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About The Augusta daily herald. (Augusta, Ga.) 1908-1914 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1909)
Wf\ I^NoßKenMillS 7 ' 1 Strange 'Philosophy of hife of Mrs. vj;&* *. - James Broken Potter Who Threku t|lft t 1 i Y?I W- Atvay Husband, Home and Position MmmMii^y^^^WkWSliu ((- AM happy. I have everything I I want. A woman in that contin -1 ual frame of mind has no re grets.” Mrs. James Brown Potter, eyes as bright and frank as those of a girl, and a youthful smile, said this In her dressing room In the Lincoln Square Theatre in New York. Said it with every outward sign of an Inward sincerity. She sat in a large arm chair —not negligently, as most persons sit at their ease in an arm chair, but with inflexible dignity as one enthroned. She spoke as one speaks from long-considered conviction. No mood swayed her. The eighteenth anniversary of Mra James Brown Potter's putting her home, her husband, her child, her social posi tion behind her and going on the stage approached, and it was because she had been reminded of this that she said. "I am happy. 'T have everything I want. "I have no regrets.” She lifted her head. Its poise was girlish. The clean, flne sweep of her chin was girlish. There was something of the grace of the lithe tree bough about her. Yet she had that morning played with her two grandchildren romped with them rather as a young girl than as a woman of the world, who has thrown aside all that is usually held dear to the best standards of womanhood Mrs Brown Potter's philosophy of life is strange Indeed. A young woman of ex cellent social standing, and with more I Jj / 1 || ? * Js| J, WS mh i ' s $ fMpflr MU than usual grace and talent, with every prospect of an honorable and useful ca reer as wife, mother and social leader — she defied the conventionalities of life and sought tho stage. The history of the stage will not. of course, record Mrs Brown Potter among the monumental successes; but such suc cess as she has achieved —can it be more satisfying to true womanhood than the worthy success as wife and mother which might have been hers? ‘‘l do not measure success by money," pursued Mrs. Brown Potter. "Success means being happy and making others happy. For that reason I deem myself successful. "But there is another reason. I have studied, I have learned, I have played in many parts of the world. I have become a big artist I have mingled with those of great minds and great attainments. My life has been rich and full. I belong to all the world, not to some little pari or corner of it When I have finished my tour and visited my aunt in New Or leans, I shall go to Russia to play for three months. This time next year I shall be playing In South America. Last year I played in Africa, where I have always been very successful, and where I am received at Government House and everywhere. "In going on the stage I did not turn my back on society. The newspapers said that. I'never did. I had no money, so could ;>t have any social position. 1 have had it since. Society is meeting many people who arc worth meeting isn’t it? In that sense I have been in society since going on the stage. "I have had obstacles and met disap pointments. Who has not? When I came to America twelve years ago I was full of ambition, and, being young and foolish, I told of that ambition. I told everybody all about It. I said I was going back to do great work. They didn’t like that. They sent me back to England broken-hearted. But only for the time. I studied hard. I gained ex i perlence. I worked, and I have won. "I have said that I was homesick since I came to this country. So I have been, and so 1 am. I am always homesick when I am away from my home. I have a beautiful place at Staines on the Thornes, a fascinating place with an Old World garden. My mother has lived with me for eight years. I miss her when I am away and grow homesick for her. That is because I am babyish. "But I am pleased with America, pleased with the way Americans have treated me. I have Invitations every day. I am receiving notes and calls. My old friends are sending mo cards and notes, and I am seeing some of them every day. "Assuredly I have no regrets for the choice I made eighteen years ago. If all were not well with those whom—but I must not name them nor bring them into my public life—l might have re grets. But all is well with them. I am happy.” Oi.o reason that I am happy is that 1 am not and have not been afraid to bo to Be a **Citizen of the World." ft ■’isS! l TIM ” *sp@ir\-iT '#TWi MBy / \ I W ' M%l: /JMK 17 $ vv||] ] Bov %. /•, v ) 1 r*.vT- %, s:. iwk'- J/ v \ 9 X -flWHiw » S W Om«§v 4 V I|jPf|rjfV r l Mrs. James Brown Potter’s Daughter, “Fifi ” Now Mrs. James A. Stillman. myself I admire courage above all other human quality. I came of a courageous race. One of the earliest lessons my mother taught me was to be brave. I am grateful for the lesson. I learned It. I followed It. I have been myself. We can never be any one else, even though we try. We can never get be yond our personalities. Wo are circum scribed, Imprisoned by them. We can never escape them. All we do and are most be within those limits. We can never cross those boundaries. “So within those personalities we must grapple with our own problems. "I mine. “You yours. “We cannot grapple with each other's. “And so within my personality I studied my own problem and solved It. Some one older and wiser than I might have had an illuminating flash by which she would have solved It —and differently. To-day with eighteen years of added wisdom and experience I might have a different light upon It. But I solved It as seemed to me best at that time, and 1 repeat that I have no regrets. “I never advise others to do as I have done. It is a serious matter to advise anyone. There is always the different personality and the different viewpoint, which makes that which Is tolerable to some Intolerable to others But I believe that those who have the courage to be themselves will make no grave mistakes. “Before I came to this country T had five offers of engagements. I declined them, to accept this sixth one, because I wanted to visit America. At first the public did not seem to understand my poems, but we are understanding each other now. Give them time and they will understand, for the poems appeal to the heart. They win the hearts of the masses In Kngland. There Is no reason why they should not reach them here. It Is always difficult to introduce anything new. 'Poemes dits, the spoken poems, are very popular In France. They are established upon a sound basis. The lines of Wagner’s operas were written to be spoken. When the King of Bavaria heard the music he said, ‘You have written an opera. These words must be sung. Wagner replied. If these are sung they will tear the voice of the singers to pieces.’ Bray Lodge, Mrs. Brown Potter’s Residence at Maidenhead. (Photograph by the Maidenhead Photographic Company.) And so they have. T have read sand when I go back to England shall read again) the swan song from ‘Lohengrin.’ "But If the manager wishes me to re cite something he thinks will make a stronger appeal I am quite willing to do so * Last night T got out ‘Osier Joe’ and looked it over, but I could not get up In it In a day. I shall give It some' time this week. I have not read It for twelve years and have forgotten It. “I wondered when I looked It over last, night, on I have wondered a thousand times, what there Is In It to offend. It Is only the story of a man whose wife deserts him. There is no wild passion In it. as In ‘Captive Memories.’ George K. Sims, who wrote it, Is an English author and editor of high position. He wrote ‘Harbor Lights.’ He and 1 have often talked of It, and we don’t know why the poem should have given any one offense. “I read It first, at Secretary Whitney’s home In Washington. I was staying with Mrs. Whitney, his first wife. They were giving something for charity, and I read the poem. It was so long ago that the memory of It Is hazy. I know they did not like It, and there was a great deal ns.ld about It afterward. But there will he nothing harrowing about reading it again. I had made my decis ion about the future ordering of my life before I read It. “No; the fact that the anniversary of my going on the stage is near does not op press me. Observing anniversaries of everything Is called a woman’s vice. I have not that vice. I never remember them. I don’t believe In anniversaries, nor In age, nor In the past. I never look back.” Accompanying Mrs. Brown-Potter on her tour Is a boyish, handsome pianist. It was ho who finished the Incomplete story. “Truth Is more dramatic than the drama, ’ said he. “Last, week I wont with Mrs. Brown Potter and her maid to keep a strange tryst In Central Park. The night before Mrs. Brown Potter had re ceived n note that mode her laugh and cry at the same time. It was on the opening night, and there were a lot of notes, but she hunted through them as though she was looking for one, and when •he found It the toie it open. Her face \vn« flushed nnd her hand trombled. I saw the note afterward. It. was: " 'Dear Mamma I want to see you no much. You must know how very much I want to nee you. But you know how I am hedged around. You know how you were hedged about by persons who wouldn’t let you do what you wanted to. I want you to come to my home and see my babies, but. it wouldn’t be pleasant for either of uh to meet there. Won’t you meet mo at the bandstand In tho park to-morrov/ morning at eleven? If you will, please wear two of these orch ids over your heart. FIFI.’ "We went to the park the next morn ing It wan raining sheets of water; tho moat dismal day I have ever seen in this country. We got out of the automobile, and the maid and I stood behind a tree. Mrn. Brown Potter walked over to tho bandstand. flhe was silent and so pale that I wanted to go with her,,but she wouldn't let me. flho walked over olone, and soon I new a woman with a young Superstitions About the Opal. THfCHE is one superstition of wide range and influence that Is directed against one of the most beautiful objects In nature, the opal. A man felled In business years ago snd what do you think he did? Took his opal ring Into the yard and smashed it to pieces with a hammer! Ho did that In the twentieth century! He ascribed his bankruptcy to that opal, and he Intended neither to suffer such misfortune again nor to allow any other one to do so by Inheriting or buying that 111-»tarred prop erty. There Is a reason for the baneful repute of this gem, or at least as much of a reason as you ever find for a belief like this, because reason and superstition are hopelessly at odd*. • Two or three centuries ago the stone was popular In Europe, and the Jewellers of Italy were especially cunning in Its set ting. At the height of Its popularity came the plague, which made havoc In Venice. it was noticed by some observaut per sons In that city that when u victim was at the point of death, his opal, If he wore one. brightened, while after death It be “Soon I saw a woman with a young face and eager brown eyes, like Mrs. Brown Pot ter's, but with prematurely gray hair about her ears, hurry toward the band stand. I heard Mrs. Brown Potter cry, ‘Fifil Fib!’ and the young woman ran to her arms, and they stood that way in the rain, crying and talking and laughing.'' face and eager brown eyes, like Mrc Brown Potter's, but with prematurity gray hair about her ears, hurry toward tho bandstand. “1 heard Mrs. Brown Potter cry, Flfl!’ and tho young woman ran to her arms, and they stood that way In the rain, crying and talking and laughing for fifteen minutes. Mrs. Brown Potter cried all the way homo behind her veil. When we tried to comfort her she said. *1 don’t need comfort. I am the happiest woman In tho world. Let mo cry. These arc* tears of Joy.’ "Wince then Mrs. Stillman has seen her mother every day. either here at the theatre or at No. 8 Washington Square, where Mrs. Brown Potter Is staying with u friend.” Ho added a sentence that savored of prophecy: “Mrs. Stillman Is very much like her mother, In looks and tempera ment and tastes and ambitions.” Will Fill Potter Btillmnn repeat the career of Cora Urquhart Potter? Would Mrs. Brown Potter denlrs her daughter to follow her own career? Has Mrs. Brown Potter really no re grets- or has she formulated for herself ft false philosophy to still tho voice of vain regret? came dull. As this accession of brilliance implied a sort of malignant purpose or Intelligence In the stone, It was charged with the death of Its owner. It never occurred to the scientists of that time to turn the Incident around the other way, and see If the patient had anything to do with the opal. But that was the way of It. Tho heightened fever Just before death caused the stone to become more brilliant, and tho chill and damp uftec word* dulled It. The stone Is affected by heat -that if, some specimens are -hence we nave a feur that has affected a source of wealth and a measure of human happiness; for does the woman live who ought not, In the nature of things, to rejoice In tho personal adorn ment of on opal? One of the most amusing Instances of a belief In wrong things Is reported from New York, where a man took nn opal to a Jeweller and asked him to sell It, as he had nothing but bod luck since ho owned It, Ids business ventures having failed, his children having suffered Illness, ami every thing he touched going wrong generally. The Jeweller found the gem to be an Imi tation. Its falsity innst have been ob vious to everybody except the victim, be cause the opal U the one stone that baa never been even passably Imitated.
