The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

I-- She would insist on going down. stairs to finish the motion picture which she had started to play for an American company.
 Then she spoke, incoherently at times, concerning the plans for her funeral. She uttered words concern iig the little uninhabited island off the coast of Brittany which she pur- chased two years ago as her burial plot.
 Apparently thinking of the rose wood casket, with silver handles and silk ana satin lining, which she bought and placed on the top floor of her home, the great Bernhardt in sisted that she must not be buried in lead casket.
 Son Fly Her sfse.o Q .
 Doctors Provost and Marot. her friends and medical attendants for years; her son, Maurice and his wife, NJ. and Mme. Verneuil and M. and Mme. Gross were at her bed side when the end came.
 Bernhardt had severe relapse last Friday midnight and an exam ination showed that she was vic- tim of uremia. Since then only her will to live and injections of nor phine, caffeine and camphor had kept her alive.
 The first indication of Bernhardt's serious illness came about three the Edward VII theatre while re- hearsing for Sacha Guitrys new play, "Cn Sujet de Roman"
 Even as the life of the great ar tlst was ebbing Monday morning. six movie men clattered into the house with their trappings' declaring that the film in which she was starring must be completed even though she died.
 Bernhardt, while still i'll. agreed to act for the films. The woman who had gone through several fortunes, signed the contract because she was sorely in need of money. All the sets were taken in her h0me'
 "The Divine Sarah" *as born in Paris October 23, 1S45, and duly christened Rosine Bernard. Her father was French Catholic, her mother Dutch Jewess. Baptized in her fathers faith. she received her early education in d convent school. At i5 she entered the great training college of the French stage, the Con' servatoire. A year later, In 1891, she took only the second prize in trag- edy. In 1882 she took another sec- und prize. in comedy.
 
 buts any more startling. She went from the Conservatoire to the Com suie-Francaise, and played a classic role or two. but without reaction from the critics of the time. Quit ting the first French theatre" in plays at the Gymnase, leading boulevard theatre. but with no marked success. Disgruntled, she gave up the theatre for time.
 In 1866 she came back to the board at the Porte St. Martin, with the aid of influential friends, she made d try at the Odeon, considered the second French theatre" This tune she was launched. In variety of roles she rapidly came into pub lie favor, her beauty and the purity of her diction sweeping all before her Finally, after q triumphal per- formance as the Queen of Spain in Hugo's "Ruy Blas," the Comedie- Franchise, repentant of its earlier de- cision, called her back into it's fold in 1872.
 Becomes Paris Idol.
 Bernhardt soon made her mark in an interpretation of "Hernan, which won her most touching let ter from It's author, Victor Hugo. By 1875 her place at the Comedie- Fran 
 rived"
 Barely 30 years old, beautiful. ar dent, in love with life, she rapidly became the idol of all Paris. Elm perors, Kings, great nobles and minor princeiings vied tor her favors. It was about this time that there came into her life one of her most fa- nous suitors, as well as one of her most generous friends--the Emperor Don Pedro of BrazIl. In fact, her palatial home in the Boulevard rereire in Paris is understood to have come from him.
 Her successes, however, could but excite the jealousy of her fellow ar lists in the Comedie Franchise. Shortly after 1875, the administration of that august playhouse publicly remonstrated with her from "tenta- tives made outside the theatre. to attract attention to herself by the de- ployment of universal activity or by the eccentricty Of her way of living" Sarah, being Sarah, naturally fought back, with the result that she and the comedie authorities finally agreed to an armed truce" in order that her absence should not mar the company's invasion of England.
 Her first reception in London was