outstretched hands
2dld very plainly: