The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-10-05
THEIR QUEER WAY.
ACTORS AND SINGERS AND THEIR
REMARKS ON THE CRITIC.

O'''aOuo VI the COn-
monest Refuge of tho Artistic Nature.
Several Cases Cited by the Innocent Re-
porter.
There are many amusing things
about tho artistic temperament, said
the innocent reporter. ''but you have to
know the disposition in order to tell
how funny they really are. You must
know enough not to believe them al
ways and then through all your inter
course with the professionals there will
flow an accompaniment of easy humor
that gives acquaintance with these Der
sons an added pleasure. One charming
incident of this can always be found in
their views of what the newspapers say
about them. Mrs. James Brown Potter
is the only woman l ever saw who
talked frankly about that subject.
SO long as they don't ignore me,
she said, i don't care what they write.
Let them say anything SO long MS they
say it, but it would be horrible to be
left alone
THAT was very truthful statement
OF her own opinions and almost I'M
paralleled i'll its frankness. Every body
knows that Mrs. Potter has never had
very much to thank the newspapers for
that was really pleasant, but she had
plenty to be grateful for as long as she
was willing they should print anything
II 1t kept her in the public eye.
Almost as genuine was young
American singer who came back here
after sho had made a debut and some
little reputation in Europe She was
pretty woman and She had good voice,
but she was unfortunate. Once she had
soro throat and another time sho WAS
out of condition for some other reason.
AT all events she was never in condi-
tlon to do herself justice So there was
nothing pleasant that. even with the
klndest intentions. the newspapers could
say about the young woman. One night
toward The close of the season she was
III grand tier box ut the opera house.
During one of the entr'n she was
walking about the foyer with friend.
and halted III front of the ereenrCum
What Is that room?' her friend asked
Planting herself deliberately IN
front OF the partly opened curtains, she
said III voice audible TO every man in
tho room, oh, that is tho place they
20 10 write, in the most disagrecable
way they can. the most disagreeable
things they can think of about you
The younger singer was unjust, but she
had no false vanity She was willing to
have it known that she read what the
newspapers said about her. Her more
1llustrlous colleagues are not always so
willing to admit that
Il have heard Mile. Calve protest
that she never saw any newspaper but
the Paris Figaro, and declare that she
really had not the slightest idea what
New York papers wrote about her She
said this one day while waiting outside
of Maurice Grau's office at the Metro
politan. and then turning suddenly to
reporter standing near her asked if he
was the man that wrote she had signed
contract 10 give some concerts at
$4,000 night when she was really to
receive so, 900 The man did not un-
derstand French, so Mile. Calves COM
panion translated the question into
English. The man replied that he rep
resented another newspaper, and when
she turned this into French for Mile.
newspaper from which she had had
translated the dreadfully erroneous
paragraph which had led the public to
believe that Mile. Calvo had consented
to take $500 less than she was TO get.
Nine. Games has all indicated in
difference for what the newspapers say
which Is sometimes little bit difficult
10 reconcile with her intimate knowl.
edge of what they publish about her
Mime Melba is also familiar with
them, and she is a little less averse 10
having that fact known than Nine
LANES is. 1t Is well known that Nine
Nordica takes her press clippings with
her coffee. and she makes no bones Of
1t Jean de Reszke is regular reader
of what the newspapers have to say
about him. and, whatever nc may think
about 1t III reality. he never, but lin one
instance, took any notice of it. Plancon
enjoys reading the agreeable things
that are written about him and doesn't
care who knows it Only the women
profess to be wholly ignorant of what
the newspapers write
With the actresses the case is very
much the same The celebrated foreign
ers. according to their own accounts.
are quite unacquainted with anything
that the American press may write
about them. Agnes Sorma snid thnt she
did not intend to read any Of the crit
ieisms of her work until she started
home on tho steamer. 1t didn't take o