The Red Cloud chief., 1896-06-05

deed been surrounded with such n halo
of poetry, genius and love and every
thing in her life and her memory has
so much contributed to her gloriica-
ton that she stands today as one OF the
most fascinating figures of history.
And, in truth, TO take her as she APP
pears at this distance, one would fain
say of her what a critic once wrote some
dozen years ago of another celebrated
actress, who is now treading the boards
OF the fremont thCatcr, with a COM
plete collection of daggers and hatchets
concealed in her robes and murder
flowing in her heari-"Ellc aura etc
uno DIES plus bellies visions qui aient
iiotte. pour 10 plaisir DIES humans, sur
la face changcanto de &c monde DIES
p~henomcncs."
AS an actress Adrienne Locouvreur
has won and to all appearance has de-
served enduring fame. The daughter
Of "A poor halter, who had left his native
town To open shop in Paris, in the
Faubourg st. German, near the Theatre
Francois. she was first a laundress-
which is not exactly the road which
iNubS w SNdSt-ldilu, lH' SidEN-Iillu VI
her drcams-but. by dint of courage
and talent. without practically any
schooling whatever. she soon managed.
as an amateur, to display her rising
genius and to make her way into the
theatrical circles. So, after three or
four years of a successful engagement
in the provinces, at the age of %. in
May, I'LL. she made her triumphant
debut at the Coincide Franchise. and
at n and the same time placed her
self at the front rank of the French
actresses of her time, side by side with
Mdlle. Duclos. who, for twenty-four
years, had been the favorite Of the
public and had yet found no rival.
This time she met the rival who was
soon to dethroue her. Mdlle. Duclos
was the ideal representative of a school
Of acting which held that tragedy was
not to be spoken but detained and
chantcd. Adrienne, in spite of the
prejudices Of the public, from her first
appearance stuck to the truth and ma
ture, and she not only won the battle
for herself but in the end. with the
precious aid of the illustrious baron, the
Incompatible pupil of Moliere, she con-
verted the public to her views and
brought about a revolution in art to
which her name is inseparably attached
II for which she deserves the most
thankful remembrance.
From that time on her life was a
series of ovations and triumphs. She
was the idol Of an enthusiastic public.
which ran to applaud her in comedy
and tragedy parts. For she was emf
nent. 1t is said, both as a %comedienno
and as a tragediennc, but especially in
the latter capacity. In the roles OF
Phedre, Camille, Hermione. Roxane.
Pauline, she was declared unapprOech-
able. In short, she was probably the
greatest actress of her time. And, as
Sainte- Bcuve remarks, La Champmesle
and Mdllc. Desmare were exceptionally
well gifted, but, on the whole, IL is
doubtful whether they ever equaled
her.
Her fame, however, does not rest
solely on her theatrical achievements.
Although not beautiful. in the strictest
sense Of the word-for her features
were somewhat irregular, her figure
slight and rather below the middle
height-she was all grace in her man
nors and irresistibly charming. Sainte-
Beuve. already quoted, says: She was
the first actress who shone on the stage
and in sOciety-who attained social
eminence." Her salon was one OF the
most brilliant of the kind, where poets
and princes, generals and duchesses,
faIt 4. IN hpnnr IN No admitted
Naturally. her admirers were many
and she was pa%ssionately loved by such
men as Voltaire and Maurice de SAKE.
the hero of ~Fontenoy-the natural son
Of Augustus. king of Poland, and Of
the beautiful countess of KOnigsmark.
Maurice de SAKE was the great passion
of her life. She loved him TO the last.
When he undertook to regain his duchy
of COurland, as he lacked funds to
raise an army, Adrienne sold her dia-
monds for 5000 livres and compelled
him to accept the amount.
She died on the 10th of March, 1890
a few months before Nance Oldteld-
in the arms of her friend. Noltaire. II
was reported Ut the time that she had
teen poisoned by II bouquet which the
duchess de BOuillon had sent her at
the end OF a performance. But there
is no sufficient evidence to substantiate
the charge. All this mysterious affair
may be, after all, a mere legend, al
though the mystery has uaver been
cleared, nor the legend altogether been
refuted.
Adriennc's death vas followed by a
painful incident. An intolcrant priest
refused to allow her burial in conse-
Grated ground and her corpse was there
fore carried in a hackney coach ia the
dead OF the night 10 the corner OF the
Sue de Bourgogne, then a marsh. and
there hurled. But even this contributed
10 her immortality. For No!'aiie, in
dignant at such treatment, wrote his
famous elegy. La Mort de Mile, IL
Couvreur," the most touching bit OF
poetry he ever Denned and which still