The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-02-02

developed touching constancy to one TYNE
OF beauty. 1t is an innocent, saintlillc
Fcstal type Cleo had it. So has Munon.
WIN Its innocence, its rounded outlines
and its absence of lines and shadows, IL is
yet expressive of tenderness and intclli-
gcncc.
10 all her charms of person Manon adds
mystery Nobody knows for certain who
sho is or where sho came from.
1t is rumorcd that she is Polish count.
css' that thcro was terrible scandal in
her family and that her husband sent her
adrift into the world. Rumor has even
had it that tho countess was not tho limo.
cent party in the scandal.
3. On all this Manon sheds no light She
is avorsc, or very ingoniously affects to Inc
averse, 10 all publicity, except such as she
gains from her theatrical appearances. She
docs not parade her mother or her virtue or
make public her bills for underwear. all
of which things have been done by other
feminine idols
Parls worShips her with u frenzy of dc.
votion Stated scnsuality feasts it's ewes
upon an ideal OF innocence. Cleo owed her
vogue 10 the Same causes Manon far out
shines her.
You cannot turn without seeing her
photographs staring mt you from every win
dow, and you hear songs sung to her and
sec hats and garments named after her
When the beautiful woman of Paris
drives In tho Bois dc Boulognc everybody
stares and chatterS and smiles with the
satisfaction OF having seon her as she sits.
cold and sad eyed and beautiful, in her cost
~ furs in her stunning cquipago.
She looks neither to tho right nor to the
lott, and the crowd and the passing car
riagcs in the crowded Avenue dos Acaci;ls
have no interest for her. Sho is as i,upns
sivc ms tho sphinx and rs beautiful MS -
summer sky.
When she is on the stage at Olympia she
sings Il little in "a soft. cultured voicc
songs with n hcarthrcal in them. and She.
raises her arms and dances a little. lust ~
little. All of this wouldn tamount to any
thing IL any other woman did it, but Ma
non Is Manon, and it wOultln'6 mike my
difference what she did, or if she tlidn Il do
anything at all. She has enough of chnrm
and magnetism and mystery to satisfy the
childiike yet wocfully wicked boulevard
Ter, and her SUCCESS is all that she ar l,cr
managers can wish.
once she comes out wrapped all in soft
white, with her slim young shoulders borc.
She carries Cupid's bow and some rose,
ana sho holds them up in her bare arms
and sings u little lovo song with n sad re-
frain. Her face is childlikc and her owes
arc very sorrowful, and the mems faces
grow red and they lean forward so that they
may not lose Il breath or u look
Ihcn she appears in II Spanish mntndorp
costume, all yellow satin and gold spanglcs
and with II little black velvet cap. The
costume frankly reveals her soft, rounded
girl figure. and she sings Il little song Of
Spain, of the bulls and the toroadors and
the Spanish maiden who loved not wisely
but too well, and Manon smiles IA little
and all the lIoulcyardicrs are grateful and
nestle III their seats and gaze tho harder.
Alter this she comes out like some weird
creature of the SEA, with only u fish net
skirt. Her fine hair is all tumbIinc over
her shoulders and hcwaist CT tho costume
is no waist ut all, but IL strip of cloth and
IL strap.
You wonder how long it will STAY on.
Manon swings in IL swing and huns :,
littlo air about tho sen.
= Ihls Is her masterpiece, and the boulc-
vnrdicrs murinur "Charniante char
mantc" and come again another night.
1t used to be Merodc and Otcro, but one
never hears of them now-only of Manon.
Mcrodc has grown deadly tircsone. for
there is no variety at all to her, and her
photographs are all alike and so nuIncr
Gus.
Id bciic OtcrO Is vulgar ana coarse and
common, and the French sickcn of that
sort of thing. When She rode in the Bois,
She o@ctl all the men she passed and gnzcd
abont to gather in all the chances cast nt
her That made her too cheap for the
boulcvardcrs. They turn away in disgust
from the Spanish dancer, yet they would
give their lives almost for one tender
glance from the beautiful eyes Of Mianon
as she passes in the Bois.
Her appearance ut the Olympia is carly,
ana one evening at the Paiais dc Glncc she
appeared among the skaters there. Tho
minute sho appeared on tho ice the word
passed from moEsh TO mouth, "Manon,
ManCn."
What IL sensation,
Women climbed upon seats or were
boosted up to get u glimpse of the wonder
iul woman, and everybody was staring
and Whispering
Manon through it all was rs calm and
impnssivc as il sho were alono on some
still Polish lake with only the stars and
'hc pine trees TO guzc at her