The San Francisco call., 1908-08-23

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last visit 10 the coast Nine. Mod
l. jeska went 10 see her perform
ance and called upon her behind
the scenes. Mrs. Campbell could not
restrain an exclamation at the youth
OF the great artist
"oh. what do you do. madame" she
said. to preserve yourself 50 wonder
fully2" Madame smiled her enig-
matioal little smile and said nothing.
7 could not tell Mrs. Campbell" she
explained afterward. that preserve
myself crOcheting shawls for my neigh
bOrs and dressing dolls for the Bronson
institute
True-crocheting. dressing dolls for
charity. mending. enbroidering robes
for the parish priest-these things are
rest" OF what she calls SO. Rest as
the American woman understands the
term, is foreign to her. She never re-
lakes. never retires to her darkened
room. n dressing gown and slippers.
with hair down. TO collect herself" or
calm herself" or quiet her nerves"
Nothing like that Rest" for Nine
MOdjeska is-as she herself explains
ia change in work"
When an tired doing one thing 1
turn 70 something else"
But she does not become tired quickly
and there is always something else at
hand. Never idle. never simless. never
without work ahead; it is TO this prac-
tee OF constantly keeping the mind
occupied and interested that Nine Mod
5eskz perhaps owes some OF her won
oertul youth She seems today young
woman. with great wells OF vivacity
and charm still untapped. At any rate.
she Is q difficult proposition for beauty
doctors" and rest cure"
But besides her rest madame has her
work. difficult work. great work
the writing OF her memoirs: life so
varied. 50 crowded with incident. so
glowing with great endeavor and great
achievement. so blazoned with honor
and distinction. and underneath all so
sweetly simple and true-the story Of
q life like this to be gathered together
in volume
Helena Modjeska was born in era
COW s. years ago-crscow. the heart
OF Poland And today. after 90 years
OF life in America. an artistic success
here so pronounced that Americans are
ant 10 consider her career as their
own and vith great love Tor america,
her foster countr.. Madame Modjesks
is Al heart ardently and intensely .
Pole.
whea Pzaerewszi PLAYED in Los Ar
geies Madame Modjeska went in from
her hoae in Orange county to spend
several days wiki her countryman
Polish flowed freely and the subject
was mostly Poland and PoIands
wrongs. Madame has not been home
since her exile AID Paderewski had
much news.
~Oh. the injustice. the in5usticeF' ex-
claimed madame, the great wrongs Of
IA -. -r,-r5 r--- -
daily miserable. petty impositions Of
which the world knows nothing. but
which take the heart out OF the people.
and the Indifference Of the government
.Paderewski told me that when he spoke
10 the Russian officers OF the robbery
and outlawry that are going free in
warsaw all the satisfaction he got was
q shrug and Well II we interfere life
might get TOO easy for you PoIesr ."
Madame laughed. Too easy for u.s.
During Modjeska's girIhood love for
her own poor Poland and admiration
for bravery and heroisn were her
strongest emotions. She yearned 10 be.
herself heroic. And so it is that in
her art she can portray the great hero
ines OF llsLoLe ana IMAGINATION. she
feels as they felt and her audience
shares her inspiration
one day q serious accident happened
at Bohnia, q small provincial town
where madame was then living. Sew
eral families were left without support.
II was decided TO give an amateur per-
Torrance for their benefit. 1t was a
modest little performance. given in a
small hall Here Modjeska made her
first appearance
Talent Instantly Recognized
II happened that in the audience was
the manager Of theater IN Warsaw.
He came behind the scenes and asked
10 meet her. He told her she had
talent and should go on Encouraged
bv this. and with the all round success
mat their amateur performances had
won. the nve people who comprised the
company decided TO so on the road,