The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-09
Somebody Ina S said

Somebody has said:
 lille who would interpret literature must interpret life-life relieved Of she accidents of the commonplace, con ceived in simplicity, made ncarnate through the magic of speech"
 In proportion as it reveals adequately the emotion, relations or attitude of the speaker toward his thought, so pro- portionately does speech interest and move the listener.
 There are few people, literary or oth- erwise, who. appreciate the extent of the labor and hard work that the study of Execution demands, the idea gen erally prevailing being merely that a 1etentive memory and a good delivery are practically all that is required.
 Many systems are employed by when Elocution is taught, the one most in vogue being that of imitation, which, cn the face of 1t, is entirely erroneous, for there is nothing in which people diffep' so much as in temperament, rhythm, thought and texture of tone.
 The other method is an analysis of the modulation of the voice as inde- pendent acts of the will which in itself is mechanical and causes the mind to be focused on causes rather than ef- fects which is also disastrous. s x
 There is probably reader on the platform today who so thoroughly un- derstands the art of the Drama as Miss Shatteen Bartlett Mitchell of Atlanta, who Is the guest this afternoon of The Study Circle of Birmingham and who will give reading of Maeterlinok' s 'Mary Magdalene" by their imitation.
 Of Miss Mitchell's work much praise also has been given by many people hut rothing speaks more forcibly than what the brilliant MT. John Temple Graves has said of her and which in part is this:
 Miss Mitchell possesses a fine talent and noble character, full of fire. power and enthusiasm and she has been long recognized as one of the scintillatirg spirits in the Southland's literary and artistic life"
 When Miss Mitchell told me yester- day of her early studies. and her d. sire tp go on the stage at one time she said among other things
 After all, it was only natural for. me to love dramatic work, for it is an in herited talent--if such l may call it from my mothers family. One of my rel satives has made the name for herself in .Faris, as enc of the greatest dramatic readers of the day. I considered the Sstage-of course It presents an alluring field for one of my tastes and temper nent, and while there was opposition from my family, 1 really deliberately schose the role Of reader for many reas- Sons believe it offers more varied and subtle means of reaching tine souls of tnosespefore whom one appears than that sa6a R the actor.v
 sis much more dificult,' I in & s'There is no scenic effect,
 \no accessories, only the voice tural stage presence that one pd pslights, no music, no-'t caught the idea exactly,v said itchell. "The reader must yross wer of holding the mirror up td such Kaleidoscope fash- sion a AAlly present to an audi, aence aa as if they appeared in .the nesli baracters of. the drama that sh For instance, in aRostand's ritaine, which Olga sNethersole st winter in New York If "a be critics all agreed @rpon one pol pat was that~ Miss .NethersoIe ia ppvert the Mag xdalen. Of coll} kfl not the suotle. Smarveous vers ferlinck to work '