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Show m SARAH BERNHARDT SURPRISES PARIS BY APPEARING FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE LECTURE PL4TF0RM I Paris. The artistic and literary worlds In ParLs have had during the past fow weeks two of the greatest surprises of years. Sarah, ''La Divine Di-vine Sarah," has been mado a knight of the Legion of Honor and has appeared ap-peared for the first time on the lec-The lec-The red rlbbo'n had been expected. For moro than twenty years ardent admirers of Mme. Bernhardt have fought bitter battled with all tho premiers who havo occupied In rapid succession the ministry in the Place Beauveau. Just what the objection was no ono really knew. For many years it was asserted that tho Legion of Honor would never be granted to a. woman, and tho statesmen who were asked to make an exception in favor of the world's greatest living actress sought refuge behind that excuse. Later, however, several exceptions ex-ceptions were mado to the rule, lime. Paquln, the dressmaker, received re-ceived the red , ribbon and "several I wom6n teachers at the Conservatory Conserva-tory of Music wore also decorated, but every appeal in favor of Sarah Bernhardt proved vain. It was said by some that Mme. Bernhardt was barred by the chun-cellor chun-cellor of the order of tho Legion of Honor on account of an unfortunate love affair which she had experienced expe-rienced in her youth with an officer of the German army, and that the latter had succeeded In procuring through his acquaintance with tho actress valuable 'documents of 'state. This, however, Is evidently merely a legend. Mme. Bernhardt Is perhaps today tho most patriotic woman In France. For thirty years following tho disastrous dis-astrous Franco-Prussian War sho rofused steadily to visit the country which had defeated her bolovcd "patrlc." It has been said on several sev-eral occasions that the Kaiser repeatedly re-peatedly made personal appeals to tho actress, but that every one was courteously declined. Proudly wearing the red ribbon pinned on hor waist, Mme. Bernhardt Bern-hardt has now made her debut as a lecturer, and after almost fifty years of uninterrupted triumphs on tho dramatic stage tho great tragedienne trage-dienne trombled like a child when she entered the Universito des Annates, An-nates, where a large audlonce was waiting. With graceful modesty she claimed the indulgence of her audience for a debutante. She was afraid, she said, that there would bo a good deal of Qgotism In what sho was going to tell them of her beginning as un actress. "Tho littlo girl of 11 years old, of whom I am going to speak to you, Eeems another person a second sec-ond if not a third from tho ono who fifty-nlno years later addresses you here." The lecture had been announced as a dissertation on tho art of elo cution and tho lecturer selected the very best topic which could be found by relating just how Bho studied that art moro than half a century ago. She told of a rrlend of her family, named Meydleu, who was tho first to "discover" Sarah. He induced her parents to allow him to teach her tho elomentary principles of elocution, and elementary element-ary they were, Indeed. Day after day, hour after hour, the poor child . had to repeat dozens of times: "Comblen ces 6ix tauclssons-cl? Cost six sous, ces six sauclssons-cl! Six sous ceux-civ six sous ceux-la. six sous ces six sauclssons-la, sauclssons-la, ' This was to accustom her to the correct .pronunciation of tho letter "a," and there were many others for the rest of the alphabet. Tho only drawback, however, was that M. Meydleu was o native of the Midi and was afflicted with the most terrific Tarasconian accent and little Sarah's desperate attempts to Imitate Imi-tate him In the recitation of tho tale of the sausages was sorrowful Indeed. In-deed. Meanwhile her name had been inscribed in-scribed among tho applicants for admission to the conservatory. This is a State institution, nil its cxponseu being paid by tho Ministry of Fine Arts, and admission can bo obtained only by competitive examination. Tho candidates file their applications during tho summer months and tho annual audition Is held in October. Tho average number of candidates is about -100, half in the ebmedy and half in the tragedy class, of which only about sixty are admitted. This number varies according to tho vacancies. va-cancies. Sarah went to tho audition wearing wear-ing her very best dress and poorly prepared for tho ordeal. Tho prompter was an, old actor who, many years before, had been fairly, successful on tho Paris slago. "His name was Lcautaud," said Mme. Bernhardt, "and I have never forgotten him." "Leautaud," Mine. Bernhardt went on, "announced in a stentorian voice and the oxecrablo accont of Auvergne, 'Mamzolle Charah Barnard! Barn-ard! Appearing as Agnus In "L'Ecole des Femmes." Whon I realized that It was I whom ho was calling I stepped to tho front, but ho promptly prompt-ly stopped me, demanding with terrifying ter-rifying severity. 'Where is your cue?' The word was as foreign to mo as If he had used an Arabia expression and it took me several minutes to find out that I was supposed sup-posed to bring with me a man to take the part of Adolpho. Meanwhile Mean-while the Judges In their box had noticed tho Incident and Aubor, the great composer, who was then director di-rector of the conservatory, asked why tho proceedings wore being Interrupted. In-terrupted. . "Lcautaud went down to the foot- lights and explained that 'Mamzelle Charah' had come without a cue and apparently did not seem to be much of an actress anyhow. Auber ex-changed ex-changed a few words with the other austere men In tho box and. turning again to tho man on tho stage. In-structed In-structed him lo Invito tho girl to recite whatever sho could think of. "Remembering my successes in the parlor at homo, I gladly and jH promptly responded to this requeBt. 'I know tho fablo of tho twoj jH pigeons.' A roar wont through tho H audience, but M. Auber promptly sllonccd the scoffers. 'Go right ahead jH and recite your fable,' he said. And the last of La Fontaine's lines had IH barely passed my Hps when I was Informed that not only was I ad-mlttod, ad-mlttod, but thai two of the pro- jH fessors were already engaged in a H friendly dispute as to which should be my teacher." ;'- AVUa. H |