The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-28
THE SALARIES OF STARS.


The golden rule, as applicable to greenbacks,
is to pay everybody as you would have every
body pay you. In such times as these it is
extremely hard to be observed by either party.
With provisions at an exalted price, it is very
trying to the conscience to have exalted
feelings too, and to be continually oppressed
with the sensation that you are bound in
honor to give for an article precisely what the
seller declares it to be worth. Nothing is the
public more willing to pay freely for than its
amusements. Amusements it must have, and
amusements it is perfectly willing to pay
for. How many .ftrOrs have we had
in the theatrical and operate world, when
seats were sold out at premium, and when
private boxes were run up to a fabulous price
Those who are most blaze, those who most
affect, as well as those who most suffer from
eaRui viii pay the most for a pleasure that
they are by no means certain of, and that at
best is brief in its duration. 1t is not to be
wondered at that the general public is so eager
to be amused. Men who work hard must
play hard. The majority toll hard enough for
the wherewithal to keep themselves and fami-
lies The man Of pleasure tires himself sooner
and more desperately than any one else. Some
new excitement is his only rest, The beau
must be urbent.
As the placid man OF business the serene
head Of the family, sits in his yelyet-cushioned
seat-not cushioned too much for comfort,
however-at the theatre, he may naturally
ask himself, What is the income of this very
amusing person who is making me laugh and
cry in spite OF myself?n If the head of the
family were more youthful, the business man
less of business man, he might be excused
for the moment, for throwing business, like
physic, to the dogs, and yielding himself
to the enchantment Of the hour. Per-
haps even then the practical nature
would pop out, and the question would
naturally reiterate itself:-"Can it be possible
that this delightful delineator ofthe Legitimate
makes as much in one week as / do In
yearP Is it in the nature Of things that this
World-renowned artist, whom / remember as
'supe' should receive a nightly stipend equal
to the yearly salary of my clerks? Can it be
that the travelling expenses Of this performer
are all paid, including that Of a companion,
whilst am obliged to pay my own, if do not
succeed in getting free pass2 is it at all
reconeileable with the order Of Providence
that this individual should be permitted, so to
speak, to strike oil every night, whilst /, after
twenty years devotion to my trade-:hat is,
proiession-haye never struck 1t yet%
These ideas, more or less developed, very
naturally occur to the tradesman or profess
sional man as he recines in the orchestra seat or
dress circle, contemplating the moral influence
of spangles, or meditating why an actress with
long hair invariably allows a wcurls to stray
over the right shoulder, while the rest wave
behind in tonsorial proiuslon. OF one thing
he may be certain, however, that he does not
wor der at the thing any more than the man
ager- themselves Some years ago, Madame
Dolesisrnlsnte was p0Where, she was much