The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-05
PADDING.
A Mistake Made BY q Manufacturer Of
'sFirst.class Symmetricals."
New York Sunday News.]

artlhclally develop their shapes, either
from necessity or vanity, do not stand at
the street corners and tell the world of
it. On the stage especially, there is
something amusing about the excessive
mystery with which a matter which is
no mystery at all is invested. The actor
does not live and enjoy his eyesight who
can not tell when another is padded.
Yet every one, unerring in the detection
of the shortcomings Of his neighbor, is
firmly convinced that his own are be-
yond discovery.
Some years ago when the "Blaek
Crook created crop Of ballet girls
which depopulated the paper-box
factories and devastated the cigar manu-
factories, the fashion in symmetricals
was set by some imported English fgur-
antes. To say the least, the fashion was
substantial one. American girls, then,
with limbs which might have served as
models, descended with a rush on the
symmetrical manufacturer, and doubled
their natural size and were suffocated in
lambs wool. But the fashion was set,
and it holds its own. No ballet-girl with
money enough to pay for them will go
without her "symmetricals."
And no ballet girl will hesitate to deny
the charge, even if she is caught in the
act Of pulling them on, though, as rule,
she performs that operation at home. No
greater insult can be leveled at her than
the allegation that she owes her graceful
outline to Bloom, or Indig, and in the
ballet-room that spiteful stab from jeal-
Gus rival is the certain precursor of what
is POLITICALLY known in the profession as
"scrapping match"
As natural consequence of this sem
sitiveness on the part of their Gus
toners, the manufacturers of symmetri-
calls can not be too discreet in their reve-
lations in regard to the business Like
the physician and the lawyer, their re-
lations with their clients are strictly con-
fdential. To advertise their business in
the only practical way it can be adver-
tised would be to ruin it. Last year a
well-known and popular theatrical sup
ply man literally put himself in tight
place by using the name of popular
actress as a recommendation. 1t may
be that he was perfectly sincere in be-
lieving that he had made set of SYM
metricals for leading burlesque artist,
but as it was proven that he did not, he
probably took warning, and will let his
work be it's own best and only reference
in the future. The facts Of the farce are
these:
He had in his employ as clerk friend
of the actress That lady had bestowed
upon the theatrical furnisher her COM
piiments, with her photograph en- COS
tune. He keeps perfect gallery of
photographs of prominent actresses and
actors who have purchased theatrical
supplies of him. He is naturally proud
of the collection, and exhibits it to any
body who "won't tell" He had not at
this time picture of the actress, so he
Immediately advised his clerk to hang
the one in question as the latest novelty
up over his counter, which was the one
where the symmetrlcals were sold.
At this juncture the actress was play
ing with the Evangeline Company in
Brooklyn. in the company was another
young actress, who happened also to be
friend of the theatrical furnisher's
clerk. Knowing that her friend was en-
gagged in the symmetrical department,
She went to him to order set, but unfor-
tunately he was not in, and she was
obliged to confide in the proprietor. She
asked him if he made frst-class symmet-
gicals that could not be detected. The
rentleman replied that he did and point
ed the photograph out to her and asked
her if those represented in the picture
were not fine. The young lady seemed
somewhat surprised, replied that it was
the general opinion among the members
of the profession, as well as the public,
that the original of the photograph did
not use symmetricals.
"Oh, yes," said the gentleman, eve
made them, and it is an excellent piece
of work" ...
On the strength of this, the young lady
allowed her measure to be taken for 9
duplicate of the leading lady's statuesque
charms, and returned to Brooklyn, where
the combination were to play that even
ing. As soon as she saw the leading lady
she sauntered up to her and asked hel
how her symmetricals fitted. The lead.
ing lady replied that she was not like
some people; she was not obliged to pad
"Indeed," said the young lady; "but
know who made them, and he told me al
about it,"
"Told you all about whatw
"Why, about the pads"
"And who was it told you?
"Mr. - himself"
"Nonsense." ...
"But he did, and he's got picture o
you hanging over the pad counter t.
show to customers"
To say that the leading lady was indig
nant would inadequately express it. Sh'
was the maddest woman on the continent
at least. She raved. she tore. She, who's
magnificent form had been the talk O
the sterner sex. She, the statuesqu'
woman of the American stage, paradet
as an advertisement for a pad manufac
turer! How Clifton would crow whel
she heard of it. How the audience woult
snicker when 1T leaked out. She, pad
| Neyerl And she Immediately proved i