Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, April 18, 1909, Page 11

ANECDOTES OF MODJESKA Reminisoences of a Distingnished Ca- reer on the Stage. START WITH JOHN M'CULLOUGH | The rit of “Pori Reflected in o Rare Interview——An Experience with Some Dublin En- thustasts, The long, successful dramatic career of Madame Modjeska reflects alfke the charms of artiste and individual, and is flecked with anecdotes and Incidents which her recent death recalls. Most Interesting is the story of her first attempt to secure a footing on the Ameri- can stage. In February, 1577, she went to San Francisco, put herself under a tutor, ond by hard study was able in six months 10 speak with some fluency. Bhe then ap- plied to John McCullough, who was man- ager of the California theater, for an en- gagement. Barton Hill, then the stage manager for Mr. McCullough, preserved the letter which Modjeska wrote, and which reads as follows: “Mr. John McCullough: Dear Sir—Pardon the liberty I take in ad- dressing you, but being a stranger here I know of no other way of approaching you. 1 have been introduced to you, but do not know whether you remember me or not. I came from Europe last year, and met you at the Occidental hotel. You were even so kind ad to offer tc play Hamlet with me, but T could not decide to appear in a for- elgn language, and I determined to learn English, Now 1 am almost ready to go on the American stage, and knowing you to be 80 obliging, and being ‘quite alone in this wide forelgn world, I turn to you for ad- vice. Please let me know when and where 1 can meet you. I know very well that you are very much engaged, but perhaps you can find some time to give to me, an artist and o stranger. Belleve me, yours truly, Helena Modjeska.” Mr. McCullough made an appointment with her, but pleaded sickness, and sent Mr. Barton Hill to hear the timid applicant about whose ability so little was then known. She made her appearance, accom- panied by a friend who was teaching her English, and gave the last scene from “Adrienne Lecouvreur.” Mr. Hill tells the story In his own Words: “I listened at- tentively, and praised her earnestly when she had finished. I did not tell her just what 1 thought of her for fear I would rise her hopes too high. John came that night and sald in his brusque way: ‘Well, aid you see her? ‘Yes,' I answered. ‘What did you think of her? Then I was en- thustustic. ‘She 1s a revelation—a wonder. 1 am more than surprised—I am astounded.” Then John was interested. ‘Eh,’ he sald; ‘sorry I didn’t hear her. Suppose she would come again? ‘If she aia’ T replied jest- Ingly, ‘you probably would be slck.’ Madame came the next day and McCul- lough was even more pleased than I. He seized her hand and sald: ‘You have an engagement for as long as you wish.' Bverybody kaows the rest. Madame Helena Modfeska made her debut, and I have al- ways claimed the honor of being her first American audience.” Carefulness of Detail, Mme. Modjeska was a great reader, snd she spent years of her life, taking it alto- gother in libraries, studying up the detalls of her costumes. There is only one class of literature that she did not read, and that 1s the newspaper. She read only such fragments as her husband and friends thought would be of special Interest to her. One of the latter, an intimate woman friend, took her one morning an enormous clipping from a paper, the advertisement of a patent medicine. In the center of it was a picture of the actress and beneath it in large words, “Mme. Modjeska Is never without Boanerges' Chicory Extract.” A.me. Modjeska was not up when it was taken to her. A look of deep amusement stole over her face as she jy among her plllows and gazed at her picturé in the paper and the emphatic words below. “They are right,” she said finally. “Mme. Modjeska is never without it. Ther sent me a bottle once, and to my certain knowl- edge it never was opened, 80 1 must have it st Mme. Modjeska's regard to detall in her costumes was the cause of an amusing experience that she had in London when she was playing there at one time, a friend of the actress sald while talking reminiscently the other night. The Order of the Golden Fleece, which Mary Stuart wore and which the prince of Wales wears, Mme. Modjeska also wore when she played the part of the Scottish queen, her order being, of course, a reproduction, though & very perfect one. It was lylng on her dressing table, when the prince of Wales, now the king of England, came to the 2 <% | His first thought toom_to_call upon her. lately Hello," He saw it imme- he sald, “what have we here?” was that it was the real order. Mme. Modjeska bequeathed her copy to the British Museum A Rare Interview. Interviews with Modjeska are not very abundant, and this one from th New York Sun is especially interesting to those who only saw her with Booth in the char- acter of Portia “l learn the lines first, but they are nothing. My task Is to learn to feel the woman who would speak those lines. The words are the work of another. My part | must be to sink Helena Modjeska's person- ality into that of the woman who would spontantously and naturally, under the circumstances indicated in the play, speak these lines which already I have ac- quired. If I cannot feel that under these conditions this woman's words would spon- tanecusly come to me, away from what my grow to be. “For this reason it Is impossible for me to play a part which I cannot learn to sympathize with. I was years and years in learning to be able to play Lady Mac- beth. I could not feel her. I could not possibly have any sympathy for her. “On the other hand, take Portia, for ex- ample. 1 loved her from' the first. I felt that she was & woman of extraordinary sweetness, of brilllant wit, splendid gener- osity, feminine piquancy and great intel- lectual power. She belonged to a century noted for its brilllant wome: golden age of femiinine mentality. “Portla was undoubtedly a woman of dis- tinguished soclal position, with the charm ing, easy manners of high breeding and perfect knowledge of the world. She was undoubtedly a linguist. All the women of wealth and position of that day were su- perbly educated, and it was quite common tor them to speak five or six languages fluently. When 1 was preparing to become Portia I read everything I could find in French, Itallan, Polish and English con- cerning the perfod in which she lived. I threw my whole personality, so far as I could, back into that time. I absorbed all the history, romance and poetry of the period. I became familiar, geographically with the Itallan towns in which she dwelt, T studied the manners. I wore the dress, I famillarized myself with the ethics of the time and people until I was satur- ated with the atmosphere of my beautiful heroine. Finally I began to realize myself the component parts of this lovely woman of marvelous speech and extraordinary sagacity. The Spirit of Portia. “I dlscovered that just as today many women are legally well informed, 8o in a century which closely resembles our own in varlolus lines it would not have been at all strange for a young woman of Portia's caliber to be legally learned. Gradually I felt the color of the time in which Portfa lived, the atmosphere of the woman her- selt, the noble love which makes her so adorable, the charming daintiness and sweetness of her iunocent galety. When this Portla woman of 300 years ago had dominated the nineteenth century Helena Modjeska, I felt that I had caught her, intellectually. Then it became my delight- tul task to make her physically as lovely a pleture as I possibly could. I do not know how I succeeded, but from the very beginning 1 have tried to make my other | selves harmonious. 1In fact, I believe the key to my whole existence is my depend- “As a little girl I could not bear a dis- cord—not a discord alone in music, but in anything. If colors were discorded, I hated to look upon them. I wanted every- thing &, Oug/ home harmondgus, and as a tiny diftle ' girl thls pecullar aistaste for anything out of tune was looked upon merely an absurb ldiosyncrasy. As I grew older, my mother recognized that this eo-called eccentricity was one I could not conquer. Bhe saw In me the temper- ment of the artist. In all my work I feel that there must be a perfect harmony. A Portla must have the soul of a Portla. She must have the figure of a Portla, and, above all, she must huve the voice of a Portla. A Portla in her wonderful speech, ‘the quality of mercy,’ with the voice of a Lady Macbeth—and I see that you smile, but, indeed, I have heard Juliets with volces 8o mature and heavy that they were only suitable for the old-fashioned trage- dienne in her most blood-curdling declam- ations—would be out of harmony, and, In studying this role I should make an especial point of having my voice the right age, right quality, in fact, the very re- flection of the character of the woman.” An Experience in Dublin. Mme. Modjeska delighted to play to the warm-hearted Ifish people, and they de- lighted to seo her, particularly in “Mary Stuart.” On pne occasion of which she was wont to tell the play was produced in Dublin. Whenever the imprisoned queen in the play spoke of rebellion ugainst Elizabeth, the audience applauded, When she cried defiantly, “Shall I bow to this I know I am far impersonation must a veritable ¢ | streets, 5000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000¢000000000000000000000000000 : : % $ This stiryi worth $10.00, during this sale SANFORD'S ROYAL RUGS-—S8ize worth $18.00, during this sale SANFORD'S worth $21.00, during this sale for SA\I“ORD‘D VELVET RUG—S8ize floral and oriental design,, sligh BUYS A GUARAN- y $12.50 " &shike: Terms: §1 Cash, 500 Weekly This is positively the very ibest gas range offered by any concern in this ecity. They are constructed of guaranteed material, no odor no soot, no smoke. 85 95 For this Col-po~ lapsible Go- Bart—cunplm with Hood TERMS 500 WEBKLY Exactly like cut, they are made on the latest and most popular design and have an all steel construction, side seats, adjustable back and hood ‘are covered in genuine fabricoid leather. § ; : ; | : by 10 feet 6 inches, slightly mluwoveu, IMPERIAL flBl’BHls.hél RUGS—Size 11x9, closely woven, floral and oriental design, fect, worth $29.00, during this sale..... ss 75 SANFOR $11.60 8 féet 3 |n<‘hes during th during th $11.96 §17.95 12x9, rlch tly imper- of dresser: sale price ALL THE CREDIT YOU WANT D'S TIGER BRUSSELS RUG—Size 12x9, suitable for parlor, bedroom or dining room, satisfactory quality, worth $25.00, SANFORD'S best brussels that Sandford’s mills produce, slightly imperfect, worth $30.00, SMYRNA RUGS—Suitabls for hall and in front The Blg Sale nt Sanford’s Garpets and Rugs at Half Price Continues This Week irping Carpet Event has created a great deal of enthusiasm among Omaha's housewives. $55,000 worth of Carpets and Rugs from the big Rug and Carpet Mills of 8. Sanford and Sons is offered at half price. These goods are slightly mismatched and in some there is occasionally a ‘‘missed stitch,’ SANFORD'S BRUSSELS RUGS—Size 9x6 feet, appropriate for hall or small bedrooms, but on the whole they are practically as good as the perfect pieces and only those of experience can detect the imperfection. There are thousands of yards and hundreds of Rugs in this big sale and all must be closed out this week. If you appreciate a bargain this is a special opportunity to beautify your home. SANFORD'S AXMINSTER RUGS—S8ize 12x9, the very beat grade of goods Sanford’s mills produce, 82| 50 o | your cholce of 11 designs, “some slightly mismatched,” worth $40, during this sale .. EXTRA SPECIAL~—Axminster Rugs—Extra heavy quality, very closely woven, bright rich oriental colorings, size 27x54 Inches, worth $2.25, sac INGRAIN ART SQUARES—Size 12x9 feet, can be used on reduced during this sale either side, bright, strong coloring, ss " . very l"ll’hil“lb fll(- —Slle 12x9, the s|3.15 ,_980 is sale PRESS is sale worth $6.60, reduced during this sale 8, good quality, worth $2.00, to Three Rooms Furnished Complete for « 948.560 Amh a.m;”n u. Cash, Four Rooms T:I.‘l Furnished s Complete for " $63.50 TERMS Cash, $5 Mon! n The Grea A beau ner Set on the FREE-A 52-Place flucoralsd mnnar Set-FREE with every cash or credit purchase amounting to $100.00, or will be sold outright for or it you should buy one of these sets, and your purchases amount to $100.00 during the year, we will credit the amount to your account. FVIVE ROOMS Furnished Complete for TERMS — $8.50 Cash, §7.50 Monthly, SIX ROOMS Furnished Complete for $104.00 TERMS — $10.00 Oash, BUYS A GUARAN- est Free Gift Offer Ever Ma Read Offer Below | tiful and handsomely decorated 52 pilece Din- will be GIVEN AWAY ABSOLUTELY FREE exceptional terms of 50c cash, 50c monthly. $8.00 Monthly. 33-5 TEED REFRIGERATOR (Tue Peoples ¥ irniture and Carpet Oo. Established in 1887.) TERMS: 500 WEEELY. the Famous Gur- ney Line that we have handled for over 20 years, They have no equal in this oity, They have seven distinct wi and mineral wool fillings. Refrigerator that we offer this week is made by the same concern and bears & strong guar- »u12.50 " s TERMS—§1 Cash; 500 Weekly. Exactly like fllustration, and positively the best dresser value in the eity. They are made of solid oak and are highl: finished. Have two large and two small drawers, and a french bevel plate mir- ror, supported by carved standards. W RNAM STREETS. OHAHA. “00000000“0““00“0“00000000“00&00“000000“0“0 0900000000000 00000000000000000 rule?’ or words to that effect, the audi- ence evidenced great sympathy, and she the excitement was oblged to walt until subsided before going on. ‘‘Hurrah! hurrak! hurrah!” they cried. Then, when it was quiet, she would go on, only to be stopped again. Thas was exciting enough, but the real fun-she did not think was fun, though, until some time after—came when the play was over. was ready to go to her carriage, there was the chief of police walting for her. He escorted her and her mald to a carriage, not her own, they were put in quickly, a policeman mounted the box, and they were off. The carrlage seemed to go miles and miles through dark and deserted and poor Mme. Modjeska had no idea what was In store for her. But it was nothing serious. She had stirred up too much enthusiasm; the men who had been roused by the play had unharnessed the horses from her carriage and were going to give here a great ovation and taking the places pf the horses, draw her them- selves to the hotel. But that the author- ities could never allow, driven privately, at the city's expence to hotel. When the impersonator of the unfortunate Mary Stuart did not appear, her her admirers were not slow to guess the reason and they betook themselves to her hotel. They were there ready for her when she arrived, and she was obliged to go out and make & little speech before they would depart quletly, * CLEAN ERS 1521 HOWARD ST. Then, when Modjeska hence the actress had been taken in a roundabout way and Candidates Are Picked for Fire and Police Board Republicans Choose W. J. Hunter, Fred H. Hoye, Charles J. Karbach and William F. Wappich, Willlam J. Hunter, kred H. Hoye, Charles J. Karbach and Willlam F. Wappich were last night selected by the republican city committee as the party's candidates for the Board of Fire and Police commissioners. The selection was made to flll vacancies on the ticket caused by the passage of that section of the city churter making the excige board elective, the power of filling vacancies on & party's ticket being dele- gated to the party's committee. Andrew Rosewater was nominated city engineer. He received all but one of the votes cast. That one went to A. C. Koenig. There were thirty members of the committee present, The meeting was held in Judge Estelle's court room in The Bee building and was attended by forty members of the commit- tee which was elected three years ago. A. W. Jefferls, chairman of this com- mittee, presided, and F. C. Best, secre- tary, acted as such. Three of the four nominees have filed by petition for the board, while the fourth | nominee, Mr. Hoye, has a petition ready to be filed. Mr. Hoye was a former mem- ber of the city council. Mr. Hunter h beun identified with city politics for a num- ber of years. Mr. Karbach is a member of the present exclse board by appointment from Governor Shallenberger, and Mr. Wappich was & candidate last fall for the legislature. The committee adopted the following reso- lution naming the four party nominees: | “Whereas, The recent democratic legisla- ture, has, by enacting a new city charter, made it necessary to fill, at the coming | election, four additional offices, namely, four members of the Board of Fire And‘\ Police commissioners, and, “Whereas, The sald charter amendment | act did not become law in time to permit of candidates presenting themselves for nominations of these gfficers at the republi- can primary, and, “Whereas, By reason of this fact there | are vacancies on the republican ticket for | the offices of four members of the Board | of Fire and Police commissioners, and, | “Whereas, This committee 18 made up | of members elected by the republican | voters of the City of Omaha, at the pri- | mary election held in April, 1906, and no | other committee has been duly and properly elected to succeed it; therefore be |t “Resolved, That the pers:1s named at this mecting be, and are hereby nominated to fill the vacancles for the offices of Fire | and Police commissioners on the city ticket, | to be voted for May 4, 1809: Willlam J Hunter, Fred H. Hoye, Charles J. Karbach | and Willlam F. Wappich." tor Preacher 1s for Parental Rod| Dr. Loveland Suggests to Father in | Juvenile Court Efficiency of | Its Application. Great is the hickory switen and may she wave. Rev. F. L. Loveland voiced this doctrine by implication, at least, in Juvenile court Saturday morning whea he administered a verbal “lamming” to Michael Crawford. | “What would people have thought of your father? demanded the clergyman, “if when you were a boy of 6, he had come into court and stated that he cou:c ot control long you, couldn't make you go to school? The neighbo® would have said that he was a chump.” Dr. Lovelond did not specificaliy counsel Crawford to whip his son, but he declared that more vigorous parental control would be highly efficaclous. Charles Crawford, the boy, Is reported to behave excellently in school—when he at- tends. It was on a truancy Information that the child was in court, Judge Estelle did not wish to find the boy delinquent be- cause, barring a inclination to play hookey, his record is clear. SENATOR M’CARRON ASKED TO EXPLAIN Brooklyn Democratic Boss Said to Be Heavily Indebted to Bankrupt Brokers, ments as may be required. The summons was based on the alleged discovery of ex- pert accountants that one of several “blind" accounts, entered “No. 33," was that of Senator MeCarron, who had for vears past been a close personal friend of ; both members of the firm. Account “No. NEW Y?av,h APED Ucad e neation Was i it 1s stated, was very active, and it S A bl e ok mmmxm showed that the man operating undw 5";“‘" ‘;:'r'm"gr - gl 3 "‘"“l had |1t was Indebted to the firm over $100,000, rokerage firm S : Stopy had |, iy obtained an order fom Judge Holt sum- |The fact that members of seversl New patrh % York Stock exchange firms have also beon moning Senator Patrick H. McCarron, the 4 | subpoenaed to appear at the bankruptey well known democratic leader, to testify | A caused & otlr in the financll) next Tuesday at the bankruptey hearing "”"‘]‘“ ngs (i and produce such books, reccrds and docu- 1‘""”“ 97 Bee Want Ads Produce Results. 2,000 DRUMMERS; SAMPLES OF 2% 50232 WIS "Wollenholm Pipe,” “Wostenholm I X “‘Shetfleld,” Wade & Butcher,” “Willlams,"” * llam Elliott,” genuine “‘Stockholm’ (Swedish), and “Ward."” Imported Razors, Choice of them all, 97c. Every Razor guaranteed and subject to exchange or return of money if not satisfactory. Every Razor honed and set ready for use. 1,000 Genuine “Bair” 97 Razor Strops ........ Universally recognized as the keenest Razor strop in the world today for barbers or individual use—enables one to obtain that much-desired keen-shaving edge. The regular price—as you see advertised in magazines—is $2.00, and at that price is is a most desirable bargain—but for this week we offer them at 97c each. Remember, you cannot afford to put your good razor on any cheap strop MAIL ORDERS FILLED MAIL ORDERS for Razors and Strops at $7c filled same as if you came and made the purchase in person. Postage 10¢ extra. Shaving Materials SHAV SPECIAL THIS WEEK ON DAG- 10c GETT & RAMSDELL'S COLD ok v 10 Willlam's Quick Shave, for ... : 25c Willlam's Shaving Stick 20¢ (The new kind, hinged top.) SHAVING CREAM 25¢ Sanitol Shaving Cream 20¢ 26¢ J. & J. Shaving Cream 20¢ 50c Lloyd's Euxesis .38¢ This week onl SHAVING MU 3 gross assorted Shaving regular prh-e 25¢, sale week b 15¢ This will bea week to savo money on all of the above article SHAVING POWDERS 25¢ Pond's Extract Talcum Pow- der Yor .20¢ 5¢ Colgate's Talcum Powder, Violet or Cashmere Boquet, sale _price var R 25¢ Squibb's Taleum Powder 2 lfir Craddick’s Blue, special val- ue, this week ¢ 1-1b. Cans Violet Talcum Powder, gale price ¥ 25¢ 11b. Cans Borated Tll(‘\lm Po- wder sale price SHAVING BRUSHES We have just received a shipment of 5 gross assorted Shavers, 5 worth 75c and upwards. All go B¢ NG BOAP AND STICKS Willlam's Barber Bar, Mugs, price this For one week we will give with ' each 50c box of Daggett & Rams- also Including Shaving Mirrors, dell’s Cold Cream a 26¢ cake of Face Lotions, Tollet Waters, Daggett & Ramsdell’ Cold Razor Strops, Razors of all descip- Cream Soap. Thc worth of a well tons, etc., ete. known merchandise for Myers-Dnllon Drug Co.. 16th and Farnam Sts,, Omaha, Neb. on sale this week at BHAVING SPO) Sale of 500 Silk Sponges, worth 15¢ to 256c. on sale this week, at, each ... S M OGRS P SR a TR T N