Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-03
SARAH BERNHARDT
IN NEW SURPRISES
Special Gable to The Herald.


PARIS, March 2.-The great success
just achieved by Sarah Bernhardt as
the hunchback in Les Bouffons" is
but another instance of the great ac-
tress' versatility. Indeed, she likes to
have a finger in every pie, and she is
interested in all subjects under the sun.
Like so many other people who have
made their mark, the "divine Sarahs"
success came through failure, for her
first appearance, when she was II, at
the Comedie Francaise, was so dis
astrous that her ambition seemed
crushed, but only for time, when,
Phoenix like, she rose with renewed
vigor from amid the ruins of her de-
feat to make her temperance with
great success. And since then she has
never looked back.
Her whole career has been such a
stirring and eventful one that a world
of anecdote surrounds her personality.
Much of this Is connected with her &C.
centricity for, being genius, she has
naturally a leaning toward the odd and
the bizarre. She has horsewhipped a
woman who insulted her, she secured
a princess for her daughter-in-law, she
often sleeps in silk-lined coffin, which
she carries about with her, and some
of her animal pets have been of an
unusual kind ranging from a tame
| tigress to an opossum Other of her
freaks were to wander about Parie in
| masculine attire and to tear through
| the streets in the wee sma' hours on
a fire engine.
But, with all her eccentricity, her
| popularity knows no bounds. This
was admirably shown some years ago
when she was performing in a new
play, which concluded by the actress
rushing upon the stage, kneeling be-
side her dead lover and passionately
kissing his forehead. To play the part
| of the corpse there was great competi-
ticn among French nobleman, poets,
authors and artists, and she, not wish
ing to offend any one, had fresh per-
son every night.
Sarah Bernhardt takes her work so
much in earnest that those around her
catch much of her enthusiasm. 1t has
been said that when playing Loren
zaccio" the scene where she practices
with the fencing master battles de-
scription, and her companion on the
stage used to be really afraid. But
perhaps something of the spell she
casts over her audience is well shown
by mournful little tragedy which
took place in Paris some years ago.
A clerk in a mercantile house never
failed to attend the theater whenever
Nine. Bernhardt played, and at length
he appeared to have fallen in love with
the actress, and told her so in a letter,
which of course was not answered.
Then followed letter after letter until
they reached fifty-eight. They stopped,
owing to their writer going out of his
senses, and for fifteen years he was
an inmate of an asylum. But he died
in the belief that his affection was re-
turned, and that he was about to marry
the "divine Sarah"
lies Bouffons' has been a consid-
cradle success, so gossip has been busy
with its author, M. Miguel Zamacois.
An incident in his early career shows
the divine Sarah" in a characteristic
light. He had written a one-act COM
edy in verse; it had been read and
returned by every theatrical manager
in Paris. With the courage of despera-
ton he at last resolved to approach
Sarah Bernhardt. He went to her
house to find that she was Just start
ing on a tour When he saw the hall
| full of boxes and cases of every de-
scription he was turning away, when
the actress, dressed for travelling, came
ir and asked his business. On being
told she sat down on one of her trunks
and said, Every we'll, read it for me-"
The poet read amid all the hustle of
departure, and when he had finished
the actress said: II like it; I'll take
it with me- I'll play it." And she did.