The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-12-05
THE YOUNG ACTRESS
BY ALICE STARR.

What a lovely face !! exclaimed Her
bert Eastcy to his companion, the man
ager of the N. theatre, as they
stood in one of the stage boxes.
Yes, and the charm of it to me, is
that it is real beauty. No, sir, there is
no deception about Laura Kimball!
What! you don't mean to say that
she is an actress, and yet does not rouge
or paint p
But l do, though rejoined Mr..
NJ decidedly.
Her good looks are all her own BY
Dame Natures gift. She has never
beeo obliged to resort to paint or pow
der to enhance them. If you were to
see her at all times Of the day, at re-
hearsal, as I do, you would not 6ud it
difficult to believe me; for then the
painted beauties look pale and wan,
while she is always the same, fresh and
blooming. And. what is more, 1 believe
her to be as good as she is beautiful. |
have known of great many-kind-so4s
she has done for employees ofthc the
atre. All there goes another basket
of fowersp
by Jovc! if she were anything but
an actress, now. I should be strongly
tempted to fall 10 love. with her. She
is angelic! Herbert CALCULATED, as he
glanced once more towards the stage,
whereon the young actress had just re-
appeared, who was greeted by thun-
derous burst of applause and shower
of fragrant blossoms.
'Apactress Are you, too, imbued
with the popular but cruel, sentiment.
that because lady is an actress she has
ceased to be respectable? Out upon
such cold-blooded reasoning! They
say there are always plenty Of ways for
woman to support herself if she has o
will. And yet, mark the result ! If she
attempts to earn livelihood by sewing,
she soon contracts lung disease, which
hurries her into premature grave; il
she becomes q saleswomau, her salary is
mere pitance, half the amount that is
paid to male clerks, and not sufficient
to enable her to keep soul and body to-
gether; while if she goes, or attempts to
90. into business, she is cried out as
uuvomanly and brazeu. Now, if she
becomes an actress, and has really any
talent for that pursuit, she eau, in a
short time, earn a salary fully large
enough to support her comfortably, at
least. And yet 20 sooner does she ap-
pear before the fcotlghts than she is
at once branded, no matter how pure
she may be in reality, as poor, fallen
creature, scarcely fit to consort with any
but the lowest dregs of society. Now,
although I do not deny that the life OF
an actress is surrounded with tempta-
ton, to which, alas too many of them
succumb, yet 7 ttradfas'ly maintain.
and long experience has hut strengths
ened mY belief, that there are many
truly good and pure wome" among our
theatrical celebrities; ard II is al'oge' her
wrong ;ha, the innocent shonld suffer
for the guilty. or by an unreas"nlns
prejudice to the name oi actress. YOU
must see. nv dear fellow, how unjust
such sentiments are.
Certainly I DO, my dear Mr. NJ,
replied Herbert. And [ agree with
| you perfectly; and, as far as l am con>
cerned, l would be willing to wed an
actress were cure she was true, good
woman, worthy to marry respectable
man. 7 had reference to uy family
when I made that unlucky remark; for
they, YOU know, adhere staunchly tc
their bride Of birth and station; and
though to a certain extent / Wonld wish
to myself, still, if I really admired
woman, and she were truly lovable,
don't think should hesitate yer!
long :,
We'll. anyhow. 1 made you quite q
long speech, and you must pardon me,
replied Mr.. NJ. 1T is a subject
don't often allow myself to convers
upop. For whom ! think Of the injus
tice of the world I am supe to get exci
ted, and. oftentimes, am laughed at
But, although I am 'reticent,' keep u
tremendous thinking, you see, ia
ha! And be- laughed quietly. bu
perceivins that his companion was
,.-oesod with the nerformanc