The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-01
PLAYS HER Own LIFE
Langtry Appears in the New
Play "1he Degenerates.
Her CHEcKERED CAREER
She Has the Nerve 10 Parade
From the Stage.

London, Aug. sf.-AGr.. Langtry's APP
pearance at the Haymarket theater this
evening In Sydney Grundy's new comedy.
The Degenerates," was q decided sue"
cess. She daringly portrayed what are
generally understood to be scenes to be
taken from her own life. The realism Of
the initial act IL so intense, bringing IN,
as It does, all the scandals associated with
her name THAT the unanimous comment al
the close of the performance was, sit Is
good, but she Is awfully brave to do It. !"
Mrs Langtry acted better than ever be-
fore, seeming to throw herself thoroughly
into the spirit of the comedy, which bris-
ties with epigrams, but is occasionally vul-
gar.
Mr.. Hugo Gerald de aBthe. her husband,
looked on from a box with the Duke OF
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Prince Louis
of Battenburg. The Duchess Of Marlbor-
ough, many other titled persons and a
large number of well known Americans,
including Nat Goodwin, were In the audi
ence. The Prince of Wales autographed
from Marienbad: MY best wishes for a
brilliant success. Booked for a fortnight
from today"
Charles Hawley, Miss Lilly Hamburg
and Miss Lilly Grundy were the pick of
the cast, the last named lady being Mrs.
Langtry's daughter, VINO made her first
stage appearance tonight. Mr.. Grundyts
clever dialogue met with the usual aD-
probation. 1t Is probable that the DE
kolr ~ y1if oG
States IN the course of a few months.
New York, Aug SO.-The Journal says:
While every one Is marveting at LILLY
LangtTy's" strange marriage to a titled
but moneyless young Englishman but little
more than half her own age, the famous
beauty Is preparing still another surprise.
She is. going to hold up for the public to
look at, as in n looking glass, her own life
in the form of a drama.
1t IS now acknowledged that the new
play. 1.-THE Degenerates,' by Sidney
Grundy, in which she is to appear at the
Haymarket theatre, in london. next
month. Is really a stor OF 1.-The Lanstry's"
own life. She herself has said:
1.-The scenic artist have produced the
drawing room OF Newmarket house, which
have Just sold. All the furniture for the
various scenes Is also from my old home.
1t will be arranged Just as had it."
Amid such surroundings, Mrs. Langtry
Hugo de Bathe-how- strange her. new le-
gal name sounds-is to act out the actual
scenes CT her private life in recent years
This is the height of realism in stage eff
feet!
Most Americans remember Lilly Langtry
best as theatrical star as Lena Despard
| in LAS in q Looking Glass"
1t was not such a part as a social leader
of fashionable London might have been
expected to appear in.
Perhaps that is why the Jersey Lilly
took the part. 1t made people talk. It
swelled box office receipts.
Lena Despard the English heroine in 'As
in a Looking Glass" was another was an
other Camille, but more resourceful. more
intrepid, than the Frensh adventures
more like Langtry herself.
Now the Lilly ds going a step further,
she is going to hold up her real life as in
a real looking glass, from the time that
she was the sweet innocent country girl,
daughter of minister, on a pretty, quiet
, island in the English Channel. up to the
present time, when. as self-confesed de
generate" she has half a lifetime Of social
crimes to atone for.
II, in this new drama, Lilly Langtry will
| act out her whole life as faithfully as IL
Is expected, what moral lesson 1t win
be,
In Lilly Tangtry's real life drama, the
opening scene of the first act Is on the
lovely rural isle of Jersey, with the Parish
Aome Of Dean LIE Breton and the pretty
country girl with the face as fair as the
island lilies whose name she was after
| ward to bear.
Like a girls dream and a painters
scene was the coming of a white winged
yacht across the channel. The yachtman.
Edward Langtry, a young Irish. landlord.
saw a vision of g4r1iSh lovliness. fairer
| than any London belle. He followed her
to her home and was entertained by her
| father, the Reverend Dean of St Hil1ier's
Never was courtship so sweet and ideal
as among those quaint ISLAND scenes. al
most as softly beautiful as In the tropics.
1t was like a poets idyl. It closed with
| the benedlctlon of the minister father, as
he made Emelie Charlotte lie Breton, his
daughter. the wife of Edward Langtry.
Like the happy sequel of girls love
story. too. ne took her across the broad
channel tina tIIad hitherto shut her out
from the world and made her mistress OF
| a pretty home in the suburbs of London.
Here comes shifting of scenes worthy
I Of the greatest second act that was ever
put on stage. Her husband. PROUD of
hhis young wife, who. still girl OF elgsh-
teen. outshone the most famous beautie
of the capital and the court of England,
| presented her In his social circle. The re-
| port of her beauty spread.
She appeared at an art reception to the
| Wales was present The Prince sought
an Introduction to the young woman
whose radiant lovelfness wove a spell
about men OF the world with senses lad
ed whit association with conventional
court beauties The Prince there set his
approval on this new gem. and she WI
at once a social star.
Sir John MflIais, the famous portrait
painter, appealed TO her 10 SIT for a pic
ture to be exhibited ~ che royal academy.
He called his picture the Jersey Lily"
London society. from royalty down
through all the social grades. crowded 70
see this new and dazzling beauty
THE Jersey Lilly was on eve-yones
lips. Il was a name 50 sweet that a. was
associated In the popular TQlnd With all
thai was sweet and lovely In young NO