ELEANORA DUSE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 256, 25 July 1936, Page 20

ELEANORA DUSE

Her Uncanny Witchery Eleanora Duse, the greatest Italian tragedienne of the last generation, was the possessor of a mystic personality apart from her wonderful powers as an actress (critics have compared her with Bernhardt and Rachel). Signor Guido Carreras, who was her last personal manager, and was present at her death in Pittsburg, U.S.A., tells, in bis inimitable fashion, a good story by way of illustrating the woman's almost uncanny witchery. “Our company had played a season at Cuba, and were about to return to the States.” said Signor Carreras. “Duse was far from well; and I was worried about her,” be continued. “It was necessary to get our passports endorsed by the Consul there, so I went to his office with Duse's and my own passports, thinking that I would be re-

ceived by a gentleman and treated with courteous consideration.” “Imagine my surprise to find the person in power a ‘tough guy’ of the American sheriff type, wearing his hat in his office and chewing a fat cigar.” “I explained the nature of my errand, and asked for his signature and stamp for the passports. Much to my surprise he replied, in language! as tough as his looks, that if Madame wanted her passport signed she had to attend the office in person. I begged and en- • treated him to meet the request as that of a very distinguished artist who was really ill, but he would not budge. Finally, I begged him to come with me, only across the city square to the hotel to see Duse.” “After some demur he -consented. We went to her apartments, and I introduced the Consul. The frail little woman, looking very grey and sick, came forward and shook hands. She just looked at him, and in a moment the man's hat was off, his cigar was discarded, and all the swagger had left him. He was under a spell he did not understand, and departed like a subject from his queen 1”