The age-herald., 1899-05-16
MARY ANDERSON
 AT HOME AGAIN

Mergargee in the Philadelphia Times
 The arrival in New York the other day of Mrs. Antonio de Navarro signalizes the first appearance in this country since her retirement from the stage and her mar riage about nine years ago of the gifted woman who not only shed lustre but true womanly dignity and worth on American dramatic life when she was known as Mary Anderson. She is always well worth talking about being one of those few women who have recognized the obstinate, ineontrovertible fact that domestic happi- ness, within the confines of matrimony, and public career on the stage are rarely coin cidental. When it was rumored, in the early part of 1890, that Mary Anderson was engaged to be married to Antonio de Navarro, son of the enormously rich man who built the gigantic and gorgeous Ma varro flats in New York city in Fifty-ninth street, opposite Central Park, the whisper was decried as an advertising scheme, be- cause the gifted actress was believed to be devoted to her art and to a life of single blessedness. Bear in mind, however, that among her other commendable gifts Mary Anderson could never be justly accused of advertising her parsonage by meretricious means, and yet she was studiously made the victim of such efforts through the we'll meant intentions of her irrepressibe step father, pr. Hamilton Griffin, who is still in the land of the living, and who met her at the White Star Line pier when she and her husband-her husband and she is pos sibly better expression-stepped from the gang plank of the steamer Majestic. But rumor for once proved true, and the lovely Blue Grass Juliet became the wife of the milionaire's son, and since then the mother of his 3-year-old-boy. Recognizing the diff ficulty, if not the futility, of being devoted
 to both the stage and her husband, she shook forever the dust of the temple of Thespis from the folds of her virgin gar ment, although shortly before this serious change in her life, she said, upon one oc- cation, to her old-time manager, John w.
 Norton, of St. Douis-you will remember that he was killed in a railroad wreck but a short while ago-when questioned about the story of her rumored espousal: That is matter to which have never given
 even a second thought. think I must have had, since have been upon the stage, not less than one thousand tenders of mar
 riage from artists, from noblemen, from
 nearly all kinds of men, and much as
 may appreciate the honor they have con- ferred upon me, their offers have not lin- gered in my thoughts for moment"
 Nevertheless, she married Navarro and while the American stage lost one of it's chief ornaments, he gained as a wife an
 adorable woman, who gave dramatic life.
 before the footlights and behind the scenes, " a to say, rarely distinguishes it
 Have you ever heard the story of the
 humbleness of her beginning? Probably you
 will find it worth listening to.
 Mary Anderson was a poor Louisville
 girl and as green as grass. She was fired
 with desire to go upon the stage and
 insisted upon reciting to every prominent
 actor who came to Louisville and who
 would give her an audience. In this way
 the late John Mccullough heard and was
 so much impressed by her that he wrote about her to friend, John w. Norton who was then the acting manager for Ben de Bars opera house in St. Louis. Norton came to Louisville and listened to the over
 grown child-she was little more-and agreed to get her a stock company for one weeks engagement, her stepfather prom isng to pay the rent of the theater. The latter stipulation (when the time came to pay) Dr. Or film was unable to fulfll and
 Norton assumed that risk also. The open
 ing night in her home city, Mary Anderson played In tie party of Juliet to exactly $40 The remainder of the week was but little better, but 1t convinced Norton that in the gawky Kentucky girl great actress was concealed She was then IT years of | age. That was nearly twenty-three years | ago. How time h'es She will celebrate 1,1 ksrfl T,fIxr
 l Just here should be related story con- | corning the late General Sherman which is | too good to De buried. To build a house. | .n theatrical parlance. of counsellor the Friday night of that first weeks engage
 menr John Norton went to St. Louis and
 nvted q number of prominent people {, fan,cns. 7tners iiersra1 sherms-i. who WAS 1 then q citizen of St. I-ouis) to come 10 l Louisville to sec his dramatic wonder. Af- ter the per:crm.ncc several of them. were