The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-04
MISS ADELAIDE THURSTON
 GOES SHOPPING AND BUYS
 TWOLOVELY YSTAGEGOWNS

KN 1se ADELAIDE THURsToN IAV was the observed of all ob servers in one of the Birming ham shops yesterday after the matinee. She walked over from the theater join ing the matinee throngs and did little shopping. She selected two lovely stage gowns-a white tuIle richly spangled with silver. and robe of white lace. She ex- poets to wear these in her charming play. "At Cozy Corners" which she is presenting this season.
 While Miss Thurston was shopping numbers of people were seized with a sudden admiration for spangled gowns, because 1t afforded them an opportunity of observing Miss Thurston.
 And she shops quite as naturally and as irresistibly as she does everything else.
 That is Miss Thurston," or Look at Miss Thurston.'' was being whispered at every step sne made, but she was ap- parently unconscious of the remarks, and quietly ordered her gowns to be sent to her hotel.
 Miss Thurston is very much pleased with her new play. In her dressing room last night at the theater she chatted of her new role, of what appealed to her most of what appeals to an audience, and If there is any one who can discuss this last theme from a personal observa- ton it is Miss Thurston.
 T like little comedy,' said Miss Thurston, putting up her brown curs, and in my new role there is fine op- | A.. aOt
 Then there Is the sentiment, the sim plicity that people like. and touch of the melodramatic. think that l am do- ing my best work in this play. It Is real ly a difficult role that I have" and Miss Thurston turned away from the long mir TOT and grew quite serious, letting that wonderful infection. in her voice that strikes her audience a note, cadence that holds one like the interval between a vesper bell. Do you know" she went on after awhile. that what you say of my voice must have been noticeable when I was child" and she looked into the mirror again. her eyes full of memories.
 When I was a little thing" she said drawing her lowered ldmona about her. T used to play that could read. I could not read a line, but l had very large audiences who thought that I read wonderfully. They were my little play mates. you know, my little friends that I loved when I was child, and-why I actually made them laugh or cry. made it all up as I went, and sometimes the bear would eat up the little girl and they would cry so hard that I would have to make up funny story" and Miss Thurston laughed as she recalled the impressions made upon her very youth full audience.
 She chatted later of stage celebrities q think" said Miss Thurston, that Mrs Leslie Carter is our greatest actress. Her interpretation of ''Du Barry is magnih- cent. But I have not seen some of our greatest celebrities. There is Bernhardt. There is Duse. I have seen neither of those. 4
 There is one thing that I believe" said Miss Thurston, fin regard to the stage and its people, or the attitude rather of the world to the actor
 No matter how great an actor becomes, his work cannot live unless he has en- deared himself to the public. Take for instance Lotta and Maggie Mitchell, two women who grew old on the stage, and who are still loved. It was not because of their art, or of their success and every one knows that Lotta is one of the wealthiest women who was ever on the stage, but it is because people remember her personally and loved her because she was Lotta.
 'I have often wondered if the world will remember Richard Mansfield While he is so great an actor, I feel that there is something even higher than ones art and that MT. Mansfield lacks the qualities that will endear him to the public''
 It is not surprising to know that Miss Thurston holds such views. The fact that she recognizes that there is some thing ever higher than art is perhaps the secret of her own popularity.
 When a woman with the reputation en- joyed by Adelaide Thurston admits that there is greater thing than art it ex- plains the wonderful sway she has over her audience
 So many little incidents might be told to illustrate what Miss Thurston means WHeH SHe says lidb lHtTe lS SOiuetHlllB higher than art, but here Is little story that was told me last night:
 Miss Thurston was going over by boat a few weeks ago from Newport News. Va, to Norfolk. and sitting on the deck of the steamer she got the first glimpse she had had of the south in many months.
 With her big grey eyes sweeping the Virginia shores, she turned to some one near her and said: 'T feel as if we were going home"
 Among those occupying boxes at the Jefferson last evening were MT. and Mrs. Frank Grider, Mrs. Shipman, Miss Jemison, Miss Carrie Sharpe, Miss Ethel Sharpe, Miss Moody, MT. Shook, Mir Ramsay, MT. Exum, MT. Lynn, Judge Allen, MT. McCrery. E