Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-27
AN ACTRESS, GOOD FORTUNE.
Ho,r Little Lolita Conquered Success by
Sheer Hard York.

brated variety actors now on the stage, than
q great many others could recollect in life
time. A reporter heard, through some out
of-the-way source, that Mr.. Burbank
had numbered that little pink of
perfect stage jolity, Lolita, among
his early burnt-cork and heel
clicking companions, and as the little girl of
his days has since made name that shines
out as brightly through this and the other
continents as the huge hieroglyphics that
Jules Verne suggested be built upon the
the natural conclusion was that if Otto had
anything new to say. it would be intensely
interesting to especially that portion of the
reading public who cared for Little Nell, the
Marchoiness, and any other title they desire
to give their favorite. Mr.. Burbank was |
accordingly sought, yesterday, and was
found after rehearsal, and interviewed.
''No." said Mr.. Burbank, 81 never acted |
as regular tutor to Lottie Mr.. Burbank
calls her Lottie), but whenever she did any
thing or some other one of the boys told
her that she hadn't the right step, and she
went right away to work and corrected her.
self. She worked hard, and tried to keep
ahead. She knew when suggestion that
was made was good one, and when it was
good she adopted it. That is the whole
secret of her success
"Ill tell you about the time we were at Burt's
New Idea, and afterward at Gilbert's Melo-
deon, in San Francisco. There were there
then Joe Murphy, Bernard, Cotton, Peel,
Billy Sheppard, Backus and myself
among other prominent ninstrels, with
the Worrell Sisters Sophie and Jennie, you
Maggie Moore, now Mrs. Williamson, and
I oft oil Flo ~ OF %ho
time. That was about fourteen years ago, and
Lolita was then about fourteen. There was a
great rivalry existing at the time among all
dancers, but especially among the girls. The
feature of the evenings entertainment was
a reel, which was billed Immediately after
| the first part, and in which all the company
took part. The reel never took less than an
hour, and up to the time it took place the
theater was crowded. When it was finished
the place was almost deserted. The
people appeared to care only for the
dancing. We were all good dan
GERS, but the rivalry among the male portion
of the performers was not near so marked
as that which distinguished the performance
of the young girls I have named. They
were encored until they were actually unable
to come on the stage again from sheer e1-
haustion, such were the demonstrations of
their respective admirers. It was not un-
usual for Lolita to be called out sixteen or
eighteen times, and have seen the stage
strewnwith bouquets and coin as she retired -
'Each of the girls he continued to say,
"did her best to Guido the others. None of
them were under any particular instruction,
but took their knowledge as they received it
off hand from their male companions, and
competitors for public favor. All labored
| how %~>x %l,,f 80 h4
place, but Lolita, under the strictest parental
was of the most wonderful kind, and
most persevering for a child, such
as she then was, managed to gaiu and retain
the lead, and holds it to-day, her rivals of
former years being, some of them, away
back behind the scenes of another world,
and those who are living, merely in the
wings, or among the supernumeraries OF
the present. Lolita worked ever and un-
tiringly. If one of her rivals learned new
step and won the audiences favor, the little
girl left the stage in frenzy of grief
and nothing could stife hel
!, binding tears until she had herself gained
step that was of more novel or attractive
nature. Frequently, when she thought nc
one was observing her, she stole into bel
dressing room, and stripping herself to bel
work, continued to practice away at some
, new jig step she had acquired, or to picl
upon her banjo or sing song, when othel
children of her age would be thinking o.
3 nothing but play
7 ooh, she worked!'' said Mr.. Burbank, will
: particular emphasis on the last word. Ssh
? had application; and believe that if sh
had taken up higher roles, intense study AM
application would have tended, with VIVA
talent she has, to place her at the very hea
of her profession and award her the crow
4 of being the greatest actress of her day."
4 "Do you mean great in the Clara Morn
: and Modieska SCHOOL,"
IL mean in any. But unfortunately-an
o again fortunately, for she has coined none
at her business-Lotta was early led to tn
It variety stage, made great hit in it an
9 kept on. She has undoubted talent, and be
J. study would have carried her through
r "Is it true that Lolita began her career
q q low concert saloonr'
b mo, sir, it is not. That statement tbs
has been spread abroad by the newspaper
is utterly false. She never sang or danced
or acted in any capacity in concert salool
n She commenced her stage career in Cal
10 fornia, doing little child parts with trave
>, ing troupe that went from town to town an
from camp to camp. There were no co,
% cert saloons in California in the early da,
q, of Lotta's stage life. We're the New Id
10 and Melodeon concert halls? The
81 were not. They were variet
le shows, in which man could sit down ar
8: drink glass of beer if he wanted it-ju
10 as you could have done in the legitima
y theaters here but few years ago, but the
n were not beer halls any more than the The
re ter Conique is, and that certainly is not
10 concert saloon"
o Mr.. Burbank then went on to say that
ID knew no one could have loved the professic
IS, better than Lolita did. She struggled high
a and if any one deserved to win the succe
IT. she has won, it was certainly she.
ID There were various speculations in Ca
o. fornia at the time as to her chances in wi
e. ming fame-some believing she would new
IN amount to very much; but Burbank q
cd that there was good stuff in her, and fol-
re Swallowed her greatness. She was not tn
IS much of protean artist, dancing being b
or forte; but she could sing little, handle t
banjo in passable style, and often play
%, small parts in sketches with the boys.
When she left California it was to 20 hor
u. to England, but some manager got hold
'n her and opened in Niblo's Garden, whe
'st she played some protean parts. Her succ,
at was 80 marked in this direction that she 90
oil tinued in it; got little play written I
herself, and the public know the rest.
. Why Not Send Both of 'Em9
Pioneer Press, May 26th."
nd Those who know all about Washburn q
at Stewart and their precise measure .
es- stature, will be disposed to smile at [
ny suggestion that either of them lays claim
9Th 49, .t-;1-s,,, :.xo,1..I-.1 .-...-..: :. :,