The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-24

MADAME Bl
 Madame Sara Bernhardt, lonely in the eminence that sets her apart from all the worlds living players, the splendid incarnation of poetry, music and art, genius whom the gods have loved, else they could not have enriched her with the gift of sacred fire. that shines unfailing- ly through every moment of her lifes work in art, recalled to my mind yester- day when she graciously received me for a few moments a little episode of Ma dame Ponsini of Wallacll's famed old theatre, at luncheon given by Eugene Field.
 Said she:
 An actress may make a success at 20 There is woman in the audience, S0 Twenty years pass. The actress is 40, the woman 50 Picks up the paper What playing yet? She must be nearly 90. l saw her when I was a little tiny girl.'
 MT. Forbes Robertson delights in citing an actress who played boys roles at S4. That Such Contes d'Hoffman be sprinkled with a grain of celery salt is usually de- manded, until one looks upon the Divine Sarah, at close range, and realizes that time cannot wither nor age stale her infinite variety"
 Of her predecessor, Virginia Dajezet (being born in the time of Bernadin de Saint Pierre, she was given the name or Virginie, although her Pauls were le- zion, and in spite of her vestal name her virtue was of the vaudevillian type and ho of Paris during her time), it was said in her late years: ts
 "She is not an old actress, but an &C., tress eternally young.
 TO continue the parallelism Bern- Eardt,s favorite role at 6S is IL 'Aiglon, which,. despite her wonderful Camille, La Samaritaine" and Jeanne DArc, shows more her marvellous elegance and aristocratic charm and youth, the critics agree. than the "li'ceil eveille,' the arch effronteries, and careless grace of which we read.
 As long as time deals as gently with the empress of the drama as 1t has already done, let us ask of her:
 "Pourquori dire adeu?''
 And beg at least 20 more years of fare wells : Madame Bernhardt received me aboard her private car yesterday afternoon ana my first impression was that "The Di- vine Sarah could no longer be classed with "slim princesses."
 From that do not. pray you, deduct fiat.
 She is plump and young, and then young again, and her voice, once all gold and soft as velvet, is still golden, hold inc the iiouid love notes of the lovely Marguerite Gautier in all it's beauty
 Surrounded with every luxury that queen might ask, Madame Bernhardt re- cljned upon a divan in her car, clad m a loose negligee of lace stuffs and lovely chiffons. only the negligee had the same hish collar which we are wont to asso- ciate with "The Divine Sarah,' and the sleeves were long and deep over her wonderful hands. Flowers filled every part of the car; they were heaped high on tables, ana great clusters of them were piled in love lv long-stemmed vases, and quantities of them fairly cushioned the chairs about the car, while the afternoon sun streamed through the windows in all It's golden beauty. Her fascinating smile, like Cleopatra's scross the years catches and holds you
 
 today. and will be a bridge luncheon. Everything about Mrs. Crawford's nome is artistic-the home itself and its in- terior decoration. It was to be expected that she should entertain beautifully. and she always does. The decoration or her table yesterday was not laVish, put uras most tasteful and elegant and, ln-