Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-06

Because of her location upon one
of the main arteries of commerce our
city is frequently visited by the great
and gifted. We can claim acquaint-
ance with artists, actors. Presidents,
musicians, men and women of the
great outside world who have achiev-
ed something beyond mediocrity. We
acknowledge them, we pay homage
to their ability and are proud to boast
of their interest in us.
A few days ago there crept into
town, silently and unheralded, a wom-
an broken in health who sought rest
in one of our little suburban towns
New Cumberland. But talent of any
kind is gift of the Great God not
to be denied and hidden. The Tele-
graph found out her hiding place and
In spite of theheavy cough and weak
ness left from a recent attack of pleu-
risy she was gracious enough to grant
an interview.
Mrs. Mana wyle, of French descent,
resembling closely the incompatible
Sarah, is 'phychic phantominist."
Years of New York experience have
developed her natural ability into
something almost eerie.
Yet you are a Pennsylvania" de-
clared the interviewer.
80? How can you tell?"
You asked a departing guest If
she were going away just now and
no New Yorker would use that ex-
preston"
Mrs. Wyle laughed.
Yes, it is true. Danville was my
home for many years. My children
were born there. But you want to
learn of my impressionistic portraits.
Well, see! I will give you a few"
Uses Little Makeup
From a small box she extracted
moustaches and boards made from
combing of her own hair.
Il use almost nothing in the way of
costume and makeup but these and
this old sombrero," she ran on as she
stood before a mirror and removed
her hairpins.
See, your coat will do"
Draping 1t loosely over her should
ers she stepped back and faced
around. A French dandy from the
Boulevards had entered the room!
Then followed succession Edgar AL
len Poe, hopeless, with great melan-
choly eyes; Mark Twain, brilliant with
humor and kindness; the vacant
faced, scatter Drained artist of the
Latin Quarter; the heavy browed
Bonaparte and the cynical mirth of
Mestophiles. The woman was thor
oughly submerged in the personality
of each character she represented.
MY last big appearance before II
was i'll was in the benefit given in the
Metropolitan Opera House, New York,
for the blind soldiers of France" she
said, II cannot explain it. / cannot
understand it except that ] know
music inspired me. 1t is not a ply
sical but more of a mental or phychic
gift. Ny properties always fit into a
small suit Casa mans coat, an old
skirt, the sombrero, a bit of turkey
red for sash or tie and the moustaches
That is all, never any rogue, wigs or
other such make-shifts. There is one
character for which / always use a
special hat, dear old Buffalo Bill. II
have one of his own broad brimmed
felt ones which he gave me the first
time he saw me impersonate him in
appreciation of the truthfulness of
the portrait.
Moving pictures? oh, yes. l have
thought of them but always they look
at me, see l am neither young nor
beautiful, and say my name shall go
on their waiting list. They do not un-
derstand, so you see, it is their loss.
will not condescend to be an 'ex-
ira Why should I? My art is above
that"
Mrs. Wyle is right. Her art is big
ger, better thing than is often handed
out to q credulous public to-day. She
Is a CHdIHeleOH. tGencn IN
every gesture and mannerism, Penn
sylvanian by birth and association,
she is "all things to all men," accord
ing to her desire. Hers is the battling
soul of the idealist. There
is the redeeming touch of humor and
simplicity about her.. also, which
keeps all big characters great.
''I fear l shall never grow up" she
exclaimed, ''if l live to be a hundred
shall be only sixteen! So often have
l been fooled and deceived yet 1 am
willing to begin all over again and
have no more sense about IL. My one
hero, the one man / have adored all
my life, is Napoleon Bonaparte
Fancy how I felt when l went over
the battlefield of Waterloo and then
the lattle cottage where
he spent that night of June IA, just
before the battle. / was full of rever-
ence, of dreams of my great man. IL
felt unworthy to cross the threshold
and-fastened across the front of the
cottage was huge advertisement of
Heintz's 81 Varietiesl oh, il is to
laugh, this commercial modernism"
ANNE HAMILTON WOOD