The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-01-04

There seems to be general st. Louis agree
nent that Nine. Duse IL a great actress.
whose method, like the taste of loves. Is
a thing to be liked only after experience.
Admitting the loss Of appreciation because
Of an unfamiliarty with the Language and
the idea Of the play itself, there remains the
feeling that Madame Duse fall short OF ex-
pectadons. That she - an artistic. of won-
drous delicacy and understanding there
seems to be no one to stand in dispute. She
knows her stage with an approach to per-
lection. She has studied all Of its details
with an intelligence that is not common in
the profession: but 1t is this delicacy, in the
face OF an accepted method of an entirely
different character. that makes a d~isappoint-
ment OF her work when first observed. In
stead of the usual and admitted ~xaggera-
ton for the sake of emphasis. there is not
MY the absence OF IT. but a difference in
the opposite direction. So the entertainment
provided for in D'Annunzio's untheatrical
and undramatic Francesca fell fiat.
Scenes that would have thrilled In any
language under the sun were allowed to die
under a load Of talk and the quiet methods
OF the chief actress. The old French critic
Who, years ago. said that Duse failed to rise
TO the occasion in Camille found the
Italian as she Is to-day-a new figure in
the world of the heater She will have
her friends. and they may be right; but
the public that goes to the theater these
days has its views, and the actor who
seeks to change them will depend upon the
changes Of the future to I'LL his measure OF
fame.
Another Italian who IL filling the Ameri-
can eye at this moment is Pietro Mascagnt.
VINO may or may not come to St. Louis
this season. At the latest moment, it ap-
pears that he is to resume his work In Chi
ca8o. and II may be that someone will be
FOUND who Is brave enough to attempt the
work OF guiding him about the country, In
mat case, the famous young composer, who
has had such hard luck in this country,
may come to the Odeon. l hope that this is
%. for there is not only a curiosity to see
him and enjoy his direction. but there is a
sound ambition to know how he reads his
operas, one Of which is played in one WAY
a another by every amateur and profess
si0nal In town. The other day, in response
u. an inquiry from the New York World,
AascaSni gave out a public statement that
y interesting from the facts it presents. and
Tor the quaint language In which 1t presents
them This letter is worth reproducing In
FULL:
1t . mot easy for mo to tell the story Of nv
nls1ofunes In America Many grave complica-
lions still tend to obscure the reasons of INV
troubles Ny spirit is not yet sufficiently tran
Qul to enable me to narrate all the vicissitudes
OF my American Odyssey. The grave accusations,
which are made against me will disappear before
the clear evidence of my absolute innocence,
When all the infamies which now surround, me.
When all the falsehoods shall have been sired
and unmasked. when my honesty shall have gilt
tered like q meridian sun. then 1 may tell all.
IL snail be known then with what fortitude Of
soui l have had to Withstand the tortures which
nave been INFLICTED upon me on a foreign soil.
MANY UNTOLD v~ILIAINIES.-
II viii be seen then how many and untold
yiileaniee have been employed against me-to
dlshearton. to dishonor me. Some miscreants,
without heart. without conscience. are the cause
q al my pain No. 1t 10 not the Americans who
have wrought havoc with my peace, who have
deos M 20 much wrong. On the contrary. from
them I daily receive proofs Of sympathy, OF af-
fectton. And / am glad to be able to express my
gratitude through tho columns OF the World to
all those that have been 60 kind.
Ny executioners have no right to q country.
They are moral assassins. who must be repudi-
ated and stunned by civilized people. They are
fully aware Of my innocence. they know my
hooored name; my undisputed personal reputa-
ton They know well what wrong they do
me. They strike at M honor to kill me: to kill
my wife. ever strong and faithful companion: to
XIII my dear children. who. weeping and from
afaf. ask why their loving father IL being thus
vilined.
my. HEART is ToRN..
Ny heart Is torn. but i must be brave. God
will give me strength to DEFEND myself. TO en-
dure all torrents. to stand before the, civilis,a
world acquitted Of all the chart, which ;nare
been heaped upoh me. TO crush under nv heels
the heads Of the venomous and loethsome rep
tiles :s :,
Meanwhile. / am eerenely awaiting fhe rerp,a.
course OF Justice. In my mother land. Italy. i
have fought much and have been much attacked
for my writings. for my lectures. for the sys.
TEN OF my poiemics. for my proud and indom-
liable nature. Above all. for my music, But no
one has ever dared to. ettack my, honor. for. all
know the rigid honesty Of my life. Even some
tenacious newspapeu. adversarfes Of all . my
operas, In this sad AFFAIR, have protested axains,
those who have treated me a. dishonest. / cite
the cosdere Della Sea ,of. kIisn,s to which
sonA q sincere Acknowledgement
NOTHING BUT MIsFoRTtyNEso
I hsss ahsoiute faith that on. my return. to
rtaS I ahail b able 10 cay. beth TO friends and
a0vospaEsas, that Wh1ls In Ama1aca I have mes
WITH nofhfng but misfpstpneA NJ ! hsSs. souad
at lsas, trus .~ustics-that his redeemed my
honor. TO stain which sttemp0 were made BY