The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
BUSES REMARKABLE CAREER.
On Stage for ThIrty-seven Years-Hel
Trlumphs and Failures.

Triumphs and Failures.
@es srs#sA
Hillary Bell, in New York Press.
Eleonora Duse has been on the stage
for thirty-seven years. Her father was
an actor, her mother was an actress,
born-stormers both of the type that
I,eoncayallo puts into his opera, Il
PaRliacei" They Travelled from village to
village in Italy, pitching their tent CIV
ing performances collecting q few lire,
iourneying in wagons to the next stop
ping place. Mama Lucia, during one OF
these journeys, gave birth in the wagon
to this Latin wunderlInd. So soon as she
could walk and talk the youngster had
to earn her living, and at the age of
Eleonora was taken from the wagon and
clapped into the play. She took to the
darma as a duck does to water. She knew
nothing else-except hunger and hardship
IF her childish memory failed to commit
lines she was beaten; If her infantile
strength tottered under the burden OF
acting she was beaten again-beaten ana
starved. She became morose, sad-eyed'
silent
Her only friend. companion. comforter
and hone was her art. After ten years OF
suffering she was equipped to play
Juliet 1t was at Verona. The players
tent was pitched near the tomb OF the
Capulets Eleonora had reached the age
of Juliet, which Shapespeare sets down
at IA She decided to celebrate her birth
da.y by attempting the greatest of TRACE
dies in the city of it's scene. Italians say
that she won a triumph; that her Juliet
set Verona by the ears. Yet fortune did
not catch up to her until six years later.
The Young actress, to be sure, had pro-
crossed from the tent to the theatre, but
half dozen years afterward she was
playing in a cheap Neapolitan theatre OF
about the standard of the Dewey in this
city. There she was discovered by an
author named Emanuel. engaged for a
better company and introduced in the
title role Of Zolas 'Therese Raouin.
Then, and then only, did Italy awake to
the fact that it posse ssed the successor
of Ristori. At the age Of 20 Eleonora
Duse was famous
Two years later she crossed swords with
Sarah Bernhard and began q. feud that
will end only in the death Of one of the
actresses. In 1881 Nine. Sarah made
triumphal tour through Italy. Everybody
went to see the great Jewess, among
them Duse. She measured the French
woman and threw down the gauntlet. Sc
lecting one of Sarah's finest roles, IA
Princess of Bagdad," she carried Turin
against Bernhard, who was playing at
the principal theatre Immediately Sarah
realized that her throne was shaken. She
moved heaven and earth to keep Dnse
out of northern Europe, and succeeded.
Germany alone which was barred to
Bernhard had a chance to study the
new genius. Duse, however, confined her
tours principally to her own people, the
Latins. Denied Paris and London, she
came to New York unknown and under
unknown management.
Again she met Bernhard. The italian
opened at the Fifth Avenue; the French
woman wax playing at Abbey's. 1t was
In the winter of 1898. At that time Henry
e. Abbey was a great manager. On the
first night of Duse he sent his secretary,
Chatterton, to the Fifth Avenue with in
structions to kill the Dago,' as that en-
voy contemptuously expressed 1t. In due
time he reached this writer. "Alasr' cried
the Press man, ut is too late. My notice
already has gone downtown.
Cant you stop it?" asked Chatterton.
at will grievously offord Mr.. Abbey, Be
sides you will be fatty contradicted by
the Herald, Sun, Times, Tribune and
World. and you may lose your position"
"It is WELL" said this chronicler logged
ly. IT have said what / have said. 1
stand by Duse If the heavens fall" Chat
terton was right The italian received
an unmerciful stating next morning. But
1t all came right in the end and at pres
ent William Winter is the only man who
stands stoutly by his original argument
that Eleonora Duse did not know how to
act.
Sarah Bernhard carried her point in
cur newspapers. but Eleonora Duse car
ried hers with the public. The Italian
speedily recovered from the blow dealt
by the critics. At the end of the week,
in their Sunday reviews, the papers be-
gan to hedge, then to praise, then to
make obeisanse, and this writer emerged
from trouble into calm. All of which is
set down in the chronicles of the time. 1t
was the blow that almost killed Sarah,
for New York opened the door of Lon
don, subsequently of Paris, to Duse. Eleo-
nora had conquered everybody except the
bard of Richmond county, who swears by
his beard that she is far inferior to Ada
Rehan in comedy" Inasmuch as Duse
confines her genius solely to tragedy, Mr..
Winter might as well vituperate the
Park row building because 1t Is not as
found as the aquarium.