MISS BRUNE'S MEMORY

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 490, 24 April 1909, Page 11

MISS BRUNE'S MEMORY

"I am a ■wonderfully quick study," 'said Hiss Tittell Brune to a, 'Melbourne intovviewer tho ; other day. "Everybody in my company marvels at the speed with which 1 master a part. Now, that sounds egotistical,'doesn't it, and I did not mean'it like that. But I want you 1,0 understand that my methods are based on my quickness of memory. The last time wo staged 'L'Aiglon' we had not played it for months. Before we rohoarsfed it I agreed, for a littlo wager, not to look at my part to see if I would remember it. 1 came clown to .rehearsal, and I needed only a word' or two of prompting. Yes, 'L'Aiglon' i 3 a big '/part. It covers #63 sides. It is the longest part ever written tor a woman.

"Aly memory astonishes me sometimes Yon remember in 'L'Aiglon' the- scene with the toy soldiers—that part where I am play-1 ing with the soldiers, ard speaking. Alet- j tornich enters, and I say, 'And on the bridge ' He repeats, , 'And on the bridge, , aud I cry oift, 'The Guards!' Do you remember that? It is a beautifnl part of the play. "The speech before that part was originally verj; and Mr. Williameon cut a lot of it out.' 1 had read it through before it was dut. I had never played it, and liad never since thought of the part ent out. Well, a strango thing happened, One night Mr, Morvalo, who was playing Mettornich, wag lato. Tho call-boy forgot him, or something Anyhow, he was Jate. 1 could see that ho was not thero to get hia cuo, 'And on the bridge .' .Do you know what happened? Without any thinking on' my part, 1 ijust on with the hill speech. 1 was' astonished at myself, but it saved the situation. By the time I had got to his cue, Mr. Mervale was there."

CHILDREN'S FIRE DRILL. A practical' illustration of tho value of fire drill in public sohools was furnished recently at a largo educational establishment near London. There are about 500 boys and girls attending the school, and they were about to be dismissed for play when the head master detected the smell of burning within;tho building. A slight examination showed• such was the case,- and as smoke was becoming very obvious he sounded the fire-drill whistle, to which the boy pupils, in whoso division the outbreak occurred, immediately responded. They formed into two lines, quietly and quickly marched downstairs, and in'less than two minutes they were in safety. The word of warning was'given to the girls' head mistress, and she marshalled her pupils with equal celerity.' Tho directions were ' given with so little excitement or flurry that the children were totally unconscious that there was any reason fdr the clearance until the fire brigade arrived a few minutes later, and subdued the flamesj which nearly consumed the schoolroom where the fire.started.'- . THAT MERRY WIDOW. ■'■■-■.- SHE ! SAYS WHAT SHE THINKS; Miss Lily Elsie, the original Merry Widow, the sweetest, freshest, daintiest, and most winsome actress of her style.now "starring, owes much to. her exquisite personal beauty. She is as., invigorating as .the sea-breeze,■'; as alluring as a Juno.rosebud. She-knows exactly what her beauty and her youth aro worth to her. She • uses nothing for her complexion that she has not put to the most scrupulous and exacting tests, K She writes; "I am greatly pleased with the Valazo Soap and Valaze'Powder. " Tho soap is the-nicest complexion soap I have used, and I find-the powder exceptionally good as well." Here is no extravagance of praise, but a aid moderate statement of experience.. On such a matter, all London is glad to take Miss Elsie's word. Should not you? 'When she says a thing is good, for the oom-plexionj-she speaks.with a full sense of responsibility. She uses none by Valaze, preparations for her own delicate skini . .Valaze Skin Food, in jars, 4s. and 75.;. Valaze Face Powder (for skins that incline to greasiness of, moistness), and Novena Pojidre'(for dry and normal skins), in boxes, 2s;' 6d.; Valaze Complexion Soap; in cakes, 2s. 3d. AH post free from the Valaze Depot, Maison Valaze, 23 Brandon Street, Wellington. Head Depot, 24 Grafton Street, May-' fair, London, W.\ ; ,7463 Old lady (rather" deaf): "Are you , any'relation to a Mr.; Green?" Green; "I am Mr. Greeni": Old lady: "Ah! Then that explains the extraordinary resemblance."