The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-17

Bernhardt and nothing else. We kept
close to the Olympic Theater last week.
The feminine interest In almost every pro-
duction was astonishing. 1 saw the same
women at the Wednesday matinee with
their chums or mothers that sat in front
parquet seats with their beauX on Monday
night And thev went again to see ICY
rano." Indeed, CcTuelin had quite as much
of the honors as Nine. Sarah. If he could
only spend a month With us at the Imperial
or some place. the 'natipee girls would
make an Idol out OF l'.a and put up his
funny, wrinkled "ri:.z" with red candles
in front of II on t..zir dressing tables. be-
fore a week had passed.
Adolphus Busch sat in a box on Thursday
night, to be the recipient OF several gracious
bows from Bernhard attci curtain calls.
The actress knows Mr.. Busch and always
lays him a visit whenever she comes 10
st. Louis. That may explain her devote.
to beer as a beverage. She drinks it'll 81
Louis-to the exclusion of all else.
Three young women whom l know wat
with great anxiety at the Southern ni.v
night during the week to get a glimpse Of
Bernhard away from the footlights. They
had the giimpse-also considerable dtsap-
pointment-
why. she's old and homely and has the
hardest stare l ever saw" declared one
OF them Then her makeup was still on
or much of it: and that added to the gen.
eral unpleasantness. And as for that won
derful Partisan style-it was minus. She
may be wearing out her old clothes on
this American tour: but the costume was
passe and ugly. Some sort of q plum-col-
Ored velvet gown, with trailing skirt and a
three-Quarters coat edged with dark fur. and
cut like one of those old Russian blouses
We wore five years ago. Her hair was still
tightly curied like little corkscrews. and
perched on the extreme back OF her head
was a round fur cap. like a mans. made
of sable, with a velvet crown and a bunch
of violets stuck in front.
The son, Maurice, followed in her wake
as they went toward the elevator. carryins
@ black telescope" the top buiging out
with jewels, l suppose. And one of her
wo~men-in-waitlng accompanied, hugSing TO
her breast a tiny, white. hairless Aiexlcan
dog. Sarah led the procession, and alter
giving US that haro stare-wnich tranSfiXed
us on one OF the reception-room divans.
Inc three took the elevator and assembled.
Maurice is really very elegant looking, tan
and broad-Shouldered. with a smooth lace
and the hallmarks of an Englishman about
him. he seemed quite merry.
After maQanle mad disappeared we called
the head waiter and inquired as to what
she would eat. You know, her one meal-a
hearty dinner-is served when she returns
after the night performance, and all cares
OF the day are over. |
I'VE had a few more shocks when he told
us that she would begin her repast that
hight with-wel, guest oysters! Grape
fruit? Clams? A delicate white soup? A bit
OF fish? An absinthe cocktail? Wrong-every
Bacon and eggs! Yes, actually. Talk
about the artistic temperament needing
hearty food! The facts bear out the state
ment, don't they?
Spring chicken followed. accompanied by
one neutrality-suspicious.. Some st. Louis adj
mirer mas kept her supplied with fresh
mushrooms, grown especially for her, and
named the "Bernhardt," ever since she
They We're large ones and very fine
She was to eat those. followed by
q strawberry short cake, winch, the waiter
told US. was an unusual dissipation, as she
eschews sweets altogether, as a rule, fear
Ing lest she may become stout. The repast
was, as l have said, washed dow with
beer"