Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-12-31

wrote. I'VE didn't need to light the
IamPA"
Improyised stage.
L One day she was summoned to ap-
pear at Napoleons headquarters.
There she met promiscuous lot OF
actors from every part of the world.
Napoleon ordered them to get to-
gether, rehearse something and theS
perform it for him.
"The theatre had been burned
down; we had nothing, no clothes no
gowns" Louise Fusil recorded. I'VE
found in the abandoned palace of a
Russian nobleman little stage that
had been spared by the fire. Our ir1-
provised company took possession OF
1t, we manufactured costumes with
garments found here and there in
empty houses, and we played every
night until the army had to leave
vaudeville, comedies. comic operas.
After thirty-fiye days of rehearsals
and performances In the deserted city
the exodus began.
EVERY man." Louise Fusil wrote,
'.had taken whatever he could lay his
hands on, Some wore mujlk's coat
or servants fur-lined skirt, some wore
satin cloaks of many colors. It would
have been terribly funny II It had not
been to terribly sad to watch an old
erenadier with his long moustache
and his high cap. draping himself in
pink satin cloak"
After escaping capture by Cossacks
Louise Fusil barely missed being
drowned at the crossing OF the bere-
sina.
"The emperor was standing at the
head of the. bridge which the SOL
diers had built during the night on
the frozen river. / could watch him
closely, for our advance was very
slow. He seemed to me as calm as
he would have been at Tuilleries
parade. The bridge was so narrow
that our carriage almost brushed
against the emperor.
Go ahead, go ahead he said to
us. Don't be afraid
King of Naples Costume.
.sMurat. king of Naples, crossed the
river at the same time. He held his
horse by the bride and his hand was
resting on the door of our carriage.
His costume seemed to me incon-
pruous at such a time and in tenn
perature of 20 degrees below zero.
His clothes were open at the neck,
velvet cloth was thrown carelessly
over his shoulder; with his long
curly hair and his black velvet cap
trimmed with a white plume he
looked like hero in melodrama
when the carriage, drove ahead
of him [ turned around to look at
him. :. He acknowledged my glance
with a friendly gesture of the hand.
He was a great fiirt and loved to
be noticed by -omen.'
Hardly had Louise Fusil crossed
the river when the rearguard, stam-
peded by a sudden downpour of Rus
sian shells, overcrowded the bridge.
The ice broke. Men, horses and guns
were either swallowed up by the icy
stream or slaughtered by the Rus
sian troops, who held them cornered.
On her way to France Louise Fusll
| picked up little Russian girl who
had lost her family, taught her
French and acting, and secured for
| her a place with the Coincide Fran
caise.
In 1s4S, when she was IA years old.
Louise Fusil reached the term OF her
career. For several years she had
| been penniless and reduced to solic-
iting aims from her former associates
of the stage. All her savings had
been lost in financial disasters, and
her adopted daughter had died.
Irx,o,-xy f1ighf she anneared a pathetic
| figure. at the green room Of the
National Theatre, and actresses
would whisper to some wealthy
| friend:
Wont you do something for herf
This is the woman who crossed the
Beresina.