The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-03
by DOLLY DALRYMPLE

Once upon a time the inimitable Mad
anne Sarah Bernhard had a tilt with
Monsieur Francois Wilson about art"
1t wasn't personal difficulty; no, not
by any means
Somebody just went to Nine. Sarah and
asked her which "Art" was, with cap
ital "A"-"tragedy'' or comedy" and
the lady merely shrugged her shoulders
and said:
"Trrrrr- a-g-e-d-y!" as If there could
be anything else.
Now, Monsieur Wilson is strong for
comedy-more or less on account of his
many successes beginning with "Ermine,'
which dates back as far as 1892, and he
didn't propose to have 1t Shrugged at,
even by such influential shoulders as
those belonging to the "Divine Sarah
So he said:
Just tell Madame Sarah for me that
there's no art in tragedy. Life is tragedy
The art is in comedy-the best art in
life
Instead of appointing De Wolff Hopper
or Marie Dressler referee on this momen-
tous ubject, 1 decided to get clever lit
tie Miss Lucy DAILY to settle the question
between these two stellar lights, and so
I paid a visit to the little comedienne yes
terday and oh! such time as we had.
Don't you wish you'd been there?
After we'd gotten ourselves located in
some big, comfortable chairs in the palm
room of the Hillman. and we'd fairly
started, found myself mentally observ-
ing that it isn't a great leap from the
"Babbling Bess" of 1.-The Trouble
Makers" to the lady herself-Miss Lucy
DAILY lin private life Mrs. Hap Ward-for
1 was as highly entertained with her con-
versation 'off'' the stage as / am when
she is the center of the limelight and
everybody is roaring at the fun she
makes.
A talk with Miss Lucy DAILY is very
much like the operation of a repeating
rife. Load the one with as many ques-
tions as you do the other with bullets and
the action will be just as quick-the range
Just as wide, and the aim just as true'
'In your opinion, since you are to de-
eide the question" l commenced, does
this tragedy business take first place in
the world of Art for Arts Sake" or
after all, isn't it harder to make two
smiles where there's been but one?"
"Why, of course, it is hawder to be
funny" said the little coincidence. than
to be sewious Life is sewious. and THEY'VE
awe vewy few of us who awe Naturally
funny"
you are" declared.
You were nevah move mistaken in
your Iife," said Miss Daily. That's where
the awt comes in. You must be thinking
of my sistaw Mawgawet DAILY She was
the veal coincidence. You see it was this
way: I am the youngest of 10 children.
Think of t!''
.'Wouldn't Roosevelt be dee-ighted"
interrupted.
"And we sawt Of came along up in the
stage business by twos,' related Miss
DAILY. '"There were my bwothers Tim and
Tom. Dan and Bob, and then Mawgawet
and myself We mawwied the two staws-
Ward and Vokes-making them brothers
in-laws, and then we stawted, the quaw-
tet of us, on Duh theatwical caweer. Nav
gawet was natuwal bawn coincidence.
Why, she could make monkey laugh
did the pwetty pawts. I mean the sing
ing and dancing and dressing the pawt-
sawt of ingenue as it were. Then Nav
gawet died and somebody had to take
her place, and they selected me! Pooh
little me, who had nevah been funny in
all my life. OF couwse neawly anybody
could take my place-but hers! we'll.
it was diffewent. And so just had to be
funny whether 1 wanted to or not"
'"But you do talk funny" said. And
you've got funny laugh"
That's natuwal," said the little comedi-
enne and then she gave one of those in
imitable little cackles that convulses any
audience that happens to be listening.
"And this talk Of mine. Of couwse that
isn't even like human being. You re-
member say that in the play. Imagine
not being able to pronounce an r!
Isn't 1t disgneting"
But there are rs other perfectly good