Paris, Mar. 6.
'Although nearly two years have lapsed since the death of Mme. Sarah Bernhardt, it has only just' been decided who is entitled to the Tease of the theatre bearing.her name. The building, originally Iunown as the Thédtre des Nati belongs to the Paris Municipal Coureil. That body, in 1898, leased. the theatre to the celebrated tragedienne at _a yearly rental of Fra, 100,000, The lease was renewed in 1909 for a period expiring on January 1, 1923. Before that date, Mme, Sarah Bernhardt applied for the war-time extension of five years, and it was granted without jon, She died on March 25, The question then arose whether her son and heir, Maurice Bernhardt, could inherit the ease with the rest of his mother's estate.
The city authorities pointed out. thet the agreement contained a clause describing the tenant's right as purely personal, and stipulating That the lease could in no cireum~ stances pass to anyone else through the decease or failure of the tenant. On the other side it was argued that the extension granted by the land-Jords was an asset forming part of the estate, and that the mere fact of granting the extension had done away with the personal limitation, 'Three tribune different Judgments on point of] Jaw, and finally the suit came for hearing this week before the fall strength of the Cour de Cas sation, The Procureur-General, M. Lescouvé, expressed the opinion that the' limitative clause in the Tease could not override the exten-ion granted to Mme. Sarah Bernhardt and inherited by son The Court endorsed this view and gave judgment in favour of M. Maurice Bernhardt, who is consequently entitled to continue running the theatre until the end of 1927.
Obscure Journalist's Rise to Fame 'M, Michel Mortier, who has departed this life after 80 strenuous yours of it, was a very prominent figure in the French theatrical world, He was distinguished not only by his talents but by prodigius activity. He began his career private secretary to Emile do Girardin, the brilliant French journalist who plumed himself on having 'a new idea every day. De Girardin used to make appointments for six v'elock in the morning, his principle doing that, as the day is only 24 hours Jong, they are too few to be wasted. After a couple of years wuder this professor of energy,' Mortier tried to start as a journ-list but none of the big new: papers of the day would have hi being considered too youn; Nothing daunted, he seraped gether a little capital and became 4 full-fledged editor at the ripe age of 18, His venture was a litera weekly called "Lo Bonnet de Coton, largely devoted to the discussion books and ideas and to gossipy paragraphs of a lively and libellous Geseription, Although he had the help of such literary giants as Barbey d'Aurevilly and Theodore de Banville, the "Bonnet de Coton" Jasted only six months.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.