The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-10-06
THEIR QUEER WAY.
ACTORS AND SINGERS AND THEIR
REMARKS ON THE CRITIC.
Caiious Indifference or Ignorance the Com
monest Refuge Of the Artistic Nature.
Several Csses cited by the Innocent Re-
porter.

pOrters
"There are many amusing things
about the artistic ten nrerament," 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 per
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 I ever saw who
talked frankly about that subject.
$50 long AZ they don't ignore me,
she said, 4 don't care what they write.
Let them say anything SO long as they
say IL. but it would be horrible to be
left alone.
''That was very truthful statement
Of her own opinions and almost un-
paralleled In its frankness. Everybody
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 IL kept her in the public eye.
almost as genuine was q young
American singer who came back here
after she had made q debut and some
little reputation in Europe. She was a
pretty woman and she had good voice,
but she was unfortunate. Once she had
a sore throat and another time she was
out Of condition for some other reason.
At all events she was never In condi-
tion to do herself justice. So there was
nothing pleasant that, even with the
kindest intentions, the newspapers could
toward the close Of the season she was
in a grand tier box at the opera house.
During one of the entr r'actes she was
walking about the foyer with friend,
and halted in front of the greenroom.
what is that room?' her friend asked.
"Planting herself deliberately IN
front of the partly opened curtains, she
said In voice audible to every man in
the room, 'Oh, that Ia the place they
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 10 known that she read what the
newspapers said about her. Her more
illustrious colleagues are not always &C
willing to admit that.
II 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 ono day while waiting outside
of Maurice Grau's office at the Metro.
politan. and then turning suddenly tc
q reporter standing near her asked II he
was the man that wrote she had signed
contract to give some concerts al
$4,000 q night when she was really te
receive t2, 800. 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.
Calve she mentioned the name Of the
newspaper from which she had had
translated the dreadfully erroneous
paragraph which had led the public tc
believe that Mile. Calve had consented
to tuke 5000 less than she was to get
mime Eames has an indicated in.
difference for what the newspapers say
which 10 sometimes little bit difficult
to reconcile with her intimate knowl.
edge Of what they publish about her.
Nine. Melba ia also familiar with
them. and she is little less averse to
having that fact known than Mime.
Eames H. Il is well known that Mime.
Nordica takes her press clippings with
her coffee, and che makes no bones Of
it. Jean de Reszke IL regular reader
Of what the newspapers have TO say
about him, and, whatever he may think
about it in reality, he never, but in one
instance, took any notice Of it. Plancor
enjoys reading the agreeable thing
that are written about him and doesn 7
care who knows it. Only the womer
profess to be wholly ignorant Of wha,
the newspapers write.
with the actresses the case 10 very
much the same. The celebrated foreign
ers. according to their own accounts
are quite unacquainted with anything
that the American press may writ,
about them. Agnes Sorma said that sh'
did not intend to read any Of the crit
icisms Of her work until she startet
home ON the steamer. II didn't take
conversation Of more than three min
utes to show that she had fairly ac
curate knowledge Of everything tina
had been printed about her It mus
have been some superior sort Of clair
voyance that is possible only to the ar
tistic temperament. for hadn't she SAT-
that none of them would be read unit
she had got ON the steamer to 60 to Eu
roper Sarah Bernhardt has them al
translated to her and accompanies tn
performance with more or less emphati
reflections on the intelligence Of tn
writers who do not agree with her owl
ideas Of what she does. 1t is said tina