The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-21
SARAH BERNHARDT HAS RETURNED
FROM HER BERLIN VISIT.
Interesting Review Of Her wonder
fully Successful Career-Still
Great Force.

train from Germany is expected. 1t Is
curious crowd; close-shaven men, whose
dress proclaims itself; women with necks
wrapped in fnrs, and freeness Of gait that
shows the habitual stepping over other
boards; managerial-looking men, with a
vague reminiscence of the boulevard; uni
formed employees OF the railway company
In number: and. standing with open mouths.
soldiers OF every kind ready for the &C.
casion, since there Is a movement OF the
new conscripts, and glad TO take part In
some event which they do not understand.
The train is three-quarters OF an hour
late; the crowd increases and waits pa
tiently fer an object, known unknown,
which must be worthy. Suddenly there is
a push and a rush. with little yelps from
the ladies and frantic efforts OF the rail-
way men TO keep back the press. A young
girl holds on high, above the reach of in
jury, hugh bouquet of orchids. The train
winds slowly in. and the crowd keeps pace
with a carriage of extra-luxe. The mo-
ment is intense.
The door OF the carriage opens, and
woman between two ages" as the French
say. steps forth. She is well kept together
by jacket OF otter fur, and from under
her fur hat escape masses of golden-red
hair. AS she smiles at the crowd, her white
teeth glisten.
There Is a hurried movement OF the
smooth-faced men and befurred women.
and soon the newcomers arms are fuller
OF flowers than she can hold. In answer
10 all questions. she can only gasp broken
ly: Wonderful-charmed-in raptures!'
and then abruptly. Where is my son?'
A man. no longer quite young, issues
from the crowd and embraces the lady who
does not seem greatly older than himself.
The railway men uncover and soldiers
open wider eyes than before, as they ask
among themselves what majestic arrival
this may be. Their amazement is increased
by fat woman waving desperately small
tricolor flag over the heads of the crowd:
Ia Francei"
WAITING HER ARRIVAL.
Slowly the crowd pushes its way to the
exit where a carriage OF unique shape,
known to all Paris-half Victoria and half
cab-stands waiting with its two splendid
horses paving the ground. The object of
the waiting steps in and il driven off at a
quick trot. Members of the crowd remain
listening to yet another close-shaven man
who has come from the train with the OBJ
ject of their welcome. Crowded halls
everywhere" he begins; everywhere en-
thusiasm; it was delirious, tell you abso-
luteIy deliriousr'
The soldiers at last venture to ask the
reason of the event. in which they have
played an unwilling part; they are an
ewered with severity: Sarah Bernhard
back from Germany"
They disperse amid the throng which Sun
day brings to Paris railway stations. Is
then the German Emperor about to restore
the lost provinces Of Alsace and Lorraine ?
Reports go variously as to the reception
given In Berlin to the great French actress,
who so long protested that never would she
give the satisfaction of seeing her play to
Observation-Disclosures o. her country, France.
The Berlin papers have had their revenge
In letters from the oldest Inhabitants of
their ruburbs. to show that the great artist
Is really their countrywoman, born Prus-
sian girl within their precincts. This has
finally brought forth, in letters from the
divine Sarah herself, and in corroborating
extracts from birth records, more informa-
ton than has before been given concern
ing the childhood Of this heroine of two
hemispheres.
She was born on French soil; those who
made her out TO have been born at Havre
In 1913 mistook the birth record of an elder
Observation-Disclosures ner own-Rosine. as she
was first known. Her mother indeed, was
native OF Berlin. but she is native
Frenchwoman, born, as she has always
said. on the 22d of October. 1si4-a year
more or less making little difference to her
amazing perennial youth. She was brought
up In convent at Versailles and there she
was baptized a Christian a few days after
her hrst success on the stage.
HER FIRST APPEARANCE.
reason was to have no part in certain
mild convent theatricals with which the
sisters were to honor the visit of Arch
bishop Sibour. Of Paris. The little play had
been written and staged by one of the nuns;
1t portrayed the saving of the young Tobias
by his guardian angel The girl who was
to take the angels part was well able to
wear the gilt paper wings. but at the last
moment suffered from stage fright SO badly
that the play. seeing the Importance of her
part, became an impossioility-that is, Il
would have been such IL Sarah, OF whom
no one had thought had not come forward
TO say that she knew the words by heart
and was only too willing to figure on the
stage. She came off triumphantly. and the
archbishop. who perhaps had been in
formed of her condition. complimented her
asked her about her approaching baptism
and bade her take the name of Henriette
IN addition 10 Sarah, which seems to have
already replaced the primitive Rosine. Her
head. she now says, was at once filled with
the idea Of passing the rest of her days in
doubtless have astonisbec the good sisters
greatly. but they were spared the surprise
Sarah was duly baptized and went about
her studies of defamation in the Conser-
vatoire of Paris.
A lady, who was then a scholar with
Sarah at the convent. has told me in the
last few days the truth OF what has also
been a matter OF uncertain controversy
Even then Sarah Bernhardt had her crown
OF glorious golden-red hair, which may
thus have set later fashions in color, but Il
not as malice has suggested, the result OF
manipulations.
When Sarah was seventeen she carried
off the second prize I'm tragedy at the Paris
Conservatoire. and the next year that o
comedy; she was probably too erratic, a:
genius Is wont TO be. for first prizes Sh,
at once made her debut in the Coincide
FrAncaise. in 1852. just forty years ago
The play Racine's "Iphigenie." Sh,
must have been an uncomfortable beginner
and she was soon off to another theater
the Gymnase. and then to the Porte Saint
Martin. where she CONSIDERABLY played un
der a false name But she was under OBJ
legations TO the State theaters for her train
ing at the Conservatoire. and so she en-
tered the Odeon. where classic drama ha.
always fourished. For five years she me
with no great success, although she haC
parts in both "Phedre" and "Ruy Bias" In
which she was TO find much later her grea
triumphs.
In a late letter ] have recalled how IN
1859 the "Passant''-a chance dialogue writ
ten by Francois Coppee. an obscure younl
poet. at the request of Madame Agar. M
actress In vogue, for her benefit-brough
young men, headed by the present minister
OF marine, Camille Pelletan, all friend.
OF the peet. and determined 10 make hi.
work a success IL only by their frantic ap
plause. The success was more real thar
either they or Agar had expected: II wa.
due 10 Sara Bernhardt. whom she hac
chosen to take the pages part in the dia
logue.
Sarah was already twenty-five and 10,