The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-06

ii is the young soldier boy who started
off so cheerily. believing that the safety
of his country depended on him. To-
morrow ii isl the young wife whose little
children chung to her, loved her so dearly
and could not understand that she had
left them never to come back. The next
day-who is it the next day? Perhaps
somebody close to YOU or to me or to
the neighbor over the way. One who has
gone to sleep forever belonged to that
group of great artists who made life I'M
derstand genius and taught all the
world that acting, like painting and sing
ing, was an art and great one This
artist, whose name is carved in the
great book of Immortality, was Fanny
Davenport. Handsome full of merri-
ment making gladness all around her.
yet her art was first. and everything
must give place to it. When you and
| slept. she worked. She learned to be-
come the woman she represented. She
learned to know the italian, the French,
the Russian woman, as she really was
While joyed in the artistic think, most
of all. / loved the woman, and now,
when my eyes are filled with tears, it is
not that they belonged so much to the
great actress, but to the loving wife
and sister and the fond and devoted
friend. Every one who was of the Daven-
port kin. no matter how far distant was
recognized and made much of.
| shall never forget a stormy winter
day when | met her on the train, that
fast train that flies from New York to
Buffalo. During the time we were to-
gether she was as gleeful as child.
inasmuch as she was trying to make
hor bo
gift was. He thought it must be a
jewel of some rare kind. She volun-
teered to describe it, and she thought,
with his quick wit, her husband would
have no trouble in thinking it out. She
said it was blue and that it was curly.
1t was oval, and it was round. 1t was
thousands of years old, and yet it was
created not so many years ago. 1t was
a jewel and yet it was gold. 1t was
a stone, and yet such stones were not
found by the seashore. 1t was cut in,
and yet it showed best when its beauty
came out. And so on she went, really
describing the artistic gift and continu-
ally contradicting herself so that Mr.. Me-
Dowell was perfectly dazed. Just before
we reached Syracuse, where she was
to leave me, she told me what it was
in reality. 1t was a fine intaglio, the head
of Caesar, cut in a pale blue stone and
with the hair closely curled all over
the head. as her husbands was. 1t
was a copy of that line one in the Vati-
can. This stone, being oval, was set
in round ring, and so all her descrip-
tons were correct. That was the last
time / saw her. and as / waved my
handkerchief from the car window |
little thought that it was not goodbye
for a little time, but for all time.
Like child in her love of children, she
loved them all. and, best of all, dearly
loved little niece who was her name
sake. She showered all sorts of wonder
full toys and smart little clothes on this
small woman, and was most pleased
when she was told of something Witty
that the tiny lady had said. At this
time when Mime. Bernhardt was in Bos-
ton the French artistic, who also loves
children, asked that the little one might
be sent to pay her a visit. Dressed
i'm her finest frock, and warned that she
must do her best in the way of speaking
French-for she could chatter in the
frivolous tongue Il little-she started off
with her nurse to call on the lady about
whom she had heard them all talk. Nine.
Sarah was in bed, but she had her
visitor brought up, and she proved
rather embarrassing visitor, since, after
being seated on the edge OF the bed, she
looked and stared as only children can
look in that piercing way, as if they were
reading ones soul. At last, annoyed be-
yond expression, the variable FrenchWo-
man asked her what she was looking at.
Back came the response. Il am looking
at YOU just as hard as / can, and do
believe that my Aunt Fanny is a great
deal prettier than you are" Nurse and
baby made a sudden exit, for it is
well-known fact that the great artistic
still loves to be considered beautiful.
Fanny Davenport laughed and upbraided
the saucy baby. Still, what woman would
not be pleased at such an innocent COM
pliment?
Another time, when ! was lunching
with her. and we were having one of
those delightful luncheons where no men
are around and the conversation can
range from frills and frivols to science
and what is not known about 1T, maid
came and said: ''Some one wishes to
see Mrs. Mcdowell" There was
shrug Of the shoulders and she thought
that she wouldn't go. The maid laughed
and said that the gentleman insisted
upon seeing her, and after the second
thought there was a plying look. and
in voice that came from her heart she
said, ..Well, / would better go; perhaps
it is some poor actor who wants help"
In five minutes she was back, her cheeks
as bright as a rose, and her eyes spark
ling like stars. AS my face looked for
an explanation. she said with laugh:
s.It was only Mr.. Mac, who wanted to
kiss me good-by and so fooled me in that
way"
Then there was a time when | lay
sick-sick almost unto death-and among
the many beautiful flowers sent me came
huge made piece, with wires through
the roses and the violets mounted on
straw. making stiff effort and requiring
four men to fetch it up the stairs, and yet
it was only the work of the florist. lie
lacked heart or else the heart was strung
on wire. An hour afterward my friend
came in, and, looking around the room,
she sped the enormous piece of made up
flowers. With sign and smile COM
bined. she announced, Il told them 70
eand Won some flowers, and that horrld