Pueblo chieftain., 1921-05-22
THE STORY OF DUSE

her apartment and horsewhipped her.
When man cruelty wronged Duse.
she fed to lonely retreat in the
Italian hills, Inundated and heart
broken
And so it was thruout her early life
always sensitive. always sorrowing.
Life did not spare even as an infant.
The daughter of poor italian players.
porting the family at the age of four,
when she played Cosette. From then
on she was always working. playing
first one role and then another. al
ways travelling from place to place in
dirty, thrd-class Italian railways car
riages. often hungry and cold. There
was nothing to compensate for the
drudgery of this life. She was not
heralded as any child prodigy. in fact.
her companions looked upon her as
a rather stupid, plain little girl. who
was absolutely hopeless as an actress.
Duse's greatness did not manifest it,
self until she was a, matured woman.
Rachel was famous at the age of II,
but Mrs. Siddons was "a before she
made her first great impression. and
dence of genius. She had achieved
few small successes before that, but
1t was in her 25th year in Naples after
her first sad love affair, that she
brought the Italian public to her feet.
Her First Success
Her first opportunity came in Zola's
play. "Therese Raquin." The leading
woman, then the greatest actress in
Italy. was suddenly taken i'll one night.
and Dusc went on in her part. without
rehearsal. scoring remarkable
triumph. Soon afterward. she was
starred in Dumas play. Femme de
Claude. Dumas was her favorite
French dramatist and she helped to
make many of his plays famous. The
spending frequently with one another.
but they met but once. 1t was char
acteristic of Duse to be so moved at
this meeting that shc burst into tears.
1t was in answer to Dumas persuasion
that she went to Paris for n first brief
tour. secretly fearful that she would
fail. But the French people gave her
such an enthusiastic welcome that for
once, she told a friend, she was really
happy. Then, Dumas, her devoted
friend. died. Her greatest ovation was
received on what she afterwards de-
clared to be one of the saddest days in
her life-thc DAY she acted to obtain a
memorial for Dumas grave.
Just when Gabrielle d'Annunzio came
into Duses life is not definitely known,
but certainly not until her fame was
well established. Their love affair
lasted for several years. during which
time d dAnnunZio rose to fame thru her
assistance. 1t was Duse who made
AuhunZiO 8 pays known 10 the world.
She acted In them not only in Italy.
but II, 1hix country and in all the chief
Capitals of Europe. While she was the
leading ngure. every d'Annunzio play
was success. The Italian public re-
bclled at la Glaconda." but rather
than havo its playwright discouraged
Duse took 1t TO London which crate
fully accepted 1t.
Then came the break. Suddenly, 1t
was known that Duse and d'Annunzio
had separated. and later came his sem
sational novel. III t'uoco." which was
orazeply advertised by the publisher
as the true history of their love affair.
Needless to say, the royalties from this
novel were greater than from any
other d'Annunzio ever wrote.
Later the world learned of Duse's
premature retirement. that she was
living in n tiny villa in the Italian hills
that shc spent most OF her days in her
garden. reading and sewing. planning
many things for her beloved daugh-
ter. who had been reared in Germany
At last. the gossip ceased. II Fuoco"
was forgotten. Dusc. tine great
traGetiiennc became almost a mythical
figure. Only Zaconni and Marco Prago.
the playwright, interrupted the peace
OF her life. They would not let her rest,
but were always after hcr to come
back to the theater-to a public which
still sympathized with and worshippcd
her. And so at last they have sue