The San Francisco call., 1910-11-13

health and she must remain moral and
upright during her stay as child Of
the ear. Their health is looked after
by corps OF doctors who do no other
service than this; and when they are
sick they have their own hospital: their
moral well being is cared for by their
own church, and royal carriages take
them daily from their school to the
opera house where they rehearse.
After nine years OF training thew
appear for the first time in the I'm
perial ballet. Besides the eorypbees
corps de ballet. premier dancers and
the ballerina. there are supers recruited
from the army. so that 500 or 500 per-
sons are on the stage IN a single pro-
duction.
From such environment as this these
dancers come" continued Mr.. Mandel-
kern, "and they are unhappy because
they do not have the support Of a svm-
phony orchestra such as they are accus-
toned to-"
Tell me-" I said, what Is their
recompense. for coming to America"
Money" he replied IaconicaIIy. AT
the same time. If they are not back in
ST. Petersburg and Moscow bv next
June they will forfeit all rights TO the
pensions that are awaiting themNat the
end of their artistic journey. They are
like soldiers in the sense that thew
must obey the call of their superior
officer and. as he is the car. his word
must be needed Little Legia. for in
stance, is strongly inclined to remain
here in America, and think she will.
but II she does, she can never return to
Russia, except by special permission.
If Russian born citizen allies himself
with any other government and seeks
to take out naturalization papers. he
must first get the personal permission
OF the cZar. When this Is granted he
may become a citizen OF his adopted
government. But if he fails to get the
permission and becomes a citizen Of
the United States. for instance. he can
never return to his fatherIand. II he
has the temerity to do so he is sent
as rapidly as possible to Siberia. was
born in Russia and know. did not
return to the cars land until I had
secured a permission from the car to
renounce allegiance to him. 1 didn't
return to Russia until 1905. after had
been granted my papers and after had
been here for six consecutive years.
So this trip means much to my artists.
If they remain in America they will
forfeit their pensions under the Russian
rule and they will not be permitted to
cross the borders OF their own, their
native land"
IT like America" said little Legia.
"and I think I shall stay here. There
is so much money. We are all after
that"
partner the superb volinine: I'VE are
happy to think that our poor Efforts
have carried over the footlishts. We
have so many things to contend with
and America is very strange to US yet"
DO you know. said Mandelkern.
after we had left the dressing rooms.
that these three artists would rather
have the commendation OF a critic than
a raise in salary?'
Perhaps" said I dubiously, 'but it
seems too good to be true. And be-
sides Little tegia-"
But she is only a young girl said
Mandelkern. "and America has given
her her first opportunity Of making
bows"
What do you mean by thatr I
asked
why" said he. 'in ST. Peters
burg. whence she comes. no member OF
the imperial ballet. not even Matilda
Kshesinkoya or the czar's favorite
Preobrajenskaya, is allowed to respond
to an encore. If they bowed themselves
on the stage they'd bow themselves
of the cars payroll. This rule is
rigidly enforced No artist may ac-
knowledge an encore. So Legia Is tick
led that she can present herself to her
audiences and bow her thanks 1t Is
a new experience to her as it Is to all
OF the czar's dancers who come to
America
And that reminded Mandelkern.
There will be no more leaves OF ab-
sence granted imperial Russian dane
ers" he said. America has drawn
too strongly on the available supply and.
like Madame Schumann Heink who
came from the kaisers opera to Amer
lea. there are too many reasons for re-
naming here The czar is alarmed
that he may permanently lose his lumi-
nous dancing stars