Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 8.djvu/266

HI ARTISTS AND AUTHORS celebrated French beauty, Ninon de l'Enclos, who was so beautiful at sixty that the grandsons of the men who loved her in her youth adored her with equal ardor. Patti's figure is still slim and rounded, and not a wrinkle as yet is to be seen on her cheeks, or a line about her eyes, which are as clear and bright as ever, and which, when she speaks to you, look you straight in the face with her old winning smile. During her career Patti has earned upward of half a million sterling, and the enormous sums paid to her at the present time more tha.n double the amounts which Jenny Lind received, and which in that day were regarded as fabulous. On a natural plateau, surrounded by picturesque vales, and situated in the heart of the very wildest and most romantic part of South Wales, between Brecon and Swansea, and at the base of the Rock of the Night, stands the Cas- tle of Craig-y-nos. This is the nightingale's nest. The princely fortune which Patti has accumulated has enabled her so to beautify and enlarge her home, that it now contains all the luxuries which Science and Art have enabled Fortune's fa- vorites to enjoy ; and so crowded is it with curios and valuables that it may best be described as " the home of all Art yields or Nature can decree." Here, in picturesque seclusion, surrounded by a unique splendor created by her own exertions, lives this gifted and beautiful songstress. She is the " Lady Bountiful " of the entire district, extending many miles around the castle, over which she presides with such hospitable grace. The number of grateful hearts she has won in the Welsh country by her active benevolence is almost as great as is the legion of enthusiastic admirers she has enlisted by the wonderful beauty of her voice and the series of artistic triumphs, which have been absolutely with- out parallel during the present century. SARAH BERNHARDT By H. S. Edwards (born 1844) LITTLE girl, as Sarcey relates, once presented herself at the Paris Con- servatoire in order to pass the examination for admission. All she knew was the fable of the " Two Pigeons," but she had no sooner recited the lines — " Deux pigeons s'aimaient d'amour tendre, L'un d'eux, s'ennuyant au logis " — than Auber stopped her with a gesture. " Enough," he said. " Come here, my child." The little girl, who was pale and thin, but whose eyes gleamed with in- telligence, approached him with an air of assurance. " Your name is Sarah ? H he said.