Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-01-25


the Employees of Purina Mills in the dining
room of that Institution. Purina Mills,
where Purity is Paramount" are Famous
for the Manufacture of Ralston Purins
Cereals.
'rhe question has already been asked me
with regard to matters connected with the
stage land confess now nothing OF any
matters not connected with the stage,)
which OF the two new schools of acting in
Paris hold with-that OF ldealsm or that
of Realism. Idealism appeals to the ina
gination alone, but in the new school every
thing must be as it is In real life,--for in
stance. real fire, real smoke, etc.
Now this is not possible. 1t would not
do to wreck a real ship in theatre in real
water. No theatre could hold enough to
wreck ship. II we had real fire the smoke
might annoy the audience
The school of Rea ism holds that if "e
have the part of cook on the stage we
must get real cook to play it, il King Lear
is played we must have real crazy man to
play Lear That is all mistake.
People ask me why do not have reai
dog in Rip Van Wrinkle. What would real
dog be like on the stage? Imagine real
dog wagging his tail tt The wrong time
Think if some gentleman in the gallery
should whistle to the dog Oh the stage,
Then ev, ny one has his or her own ideal
of the true dog that belongs to Rip Van
Wrinkle, and If | SHOULD take real dog on
the stage some one would be sure TO say:
oh. / thought Rip Van Wrinkles dog was
one OF those long.bOded, sholtlegged dogs
Another would want Newfoundland dog.
So you see how utterly impossible 1t is
10 present realism on the stage.
No. & sue. bc art that looks like nature.
nature ~ cold anu ,hld if presented truly.
wbi.ler was one dsy stroIing along the
Thames. and was debgbted witA the land
scapo Very likely sa'd b nature viz
come up TO art soue time OF another'
1t does not do tor cha artist to make his
picture exactly true to mature There may
be a telegraph pole in the middle OF the
road. 1.-The artist sin ply moves the telegraph
pole out of the way in his picture so as to
assist nature II little.
have been asked whether an actor should
feel the part he presents. Two very distln-
guished actors, Sir Henry Irving and Mr..
Coquelin, disagree on this point, one old
ing that the actor should feel the character
intensely, and the other that the part should
be acted entirely through the intellect rath-
er than the emotions that be should not
shed, for instance, real teas Sir Henry,
therefore, could not act from Mr.. Coquelin's
standpoint.
Now, the real issue of this controversy is
not arbitrary 1t depends on the actor him
self. II he can make the. picture stronger
by feeling 1t then he should do so, and vice
versa.
He might feel his character too strongly
and thus make it gush so lar that he would
be led into something outre. Or man I'M
der emotion might speak so "aptdly that the
audience would be unable to understand
him. All can say is,-keep the heart warm
Let the whrlwind of your passion beget a
temperance that shall give it smoothness.'
am asked to give the secret OF the vigor
which has enabled me to remain SO long on
the stage.
1t is largely good fortune, but so far as |
can name other elements which have con-
tributed the result, they are senslblilty,
imagination and INDUSTRY,
what was the happiest moment of your
lifeY Well. If | were like the actor when
he is called before the curtain would have
to say that this was the happest moment of
my life, as sat here eating these beautiful
foods. II he does not say so you think he
is not slncer,, and if he does say so you
know he is not sincere, II my wife were
here. | should say it was my marriage, but
| really don't know what was the happiest
moment"
Mr.. Jefferson then repeated the incident
of the Chicago interview which led to u
newspaper comment that his powers we're
failing and that he was about to retire.
He said he had told his interviewer only
that he was about to retire for the night
He closed with telling a story OF bed
spring manufacturer who offered to give
him Il spring II be would say while groan-
ting with his stia knees in Rip" that |
would feel so much better if had only
slept on one of So and-So's comfortable bed
springs"