w right ▁D ion ▁Bou c ica ult , ▁who ▁had ▁recently ▁returned ▁to ▁America ▁from ▁Europe . ▁ ▁During ▁a ▁break ▁S argent ▁went ▁to ▁California ▁to ▁ar range ▁a ▁tour ▁for ▁the ▁mag ician ▁Robert ▁H eller . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁this ▁he ▁remained ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁coast ▁man aging ▁a ▁min st rel ▁show ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁attended ▁the ▁California ▁Theatre ▁( San ▁Francisco ) ▁to ▁see ▁a ▁performance ▁by ▁Hel ena ▁Mod jes ka , ▁playing ▁Adri enne ▁L ec ouv re ur ▁. ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁Polish ▁actress , ▁born ▁ 1 8 4 0 ▁in ▁Krak ów , ▁who ▁moved ▁to ▁America ▁with ▁her ▁husband ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁to ▁start ▁a ▁new ▁life ▁far ming . ▁ ▁They ▁failed ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁go ▁of ▁this , ▁and ▁Mod jes ka , ▁who ▁had ▁a ▁limited ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁English ▁language , ▁secured ▁an ▁acting ▁role ▁on ▁the ▁stage ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁Theatre . ▁ ▁After ▁seeing ▁her ▁performance , ▁S argent ▁signed ▁her ▁for ▁a ▁successful ▁tour ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁coast . ▁ ▁However , ▁by ▁November ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁S argent ▁was ▁in ▁dispute ▁with ▁her , ▁seeking ▁a ▁legal ▁rest raint ▁to ▁prevent ▁her ▁acting ▁on ▁the ▁London ▁stage ▁without ▁his ▁san ction . ▁ ▁Not ▁long ▁after ▁this ▁she ▁was ▁with ▁another ▁manager , ▁John ▁St et son . ▁ ▁She ▁became ▁a ▁crit ically ▁acc laimed ▁and ▁successful ▁actress ▁of ▁the