The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-28

over it. but will accept it with gratitude
and defend it with zeal"
Her creditors did not appreciate this
view Of the case, however, and brought
suit to break the will. After a long legal
battle, they were non-suited a. few days
ago. The decision of the full bench Of
judges was unanimous; The money which
the testatrix earned, they declared, which
she had labored hard to acquire, and
which she had suffered much privat!on
to hoard must be appropriated to the
uses for which she had intended 1t. They
delivered the utterance with the utmost
gravity, though it is said one of them did
turn to his neighbor and wink at him
with appalling solemnity.
Some hfty-two years ago Leonide was
born in cellar in the slums Of Paris.
Her father was a street sweeper, when
he was not too drunk. Her mother was
a professional beggar, who pretended to
be blind, had herself led by a little dog,
and carried Leonide in her arms and kept
her crying to excite the sympathy of
passers by. When she became a little old
er she was sent out to beg on her own
account, and then, a. little later still, her
inhuman mother bade her make merchan-
disc of her own self, body and soul. The
child revOlted at this, and was in conse-
quence turned out of the cellar and told
to go to the devil. She never saw her
parents again, which was small loss to
her.
She went to live with girl friend, I'M
certain which way to turn for livelihood.
That friend had a cousin who sang in the
chorus at the Opera Comique. That
cousin gave the two girls tickets to at
tend one OF the performances. They
went, and Leonide was instantly stage
struck.
"Why not" said the chorus singer.
You are beautiful. What else is need
ed2"
So he introduced her to the manager
Of a third-rate playhouse in the slums.
she knows nothing of acting" he said.
'hut she is beautiful"
She was engaged, at five francs night,
to display her pretty face upon the stage
But she did more. She showed herself an
uncommonly graceful and forceful act
ress. One night the famous nejazet, now
a bankrupt, wandered into the house and
saw her; was entranced, conquered; and
forthwith posted off to Thiboust, saying:
The most beautiful woman in the world
and the finest actress in France is play
ing therep'
Thiboust went to see her the next night,
and between the acts engaged her to ap-
pear the next week at a frst-class theater
She took Paris by storm. Managers of
the best theaters fought desperately to Sc
cure her. PlayWrghts begged the honor
of writing plays for her. Victorien Sardou
wrote La Patrie" for HEP Meilhac ana
Halevy wrote an opera for her Victor
Hugo began writing a grand drama for
her, but tore It up in wrath when he found
she had accepted a royal prince as her
lover He did not object to lovers, but he
hated princes
She played with brilliant success at all
the best theaters IN Paris, save one. That
one was the Theater Francois. Why not
there? 1t was her life's ambition to do So
But the doors were shut against her
Again, why?
Was she not a good enough actress?
Assuredly she was. The director himself
declared she was the equal OF any in
France.
Then what was the objection to her?
Simply this, oh Socrates; The baseness
OF her origin. or. perhaps, her frankness
in acknowledging it. A beggar's brat in
the House Of Moliere2 An, no, dear