The National tribune., 1909-05-20

OduCSTS, diu iiidhs VI tiCii
| floated lightly over the stage with feet
and limbs absolutely bare. Even high
born women, leaders in society, did not
disdain to appear thus for the sake of
sweet charity" and the papers were
full of praise and censure. A new
dancer has now appeared in London,
and all the world is talking about her.
She is beautiful girl. a Mile. Magde-
| leine, of Swiss and Georgian blood, who
seems possessed of a deep, dramatic,
| tragic nature. She is said to be in a
sort of trance when she dances, and to
be quite unconscious of her actions.
She appears on the stage unprepared
in any way for what may follow. The
music begins, and Mile. Magdeleine's s
| whole expression changes at once. The
spirit of the music seems TO take entire
| possession of her, and she simply yields
herself to it, obeying blind impulse
in her motions. Whether it be Strauss
waltz, largo of Handel, the stirring
strains of the Marseillaise, or the
strange minor of a japanese love song,
the dancers Interpretation Is most
marvellous, while her grace is unlike
anything seen before. Altho she re-
spends at once to any music, even to a
strange voice addressed to her in reci-
tation from the stage, she is perfectly
unmoved by the applause of her audi
ence. Many of Europe's most illus
ical men have witnessed this dancing,
and have expressed themselves as con-
vinced of the sincerity and genuineness
of the dancer. That she dances under
hypnotic influence they fully believe.
America will probably be visited by
this wonderful girl before many moons
have waxed and waned.
OF course, we have the brightest boy
in the world right over here in this
country. 1t really makes the brain reel
to think of what that boy knows He
is the son of Prof Leo Wiener, OF Har-
ward University, and next month he
will gradute from Tufts College in his
14th year, having taken the four-year
course in three years. At the tender
age of eight, when most boys are hard
ly more than babies, this precocious
child was prepared for college in math-
ematics, philosophy and modern Ian
guage. Fancy it! When he entered
college at IL he had gone further in
chemistry and philosophy than the av-
erage senior. This Autumn he intends
to take a course at Harvard in higher
mathematics, biology and chemistry,
expecting to receive his doctors degree
at II. Except for this phenomenal ca
pacity for acquiring knowledge this
young chap is much like other boys. OF
Russian descent on his fathers SIDE
he is strong and tall. splendid SWIM
mer and tennis player, and possessed of
pair of striking, intensely black eyes.
Infant prodigies so often peter out"
as they say, upon approaching manhood
or womanhood,- that the career of this
most unusual boy will be watched with
much interest.
An American with a very romantic
experience has just died on one of the
Fiji Islands. that little group far away
in the warm waters of the blue and dis
tant Pacific. His name was Edgar
Thompson. and he left his home in Al
bion. ILL.,. 25 years ago. filed with an
uncomfortable desire for adventure and
the sight of strange lands. He wan
dered here and there. and finally found
himself on the aforementioned tropi-
cal little island. where the palms
waved and the half-savage natives lived
q life free from the carking cares of
CIVILIZATION. The dusky-skinned daugh-
ter of the King of the island the Prin-
cess somebody, cast looks of approval
on his white face and well-set-up fig
ure, and just how it all happened we
are not told. but he finally married her
according to their notions, and was in
time crowned King of the island him.
self. No very great amount of dazzling
magnifcence and Gplendor surrounds
the ruler of rather small island in
the South Pacific Ocean, presumably.
but Thompson had the best that was
going, and probably his American sense
of ffumor found much to feed on in his
novel position. AS to his dark-skinned
brood of Princes and Princesses, half
American and half-Fiji, We are not told.
but doubtless they are i'm existence and
are now mourning for the death of
their royal parent in true Fiji fashion,
and very likely. too, we may hear from
some of them in the future.
What girl of 20 years or so ago did
not read 'St Elmo" and revel in its
absurdly impossible but delicious ro-
nance! Was ever hero so fascinating
as the mysterious st. Elmo? How the
sentimental girl gave herself up to Gay
dreams of him. and how much valuable
time she wasted in SO doing Such n
book nowadays would only be laughed
at and criticized for its lack Of literary
merit, bat 1t was real literary triumph
when 1t appeared. and was GOOD
seller" for many years. Its authos..
Augusta Evans, or Mrs. L. NJ. Wilson,
has just died at the age of "a She
wrote number of books, "Beulat."
"Vashti." and one only two years ago
called "Devota," but none won for her
the reputation of est. Elmo" which
was written about the close of the civil
war. Mrs. Wilson was a sister of Mrs.
virginia e. Bragg, a relative of Gen.
Braxton Bragg. prominent officer in
the Confederate army during that mo-
mentous struggle.
Let no one imagine for an instant
that Count Boni de Castellane, the one
time husband of Anna Gould and
manipulation of her fathers millions /
has given up the fight It Is still very
much "on" with Boni only his demands
are now narrowed down to the custody
OF his children. who are under the per
nlcious" influence of the hated de Sa-
gan. He has renounced his claim to
any or the Princess de Sagan's money.
and only prays the court that he may
nave the care and bringing up of his
oHspring, who are in crave danger of |
peing entirely ruined in their present
environment. Which is all very funny
coming from Boni, and must make his
Parisian cronies smile like a Cheshire
cat 1t is said that fuel has been added
10 Count Bonfs wrath and injured
amour propre by the rumor that tho
slork VIII soon visit the rather mixed
up household of the de Sagans. The
prospect OF sharing any of the money
whlch must some day come to his chill
dren with an offspring of de Sagan is
more than Boni can stand, and n is
really frightful to see and hear him
wnen ne gets on this subject. If this be
So IL VIII give Princess Anna decidedly
.ne Whip hand over the irate little
I rrehcnman whose name she once bore |
you don't behave yourself" she
might say, Il will leave all NV money
to little de Sagan." Dame Gossip wbis.
pers that the filmy. lacey, embroidered
baby things prepared for the CastelIane
have been put aside, and an
entirely new infant frouscaau ,,,oaal |