The Washington herald., 1911-06-25
BY EMORY B. CALVERT.

New York, June 4.-For three days this
week Sarah Bernhardt, fast nearing
threescore years and ten and fresh from
tour OF 800 miles. during which she
played almost continuously in varied
repertoire, dazzled New York with an
art that is perennial and face and
figure that have apparently defed the
ravages of time. Hers has been the
triumph supreme. She leaves the coun-
try of her many tours like victorious
general Of old, taking with her captives
in spirit the thousands who have wit
messed her performances.
That her New York appearance. un-
like SO many that have gone before
marks her last professional visit to
this country there can be little doubt
Even the divine Sarah must succumb
10 the inevitable. and. as the years flow
their Increasing weight will sap the
vigor and mar the art of the greatest
actress Of the age.
Though the good God sows health.
one must work like the devil to reap the
harvest" has been the maxim that has
carried Nine Bernhardt to artistic and
financial success through over half
century before the public. Since she was
tiny girl, scarce in her teens, madame
has exacted from her body a redundance
OF emotional power that would have
wrecked many a stronger person She
has neither rested nor retired Her aim
has been to ''die in harness." ana the
glitter of the footlights has been mir
rored back to millions in her inimitabIe
pathos and emotional power She has
Won the praise OF king and yokeI
swayed thousands Of audiences from
tears to laughter with the power of her
art, and on counties occasions seemingly
reached the pinacle Of success. only 10
return and eclipse past performances.
Nine Bernhardt. playing youthful
roles in sister Beatrice Jean Marie"
L Atglon," and Madam X" and Mime.
Bernhardt, surrounded by her suite of
solicitous attendants, in the Hotel Marie
Antoinette, just before sailing time, dis
played little of the changed appearance
one would expect keen morning light
to accentuate in a person of sixty-seyen |
A wrinkle here and there, and teIl-taIe |
crows feet beneath the eyes, perhaps. |
but none Of the hard, harsh lines with |
which time so often marks its followers
Her features in repose, she is marvel
of youthrulness. 1t is when she talks
and smiles that one is disilIusioned. vet
captivated. Then it is that time shows
its hand beneath the artifces of nge:
yet 1t IS then that her stin brilliant
eyes light up with an animation that
soon brings the observer under the spell
of her personality.
Youth in Dress.
Half her youth is in her dress. zone
is as old as one looks" says madame.
and when one glances at the suede shoes
and sIken hose, carelessIy displayed, the
bunch of white carnations in the cors-
age, and the dainty dress OF diaphanous
with here and there a jewel
sparkling in the morning light, one
knows that madame, at heart, is vet six
teen Then, she is surrounded with the
accourterments of a girl Of twenty Her
secretary holds a silver-mounted fowl
ng piece with which she shot birds1
while on the wing; against the wall is
another and larger gun, used while alli-
sator hunting in the Everglades, and
hear at hand is the haft Of a miners
oick, used by this youthful person OF
ixty-seven while 1000 feet below the
iurface Of the earth when inspecting a |
copper mine in the West But IT Is the !
lair that recalls the attention Dull
.old, strikingly coiftured with tendriIs
nd curls escaping in studied profusion
{ makes an imposing effect well cal
uisted to deceive the critical and to 4
leighten the effectiveness OF madame
outhfuI role. :
America has ever been the El Dorado :
u DSEuudIOlS lOurS- Sne mas returned Z
gain and again-each time for "a last :
arewell' and each time departing laden | i
Vitn the wealth that her name has !
rought from an enthusiastic American i I
ubiic. Her last appearance before | +
americans has been Of thirty five weeRss1 :
urstion, and, during that tine, she has i
layed SS performances. many OF them | 4
ne night stands. Truly no mean task. :
Ter tour has netted box once receipts 4 3
mounting TO a cool million of good 1
american dollars, a quarter Of which d
IN fall to the lot Of madame <
Her appearance in New York, despite d
Ne fact that but q few months had e
apsed since her arrival. was marked Il
18th an enthusiasm that was mirrored b
? q box ONCE nightly besleged by hun c
reds. Sister Beatrice and lean d
Iarie" were played on Monday. The .
rst, play BY Maeteriinclk. well known 4
! New York, gave the actress an OBJ a
for display Of her skin that b
athfaileo the spertEtors. = was mark G
] throughout with TIE superb crescendo Il