The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-12

set far back into her head, her hands
SO shriveled as to appear pulseless. Ac-
cording to her own story she has no
money. She has disposed of her jewels
she once possessed. Hospital and doctor
bills have dissipated the few dollars she
secured through the actors fund. When
she succumbs she will have to be either
buried by the county or by some char
liable organization.
Interviewed a few days ago, she con-
feSSed to her poverty-Str1cken cond1-
ton. 81 am not ashamed that have
lost all my money! said she, nor am
1 now ashamed to ask the American
people to help me. My once immense
fortune is gone. I have no friends"
She grew reminiscent Perhaps there
was too much tragedy in my acting"
ing every night. Soon they may get
weary of laughing too much. / may
get well. Who knows? And if should
perhaps 1 could play my Merrillies
again. ! think the American people
would come to see me in that once
more.
These modern plays; what are they ::
Bah! And these modern actors that
have to have their plays made to hit
them like their coats, who do nothing
but strut around stage drawing rooms:
What are they compared to Salvini in
'Othello?' There was an actor for you!
crushed down the pillows over Des-
demona: he was too horrible. Booth
was a fine Othello, but so different, SO
much gentler, you could not compare
the two.
"I have never seen Irving save once
in Faust 1t was fine part, just suit
ed to him, but he is more a great stage
manager than a tragedian.
Mansfield, like him the best of your
modern actors. But he has too many
new plays. He wastes his talents. And
the others, do not like to speak about
them; they have been SO kind to me.
Oh! you should have seen the great
Greek tragedies, .Antigone. 'Medea''
Gradually, as she talked. old age fell
from her like mask. The withered old
face became mobile, animated, almost
youthful The expanding pupils hid the
pale blue iris of her eyes and made
them deep black-tragic. Devils eyes,
a famous critic once called them
The story of Janauschek's life is most
romantic. In her prime she was the
queen of the European stage. Royal and
imperial gifts were showered upon her.
She numbered among her most ardent
admirers the late empress of Russia.
the king of Bavaria, the king OF Hol-
land, Louis Napoleon, viceroys and am
baSSadorS and nOblemen by the score.
All of these had paid their tributes to
the tragedienne, and 1T is said that
when she came to America in 1867 the
jewels she brought with her as presents
from her devotees in Europe were
worth at least 100000.
The great actress has always persist
emily refused to write an autobio-
graphy. In her more than so years OF
acting she has come into contact witt
men and women whose words and ways
had made fascinating topics for hel
easy and graceful pen, for she Is an ex-
cellent writer of English and the cont
mental languages. But generous Offers
for such work have been consistently
rejected, and the result has been tina
extrayagant stories of her career IL
Europe have found their way into print
At all of them she has shrugged hel
shoulders with a smile and the re
mark: What will they not write O
me?''
Nine Janauschek was born a
Prague, Bohemia, July 80, 1880, ant
made her debut in that city when sh
was 16 years old. She was the fourtl
| in a family of nine. AS a child sh
| showed remarkable talent for music ans
| at 10 was clever pianist and won
| derful singer. At Is she entered Ia
| conservatory, learned the italian lang
| uage and perfected her German.
| was during this time that her mind frs