New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-11-23
Appreciation of the Late
Richard Harding Davis
By Bessie Mccoy Davis

self. Their influence was like his
thoughtiul, interesting to the mind and
cart of girl who had been starved
TOR years-on gren se-raint.
The transition from the stage to real
NE, when 1T came. seemed like some
thing l had always expected. The in
stlnct for those things chat had been
denied me in former associations came
to the surface and | lived as I had
dreamed. He was not rich man; he
worked very hard and industriously
ma his work was so wonderful to me
NO woman, however unused to it. could
fail to, feel the spell of his mind about
her.
He had masterful trick of self
control, of optimism which never lost
faith in the ultimate good of things
that seemed bad He could shut him.
self away from the usual and lead
YOU to the unusual relations toward
lie. grew upon his mind like
towering vine and he held me there
tn found myself. From him
rlaces and the sacred places in my
own life: l grew to discriminate be
tween what was cheap and what was
valuable in thought, and humor, and
tolerance of feeling. He gave M
those elements of good taste that give
rest and charm to life. They were il
my veins, no doubt, fluid instinct for
high places in the wide range in my
heart, but he made me see and know;
he gave me the chance to become my
self
1t is wonderful experience in tn
life of a woman of the theater to b
lifted from the smaller thrills of tn
stage to the thrill of a womanhooo
fulfilled
There were some anXieties, small in
themselves but looming large at first
There was the responsibility of house
keeping. If it hadn't been for bless
ings in disguise of household servants
might have failed there. Then there
not be disturbed, when the closed door
of his study was wooden rival that
mode me jealous.
During these five years | grew away
rom the stage, from everything that
was small, to become the mother of
his dearest hope.
One learns so much in the transition
Of real things in life. One learns to
give and to lose, and to forgive the
ties that Gre inexor"biy s"v Pc 2v
degrees | am returned to the Qualities
spoke of; that is probably IA all
women of the theater. In the theater
| am again what | WAS before | left it;
in my home the heart of mo lives
] am still intensified by the wonder
full experience he gave me, and by
which I learned to see everything bet
ter. 1t is knowledge that has made
some things in the theater more diff
cult. than they were before, although
he was as fond of the theater, and had
as many friends in it, as any man who
is not it. could be.
Genius has broad visions, and hav-
ing none myself | have absorbed an
appreciation for its quality. In
spite Of his deep understanding of
human feeling, he was peculiarly sus-
ceptible to the outward graces. He
hated patent leather for instance, of
any sort. Frequently I have had to
change belt, because of objection.
When we walked in the woods, he
liked me to wear gown that would
harmonic with the colors of the
woods. His desk used to face win
dow overlooking hills and sky. He
discovered one day that the picture
from his window was a temptation he
could not resist, so ne moved his desk
to a place where he faced blank
wall. | speak of these things because
they are part of myself as they
were of him long before l knew him.
To-day, when in my work on the
stage, in the "Greenwich Village Fol-
lies" | find an opportunity to ex-
press some graceful poetic meaning in
the dance, l think Of him in doing so,
and 1T becomes an ENHANCEMENT Of
feeling that | never knew be 9ore he
found me. find myself wondering if
he would like it.
BESSIE Mccoy DAVIS.