St. Landry democrat., 1879-07-19
l. BALLET GIRLS NOTES.
The Queer Things She Has Observed BE
hind the Scenes.

nang cnafaCteT dresses on. One week
court lady, the next a sailor in Pima
fore,' gypsies, peasants, part of crowd,
invited guests at balls and so on. It's
hard work getting out of these lower
ranks. Where one succeeds hundreds
remain always on this dead level. There
are ambitious girls, too, in these walks
who could at short notice fill higher
parts. l can't say how creditably, be-
cause they never had the chance to try
in public They are intelligent, lady
like girls, too-well read, lady-like in
demeanor, correct in habits. Some at
tend school in the day time and their
small earnings are help to many
cramped income. Some are regularly
met at the door by their mothers or
some member of the family and 60 di-
rectly home, and others 60 to late sup
per with gentleman"
"What is your opinion Of present
tage morality?'
Said the young woman: It's the
fashion now among the literally inclined
to commend the stage. That is we'll.
But from certain experiences of mine at
times for tha past few years behind the
scenes, I wouldn't advise any mother to
trust her daughter too readily to the
stage until she was certain the daughter
could look out well for herself. A
young lady" continued the young
woman, " fortified by friends and social
position may experience little annoyance
or risk until she lays herself open to it.
But the poor girls, the supernumera"
ries, must often endure the ad-
vances of any leading gentleman
who chooses to force himself upon them.
To speak plainly, gentlemen will assume
a forwardness of demeanor with a strange
girl in such position which they would
not dare to do elsewhere. Would Mr..
-- ask society young lady to late
supper within two hours after having
fret set eyes upon her: as he did me at
the - theater? You may think ii
easy to avoid these things, but tits not.
AS to propriety, gils in the humber
dramatic walss are very much mixed.
Some are good, some are bad. Managers
do not hire morals. IT a girl shows
well and acts with outward propriety,
that is all that is required of her. This
mixture gives bad man many orpor-
tunities, since he may assume that
they are all on the same plane of char
acter, and act accordingly. He bas the
vantage ground of position. Then to
bristle up and do tie indignant grand
is to make an enemy and injure your
own chances of getting forward. The
gauge of conduct under such circum-
stances is not that of other society. I
speak here as one without friends or
outside influence to push one ahead. It's
the custom of the place. It's behind
the~scene custo Il handed down for gen.
erations from the English stage, where
every woman in the profession was os-
tracised by society and where the whis-
pered verdict at all events was that it
was hardly possible to be an actress and
Virtuous woman. Stage managers
sometimes prove great trials to the
humber girls. Some are coarse in de-
meanor and rough in language. When
out of humor they will use big DIS and
little DIS very plentifully. They lose
respect for women. They see too much
OF them. A manager arrives at last to
that condition of mind and habit as to
regard his stage as many married men
regard their homes-a place granting
full liberty to fume, fret and bully.
They have some cause. A crowd Of
chattering, empty headed girls is try
ing charge for any man."
"Youl lhave seen the stage stripped OF
its illusion, then?'' q There are other
things besides scene, painting which are
illusions. The lovely couple of sisters
in front may not have spoken to each
other for weeks behind the scenes. I
have heard lady who played the sweet
heart to famous comedian considerably
past his prime bemosn herself before 60
ing on that she should ever be obliged to
play with that old painted bag of bones
I have seen young actress, whose head
was turned by success and adulation to
that extent that she deemed herself
beyond any of the common restraints of
the green~room, roundsy scolded by her
mother for her hoydenish ways. have
heard brilliant star, after the play,
bluntly reproved by the gentleman who
supported her for blurting out before a
street car full of people some Of the in
cidents of the play, seemingly with the
design that every one should be made to
know who she was. Sometimes gentle-
men are more sensitive than ladies in
this respect. Certainly it was SO in this
respect, for Mr.. -, at tie first oppor~
tunity, fatty told Miss not to talk
stage~btlsiness with him in horse. car
again. Then SO many Of the ladies be-
come infected with certain stage slang
and stage familiarity with each other.
It's on a 'Holloa JackP and sHolloa Jinf.'
basis. They have certain over-familiar
rough, slangy stage way among each
other which seems very unpleasant at