The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-27
Helena Nod|eska's Counsel to
Young Nsuen Who SEEK The
Stage as 4 Career---Ibe "a
nous Trasedieuue Recalls Her
Own ExperieDces---Learps Her
Lines Easily; Des't Study Hard.


and the eiink of gsaases at
once recognised the viossn-like
timbre OF Helena Modieskass
u voice as. In response to my
knock q; her drawing room
door one morning last week. the lovely
PoiiSn-Amerscan hade me enter
Coming towards me with both hands
outseTesehed and = smile Of the frankast
welcome upon her charming face. fell an
immediate victim 10 the allarements Of
. personality Soreshadowed n the melods-
ous. sympathetic speech.
Nine. Mojeska had Just arisen from her
breakfast table. Indeed. my entrance was
the signal for the dispensing OF q merry
party. Tae actress was gowned in robe
OF dfaphanous black material. made in tho
prevailing fashion. extremely simple and
elegant. dtflng her form closely and re-
lieyed here and there with a garnisuse OF
steel and rhineseoneA
If woman be a. old "a she looks. Nine,
Modjeska in her sumptuous apartment at
Ing was certainly not day over FIVE ard
thirty. lfa.s 80 =
TAN and 1.-THE. with the figure OF a girl
OF IS. slender buE not thin. made ue Of
delicious curves. Nine. Aodjeeka's figure
gives no suggestion Of the word SO iearsh
to the ear OF the actress-'matronly"
II b gfriish. poetic In its reed-like undu-
a
ness that inexorable time usually insists
on bes'owing upon the woman past her
10th year. Like a Hebe IN her early
bloom. Modieska's figure defies criticism.
Daintily set upon this girlizh form tha
small. shapely head OF the actress looked
almost fower-like as 1t was sharply sill
houetted against the pale drapertes OF her
apartment. Her face Is so intensely spir-
ituaI as 10 be almost startling. Nothing
further from the material world OF sense
OF flesh and blood. can be imagined than
this wonderful face-pale. eager delicate.
with its dark. slowing eyes. that seem
permanently imhned with sad and visit
full sweetness: the mobile mouth. delicate
dark brown hair simply gathered in a knot
at the back and escaping in tiny tendrils
about the face
1nvoluntariIy one recalls Bernhardt, with
the story OF fierce defiance written in ev-
cry line OF her countenance: Duce, the
Incarnation OF tragedy: and Modjeska APP
pears. hv comparison. the perso1ihcatioR
OF usefulness and romantic pathos.
Are these the lines Fame stamps upon
the children of the gods? one is tempted
to inquire.
When | looked at Helena Medjeska. the
consumnlafe artist, and noted the pathetic
tenderness OF her smile. and the never
lifting sorrow In her eyes. I wondered if
indeed the race for glory were not a
weary strife. and the success of the great
actress seemed to me for the first time 20
show itself in its true eharaeter-a wiIi-o-
the-wisp. scarce worth SO noble a sacrifice
But this Is what Helena Modjeska says
of that tickle goddess who has been her
friend. and who Is known as success.
Success. success. who can define it?
cannot even admit that I know ii, for al
though have for many years worshiped
at the shrine of art until have satisfied
myself / a
as yet I have never been content with my
own performance. I am always disap-
pointed in myself, I am always short Of
my IDEALS
You represent success in very lofty
form to the public l said. and every
woman is anxious 10 know how you made
OF yourself the eminent artist the whole
world acknowledges you 10 be. Has 1t
been by talent. which God alone can be-
stow or study, which Is said 10 he the
synonym OF genius. or is there a secret
art that leads alone To glory. and that you.
and perhaps one or two other women OF
the century. have been gifted with, or
have learned or OWNED?
THE world Is overlooking with women
who have made failures. who represent
defeat IN its NEST tragic. desaairiug and
alas. sometimes almost grotesque form
The coming race of women want to know
how 10 avoid failure. They are full OF life
dEu eilsIuSIdSN anu Dupc. 1HcN turn
aside from the spectacle Of dsappoint-
ment which IL everywhere. and with the
glorious courage OF youth. they fix sheif
eyes and their ambitions on the women
who. s1ar-like. have attained glorious
heights. They all honor and love you;
most Of them can never get nearer to
you than the other side OF the great di-
vide witch separet tag fns actress from her
audience. They are eager to know how
you reached Oiympia's pinnacle"
"Yoa want to know how / became a sue.
cesssul artist" said Modjeska. once again
turning that lovely smile upon me. And
you expect ma 30 say 10 was by study
hard study and Spartan perseverance.
This is what you expect me to say. am
sure Of it,
Yes / replied. with enthusiasm, that
is IL Tell Just how you work. All about
the terrible feats You must have TO ac-
eonpllsh In memcriziRg. | have read how
YOU study constantly. and carry your lines
about with you. day and night wherever
you co.
New / shall ilsappoint YOU" ana Nine
Modfeska's voice was as sweet as the notes
of the stringed instrument IL resembles.
II have never studied hard n all. 40
corsl.ng TO the common aceeptatiou. ! am
no student DO not deserve praise for
sppiiea tior or for hard work; ! do net
merit II at all
i'm poliss1-a tive-act play in which was
upon tho stage nearly all Of the time.
was tlead-Ie,ter perfect IN Il at the end Of
TWO DAYS.
''Of course. In English. IL takes ne a
little longer bat I have never spent a
week in the study OF any one role during
nay entire career.
When Is GENES 20 studying the eharae-
ter am 20 piay-ah. there. indeed. per-
haps deserve Ia he called "A faithful
worker
II do not know by lust what processes
learn, or strive 70 learn. 10 0e t7e woman
an 10 play. bti< Just as soon as de-
eide 10 act a new character l try 10 ae-
come that woman.
Il learn the Hines frS. bu. fhsg are CO..
para lively nothing. NJ task is 10 learn
Z, feel The woman wno woaild speak sSese
Hnes The words are the work OF another
cay part must be 10 sink Helena Nodes
ka's personality into That OF the woman
who would spontaneously ard naturally
ssr4Ier the circumstances indseatea In the
play sneak these lines whseh already 1
nave acquired. II I cannot feel that under