The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-25
not TO LIVE
IHRDUCH DAY
IS REPORT
famous Tragedienne Suf.
fers Another Painting
Spell This Morning.

Paris, Dec. 25.-The death Of
Sarah Bernhard, world famous
[tagedienne, is expected hourly.
Rallying slightly from a relapse
Suffered during the early hoursc Of
| he morning. she seemed somewhat
| Improved until shortly before noon,
yhen she had another fainting |
pell. Her physicians in state
|nent say that her condition is
|amost critical" and that only
miracle can save her.
| Courage alone Is said to be sus-
|hining the actress. Her physical
|krength is declared to be fast eb- j
|hng.
Butter Is Sad.
Christmas eve in Bernhardt's lit
|tle mansion In the Boulevard Per-
here was q silent one. The serv-
| ants and others Of the household
moved noiselessly through the,
aemi-darkness OF the halls, which
casually at Christmastide glowed
with brilliancy. Bernhardt's TO-
|year old butler, Arthur. was sad
+ Of eye and disconsolate. MADAME
! is very low" he said, with quiver-
ing lips.
Madame was progressing favor
ably" he added, until the re-
lapse"
Prof. Obissier, chief of the medi-
| cal staff attending Bernhardt, said:
while we still hold hope for her
| recovery, it is certain that Madame
| Bernhardt never again will face
the footlights. Absolute repeserand
quiet for many long months are es-
sential."
During the physician's talk with
fthe correspondent, several lifelong
friends of Bernhard entered the
drawing room and stood beneath a
large buffalo head presented to
Mme Bernhard during one OF her
trips through America. They desir-
ed to 60 into the sick room. but the
doctor declined to permit them to
do SO.
Madame must see no one," he
aid. The least excitement might
prove Immediately fatal"
No Solid Food.
Nine. Bernnardt IS being kept
alive with consomme with the white
Of an egg beaten into it. She is
being given no solid food whatever.
"Her last Italian trip greatly ia
tigued her." said Arthur the but
Ter, who added somewhat bitterly,
"and there was no need for it,"
Nine. Bernhard is said to real
iIe the hopelessness of the situa-
tion, but is meeting the crisis with
the same fortitude as she has met
many other crises in her 70 years
1 Of life.
Hard Road to Success.
Though scoffed at as an ugly
duckling" at II and given up to die
Of tuberculosis at 80, the Divine
Sarah Bernhardt forged her way
to the position of the worlds fore
most tragedienne and became
known in every corner of the glob
as woman possessed of the secret
Of eternal youth.
ouiuu DSI IuudIuI was UOiu VI
Jewish parents in Paris in October,
lS45. She was reared a Catholic
and at II entered a convent school.
As child she eagerly desired to
De nun, but to please her father
she consented to enter the conser-
vatoire and prepared herself for a
stage career. Even in the convent
she had shown histrionic talent in
enacting Biblical plays.
i AT II she made her debut in "Ip-
algenie' at the Comedie Franchise.
Al IL she made her first notable
success. Her greatest triumphs
were scored between 1875 and 1880
when her reputation as the first ac-
tress OF her time was definitely es-
J tablished.
/ She visited America several times
-nrst in 1880 and later in 1911,
1913 and 1916.
In 1916 the great tragedienne's
knee was injured while she was
scung. She had to choose between
Mputation and giving up the stage,
sne chose amputation and, aided
Dy an artificial leg. continued on
The stage
bernhardt was married once
% Constantine Demale, Greek act
@.out the marriage was unhappy
sao they soon separated.
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