The San Francisco call., 1908-08-23

benent. where she gave the mad scene
IN Polish In 1883 she made tour of
America with Edwin Booth IN the never
to be forgotten Booth -Alodjeska" COM
bination- Before this. IN 1880. she had
gone TO London and won another TIL
umph before another audience shs
became very much the rage n London
and while before her debut she was 50
foreign to the people that Punch. CON-
menting upon the bilIboards an
nouncing simply sMod1eska." wanted
to know II IT was something good 70
eat After her success there her n2ns
became the popular one for all manner
OF goods desiring advertisement. Her
genius won recognition from Edward,
then the prince. and he occupied =
box at every first performances OF new
play.
The Los Angeles Home
But America is Mod5eska's foster
country. Here IN California she has
practically made her home since ths
first venture OF that Utopian colony. In
the hills in the south there is a beau
tiful ranch. known as Arden, famous
for its roses. It's trees. its fountains
and for the charming house. one OF the
first OF the bungalow style 20 be intro
duced n America, and designed for her
by the late Stanford White. Here. un-
til within year. madame made her
home Now she has come nearer 10 civ
ilization and has a beautiful country
home out OF Los Angeles. Here she
entertains almost all the artists that
appear in the south. Ethel Barrymore
spends much Of her time with her
when playing IN Los Angeles. as Nine.
ModJeska is her godmOther. Madame
tells an interesting story of how Ethel
and Lionel Barrymore happened 10 be
baptized in the Catholic church. one
day George Drew was going along a
crowded street in New York with her
two children and suddenly discovered
that they had both disappeared She
retraced her steps anxiously. but could
not ind them She telephoned 10 the
police and a thorough search was start
ed. but nothing could be found Of the
two children They had mysteriously
disappeared Finally. several hours
later, when the mother with an officer
was going once more along the street
where she had missed them she saw.
sitting on the steps OF the great cathe-
dral there. hand in hand and gazing
with wide eyes into the dusk. the two
little missing Barrymores-
They had darted from her side into
the church and. fascinated by the splen-
dor and the colorins within. had cou-
tentedly remained there TO play Ths
mother. thinking this was. perhaps.
some little sign, had her children re-
ceived into the church. with Nine.
Modjeska ard Count Chlapowski as
their godparents-
Two years ago Nine. Modjeska retired
from the stage Each day srs writes
all morning and often all day In the
evening she believes in diversion-music.
reading aloud. or cards She is an ex-
pert bridge player. and although she
enjoys the game she seldom lays in
the afternoon The daN she says.
''can offer more profitable emplOyment.
but in the evening. when the days work
Is done, one needs some RELAXATION or
the sort Some one said that bridge
is not much Of a relaxation as II u
played now. but IT always Is for ma
dame. except when she played with
PaderewskL He plays such an ex-
ceIent game such remarkable game.
that 1 become nervous when I play
opposite him. because I know he sees
all my mistakes.
And so the acclamati7ns OF enthuslas-
tic crowds. the elaDping OF hands and
waving OF handkerchiefs. the braves.
the encores. the calls and calls before
the curtain-all are over. IN the lull
of orange groves. under the serene sky
of California. Nine Modjeska quietly
and beautifully lives the days; always
busy. always gay. always charming