The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-09

a young rooster. If it hadn't been fer
her laugh, she would have passed for
a girl of 20. Half Of the time she talk
ed so low that 1t is doubtful whether
even a F'renchman could understand
her, but it was just as well, for there
were mighty few ETenchrnen there She
has two things which probably give her
the edge over any actress who has
come to Topeka this season; her clothes
and the way she rolls her eyes. Otner-
wise, there are plenty of actresses VINO
can make just as good a showing as
she does Once or twice during the
play she cut loose and seemed to be
putting considerable ginger into ner
work. In her delivery. Sarah has speed
to burn, and good curves. Her batting
average, however. is not very hlgn.
She made only one pronounced hit
and that was when she died. Her death
was very wen received; in fact, it was
the best thing she did during the whole
evening Sarah has a naughty little
twinkle in her eye which makes per
son have a lurking suspicion that she
has a card up her sleeve all the time.
But Sarah seems to be making mon
ey and as very few people VIII have
the courage to say that they did not
enjoy her work, she will doubtless con-
tinue to get the good iron dollars from
the western plainsmen- And that IS
what she's in business for
CBy tfe Funeral Reporter0
the greatest actress that the world has
ever known, would appear, uTld ouDtediy
for the last time IN the city. should have
been sufficierst reason for the packing OF
building the size of the Auditorium.
Still the house was only partslliy hlled'
and many of those VINO Went are moan
ing in bitter disappointment that Sarah
did not fulfill their expectations.
It is true that the scepter of Bernhardr
has swayed the entire dramatic dominion
as has that of no other tragsedienne, but
the Bernhardt of today draws the audi
q generation ago. While at times the IRE
of youth burns in the eyes of the actress
who admits without a blush that another
birthday viii mark the ssxtJ'-third year
of her life, the greater portion Of the time
the struggle seems to be between the in
firmities which have come as the heritage
of age and which can not be dfSpeiled by
the cleverest actions
Years will pass and. possibly genera
tons before the stage will be gifted with
a successor to Sarah Bernhard. but how
much more pleasing II would be TO re-
member her as she WIS when the dra-
matte world was at her beck and call and
proclaimed. her-''Sarah, the divine,
There was an air of naturalness about
the acting which could not fail TO en-
trance her audience, but why should this
the footligshts should do much to remove
the hating unnaturalness of the amateur,
especially when her part Is fslat same one
which she has played on life stage since
she budde6 into womanhood. The cry OF
/ emulation. the wall of woe and the deep
grief which she depicted have ali fallen
to her lot on the stage of life which she
must soon leave, for the last act is on,
and the curtain between earth and eterni-
ty must soon drop.
In her death scene she exce1led. as she
always does. for she has been a per-
sistent and artistic painter of death IN
her entire repertoire there is scarcely an
exception where the death scene is not
the climax. whether It be IN La Tosca
] where she leaps to her death after having
assassinated the tseacberous murderer OF
/ her lover: in la Sorciere.. where she
/ joins Don Enrique in the kiss Of death.
or in Camille. where she depicts the log
/ in3l end OF a troubled life and pathetical-
/ III passes away in the arms of her lover.