The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-08

was taken to the Theatre Francois. 1
left the theater weeping.
I'm 1860 1 began my studies at the
Conservatoire with no love for the ca
reer BeauvalIet said l would be
great tragedienne; Regner maintained
| would be q coincidence, while Pro-
vost put them in agreement by declar-
ing 1 would be both.
II was no beauty, was decidedly
thin, had kinky hair. and a pale face
But 1 worked hard, and when l ieft
had won two second prizes, one for
tragedy in 1851, and one for comedy
in 1862. Almost Immediately l re-
ceived a call TO the Coincide Fran
caise. and resolved that if the stage
was to be my working place 1 would
throw myself into my task with all
my soul.
my debut in 1868 in Racine's
Iphigenia created no particular com
ment. 1 remember that when L lifted
my long, thin arms for the sacrifice.
the audience laughed. The cause of
my first desert1on of the Coincide was
trivial One day my sister trod on
the gown of Nine Nathalie, another
actress, who in petty anger thrust her
aside 1 promptly responded by box
ing the ears of my elder colleague.
Neither would apologize, and l, the
younger actress, retired.
Il remained away ten years, mean
time laying the foundation of my ca
reer. Brief engagements at the
Symnase and the Porte ST. Martin
were followed by an opportunity at
the Odeon. My first success came at
the Odeon when 1 played Zacharie in
Athalie. I was then 50. For four
years 1 worked very hard, always
ready to take anyone's place, for L
knew all the roles. H Chilly was in
duced to consent to the production of
/ Coppee's one act play, LIE PEASANT in
which 1 appeared before Napoleon
and T'uoPnip at the TnllorieS.
| George Sand came to the Odeon for
the rehearsals of my play, L'Autre-
| Nine. Sand was a sweet, charming
creature, extremely timid. She did not
talk much but smoked all the time.
AT the end of 1871 Victor Hugo,
who had been practically an exile dur
| ing the empire, came back to France
His return meant another turning
point in my life, for when the Odeon
decided to produce his Ruy Bias, was
selected for the role of Queen.
1T was this role, January 26, 1872,
| that rent asunder the veil which still
made my future hay, and L felt that
at last 1 was destined for celebrity
| especially after Victor Hugo fell on
! his knees and kissed my hand and
! thanked me. No role was ever bet
! ter adapted for my talents, for 1 pos
sessed the gift of resigned and patient
dignity, and my diction was clear.
| up to this time marriage was the
| only eccentricity I had not perpe-
trated but in the spring of 1882 ]
remedied this by marrying member
of my own company, a Greek named
! Damala; or as he was known on the
stage Daria. I had been proceeding
up and down Europe, playing in
! France, Holland, Belgium, Denmark,
! Sweden. Norway, Russia, Italy, Aus
| tria and Spain, with success.
"In the midst of this tour, quite I'M
expectedly, in April, 1882, came the
! have the ceremony performed in Lon
don 1 travelled from Naples and re-
turned to Spain to resume tour. The
reason for my sudden marriage and
the selection of London for the cere-
mony, was not only passing infatuation
for Damala. but also a wish to pro-
pitiate English purisanism. A tour OF
! England and Scotland soon followed
| My marriage was not a huge success
1t lated not more than year. That
was my first and last experience with
], ma .t1,1 10, oa,a - An,ar,oa 20, +ho
first time 1 had an actress named
Marie Colombier. This woman con-
ceived a passionate hatred of me and
on her return to France prepared, or
had prepared, a thinly disguised
pseudo biography OF me under the
name of Les Memories de Sarah Bar
mum. 1 believe it was written by N.
Paul Bonnetain.
This pamphlet subjected me tC
miscellaneous ridicule and abuse. II
was false, L was furious. 1 one day
turned up at Nine. Colombier's apart
ment armed with a horsewhip and
proceeded to chase her about the place
beating her soundly with the whip.
'It has been said that Oscar Wilde
wrote Salome for me. He did not. He
was promising young playwright al