The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-03-29

-, ia ,imbre nf Helena Modjeska :
,.ai.a !. n resnonsc to my knock ut
her drawing room door one morning idSt
wecl, the lovely Poli>h-Amerlcan bade
me enter.
Coming towards me with both hands
ontStretched ana a smile Of I~falhesl
welcome upon her charming race. | 1tli
an Immediate victim TO the aiurehlell'@
Of ! personality forcshadowed III the
mclodious sympathetic speech.
Nine. Modicska had just arisen from
bor breakfast table. Indeed. my en-
trance WAS a signal for the dispensing
Of merry party. The actress was
owned in II robe of diaphanous black
material. made i'll the prevailing 1aSIl-
ION. extremely simple ana elegant, 1T
ting her form closely and relieved mere
and there with Il %garnlturc OF steer ana
1nincstOnoS.
If = woman be as old as she looks.
Mime Modicska III her sumptuolls apart
ment at the New Nethcrland hotel the
other morning was certainly not q ia!
over five and thirty.
Tall and 1.-the, with the figure Of 4
GIRL Of IS. slender but not thin. made up
Of delicious curves. Nine. NodJeska 5 hS-
urc gives no suggestion OF the wore 50
harSh to the ear Oh tlS d'ueso h"
tronly.'
1t is girlish. poetic in its reed-llke I'M
dulations. but without Il shadow OF the
heavineSs that memorable time usually
insists on bestowing upon the woman
past her 10th year. Like Il I1ebc IN her
early bloom, Modjeska's figure defies
criticism.
DAINTY set upon this girlish form the
small shapely head of the actress looked
almost tlower-like as it was sharply
silhouctted against the pale draperles OF
her apartment. Hcr face is SO intensely
spiritual as to be almost startling. Moth
ing further from the material world OF
sense. of flesh and blood. can be imagin-
cd than this wonderful face-palc, eager
delicate. with its dark. glowing eyes
:. that seem permanently imbued with 4 sac
i and wistful sweetness: the mobile mouth
!. delicate nose, low brow, crowned by al
aureolc Of dark brown hair, SIMPLY
/ gathered in Il knot at the back and es
! Gaping in tiny tcndrils about the face.
= When | looked at Helena Modjeska
the artist, and noted tht
I pathetic tenderness of her smile, ant
the nevcr-lifting sorrow i'll her eyes,
wondered if indeed the race for glory
were not Il weary strife, and the sue
, cess of the great actress seemed to M
{ for the first time to Show itself i'll it
true Character will-o'-thc-wisp, scarce
, worth SO noble a sacrifice.
: But this is what Helena Modjcsk;
), says of that tickle goddess who has beer
! her friend, and who is known as Success
Success. success. who can define it
| cannot even admit that | have it, 70
although | rave for many years Wor
Shipped at the shrine of art until | havt
satisfied myself. l shall never know sue
cess, and as yet have never been contpn
4 with my own performance. | am alway
\ disappointed in myself, l ann alway
short Of my ideals"
Il "Iop represent success in a very loft,
form to the public" | said. land ever
c woman is anxious to know how yo,
have made Of yourself the eminent III
fist the whole world acknowledges yo
r to be. Has it been by talent, whic1
Coz alone can bestow. or study, whic
G is said to be the synonym of genius. o
Il IS there u secret art that leads alon
y to glory, and that YOU, and perhaps on
or two women of the century have bee
gifted with, or have learned or OWNED
line world is Overlooking With VIC
men who have made failures. who rel
q resent defeat in its most tragic. despair
ing and, alas. sometimes almost grotc>
) que form. The coming race Of wome
| want to know how to avoid failure. The
re are full of life and enthusiasm and hop,
or They turn aside from the spectacle {
II disappointment which is ~cveryvhcr,
Il" and with the glorious courage of you'll
they fix their eyes and their ambition
"a on the women who. Star-like, have Il
S. tanned glorious nights. They all hone
Is aud love yOu. most of them can ncvt
L get nearer to YOU than the other side ,
II the great divide which separates til
N actress from her audience. They al
ic eager to know how you reached Olyn
ie pia'S pinnacle"
u You want to know how l became
III successful artist:' said ModieSka. ono
~ again turning that lovely smile upo
= me. ".And You expect me to say it W.
y by ~study-hurd study and Spartan pc
= severance. This is what YOU expect II
= to say. | am sure Of t."
Yes" / replied, with enthusiast
~ THAT is it. Tell us just how YOU worl
~ ~ All about the terrible feats YOU mu.
- have to accomplish in memorizing.
have read how YOU study constantl
and carry your lines about with yo1
IL day and night. wherever YOU go.'
80 Nov l shall ~,liSappoint YOU an
Nine ModjeSka's voice Was as sweet :
u the notes of the stringed instrument
1c resembles.
" i have never studied hard at all. \
cording to the common acceptation.
:. am no student / do not deserve praiS
:, for application or for hard work: {
- not merit it at all.
~ Tho longest role l have ever men
orized was in Polish--a ~five-act play i
which / was upon the stage nearly a
70 of the time. | was dead-etter nreft
81 III it at the end of two days.
II "Of course. in English it takes me
II little longer, but Ihavc never spent
week i'll the study Of any one role du
u ing my entire career.
We when it comes to studying the cha
e acter l am to play-ah. there. indee,
ne perhaps i deserve to be called a faithf1
worker.
IL Il do not know by Just what nroco
as cs | learn. or strive to learn. to be II
IN woman am to play. but lust as 500
IHS decide 10 act Il NOW cbo I =