Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-29
BERVHARDT' BODY
LIES IN STATE; ALL
FRANCE SADDENED

PARIS, March 27.-(By the Asso.
ciated Press. ALL France mourns
today, for her we'll beloved daughter,
Sarah Bernhard, is dead.
Paris is stunned, scarcely believ.
ing that she who was regarded as
almost immortal in more than one
sense of the word has passed away.
1t seems not too much to say that
not since the death of Victor Hugo
has France been stirred so deeply.
AS the Academician de Flers OBJ
serves in Figaro, Bernhard PROF..
bly, shares with Hugo and Pasteur
the distinction of being the most
illustrious person in the last hundred
years Of French history. Divine
Sarah was undoubtedly one of the
greatest ambassadors of French art
and literature who ever lived.
1t was thus befitting that the pub
lie which idolized her and which she
in turn held so close to her heart
should have fingered reverently in
the soft spring night outside the
house in the Boulevard Pereire,
where she lived for thirty-eight
years, sharing the vigil with the
family within. After midnight,
when the theaters were closed, came
the people of the stage to pay tribute
to their illustrious comrade. Among
them were Sacha Guitry, the play
wright, who had d filial respect for
Bernhardt; Cecile Sorel, Rachel
Boyer and a host of other stars.
Included in the number also was
James Hackett, who, according to
L'Eclair, cabled President Harding
requesting him to announce official
ly to the people of the United States
the death of the greatest artist iii
the world.
Body Lies in State
Madame Bernhard, her face look
ing strangely youthful in death, lay
in state today in the bedroom of her
home where she died last night,
while hundreds of friends and admir-
ers passed reverently by, many weep
ing, some dropping to their knees be
side her and others placing flowers
about her as their last remembrance.
The body of the great tragedienne
will lie in state today and all of to-
for the crowd waiting out:
side the Bernhardt home is evidence
of thousands who will come TO say
goodbye. The funeral has been set
for Thursday afternoon from the
church of st. Francois de Sales,
whose cure is Able Loutil, Bern
hardt's close friend She will be bur-
led in the family tomb in the ceme-
terry Pere la Chaise, whore many
great Frenchmen and women sleep.
The ceremony will be impressive,
and there is a strong sentiment for
fTU1dfng t11fs at the expense OF the
nation. AS an officer Of the Legion of
Honor, Nine. Bernhard is entitled
to burial with military honors, but
the public feels that she should be
inferred with the pomp BETTING her
incalculable services to French art.
The newspapers print columns
about her. Many Of the articles are
signed with well-known names.
The chamber in which Bern
hardt's body lies is already filled
with flowers brought by hundreds
CT her admirers The rst bunch of
lilies was placed on the bier in the
early morning hours by her grand
daughter.
May Be State Ceremony
Able Loutall, the great actress
close friend for many years, remark
ed that in death she had recovered
the beauty of her youth
Her expression" he added, "is.
one of peace"
The suggestion OF Madame Bern
hardt's friends that she be given a
state funeral was not taken up by
the government at today's cabinet
meeting as it was explained there
was no precedent for such a cere-.
mony for any except noted govern
mental persOnages. Official action
took the form Of the dispatch by
Minister of Fine Arts Berad of an
official representative to the Bern
hardt home to sign the register and
offer condolences.
The visitors book at the residence
already contains 800 names, includ-
ing those of personages in official
business and theatrical life.