Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-06
NSARAH BERNHARDT IN OMAHA
Troubles Accumulate, from Red Carpet to
Cab with Closed Top,
"zE MADAMEs TEMPERAMENT" GUARDED
Great Actress LinRers Too Long En-
ioying the Beautiful Drives aud
Her Punishment ~ n Throat
Attack.

n Sarah Bernhardt's troubles have been
as numerous in the past as they we're our
ing her brief stay in omaha, 1t Is hard TO
explain how she has warded off the wrinkles
which attend care and worry.
When the madame arrived In Omaha yes
terday morning her car was placed IN
noisy part OF the yards at the Union station
She was unable to sleep on account Of the
ringing and footing of switch engines.
The red carpet which the divine Sarah
uses in the production OF La Tosca" was
sent to Denver by mistake, and the Omaha
stores we're drawn upon to replace the
carmine floor covering. A careless prop
erty man was given his walking papers
for this mistake, and sufficient French ex-
pletives were wasted upon him to last less
excitable people whole season
Two chairs sent to Madame Bernhardt's
dressing room did not match the rest of
the furniture, and one chiffonier had spindle
legs OF the sort that throw the French
woman into paroxysms. The two men who
allowed this furniture to be carried in to
the holy OF holies were dismissed sum-
marily.
Madame Is a woman of temperament, and
her nerves must be respected" Manager
Fred Latham explained, as he sent half a
dozen French. supernumeraries scurrying
into different parts of the theater to secure
articles, which must be in the tragedienne's
dressing room before she would begin her
toilet.
Dream of Green ana white.
Everything movable was taken from her
room assigned to the star at the theater.
The floors and walls we're carefully washed
and scrubbed. Disinfectants were freely
used in the room and then II was turned
over to madames uphosterer and con-
Verted into a dream OF green and white.
Walls and ceilings were draped with silk
and the floor was carefully covered with
carpet that harmonized
"Ze madames temperament" the little
French upholsterer exclaimed in answer to
all questions. II was all the English he
knew.
But the worst jar that came to the French
woman and her attendants was when a
cab, a little the worse for wear was sent
TO the private car yesterday afternoon for
the use OF the artists.
Emile Benon, the strapplng coachman
whom Sarah brought from Paris to conduct
her safely through American cities, in
spected the closed carriage and began wild
EestiCulation. The driver sent in care of
the cab tried to find out what was wrong
with the monster Frenchman but his only
exclamation was, "ze madames tempera
ment"
IT was finally discovered that Sarah will
not ride in a closed carriage and the ton
was removed Laborers were then set al
work shoveling n path from the actress s
special car to the carriage. Boards were
laid in the path and the divine Sarah was
escorted to the carriage by NJ. Coquein
She wore sable jacket and skirt and
hat of the same fur. Her shoes were dark
brown "a bp
The only bright color in her costume was
large bunch OF violets on her hat. The
actress feet were wrapped in a fur foot
warmer and her two fox terriers. NJ Dennis
and Nine. Dennis. were placed I'm her Ian
Madame wore no veil and an unnecessary
amount OF rouge on her lips showed I'm
striking contrast to her beautiful white
teeth.
Catches slight Cold.
Madame Levi, Bernhardt's companion, nc
companied the actress on her drive througl,
the city. Hanscom park was visited and
Tor two hours the party was driven over
tho boulevard system. The weather was so
bright and fine that Bernhardt was de-
lighted, but the exposure was too much for
her. She caught slight cold and cough
remedies were brought into use when she
returned to the car.
The msdame's 6 o'clock meal was a
hearty one. Courses of duck and salads
were followed by wine, cake and ice cream
Again the actress was bundled into her
furs and taken to the theater, where A
score of attendants awaited her with
bated breath.
"Ze madames temperament" an ex-
cited little Frenchman exclaimed when a
stage hand made slight noise near the
carefully guarded dressing room
Call 1t temperament If you want to-
was the reply, but | call 1t just plain