The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-01-01
Does the Private Life of ao a ctress Concern
the Pubic?


Does the Private Life of an ctress Concern
the Pubic?
IForney's Progress.
This question almost provokes an uneon-
ditional reply-yes-beeause the public do
not seem to be able to sink the individuality
of the woman in the actress, and so they
make it their special affair to carefully
scrutinize the private life of the woman,
often losing sight of her real merit as an
artist.
Did you ever notice how entirely CONVEX
SAINT are busybodies with the personal his
tory of their friends2 And does it not i'm
press you as almost the same officiousness
when you hear the private character of a
woman. act she on either side of the foot
| lights, being handled in the roughest, most
! inconsiderate manner? This is not all either.
| A little conversational denunciation might
escape the opprobrium of scandalous gossip;
but when newspapers denounce and hotels
refuse admittance to an actress because of
her immortality it is about time for women
to look around them and compare notes
And these are some Of the points they use;
also thew are facts that so stare one in the
face that it is impossible TO arrive at the
Justice of this wholesale condemnation of
feminine frailtes until these facts are some
what explained.
A little woman who shall be nameless,
but whose wit is as keen and brain as active
as the December air she breathes to-day
always feel sorry when | see such women
that their lot has not been cast in needy
places where glorious opportunities would
be given thom for work-well, this one
woman recalls the time when Fechter first
came to America, and how little he cared
what the world knew of his private life.
Were any of the hotels closed against him
Were any social barriers built up around
him? Did the journals denounce or carica-
ture him? He is dead now, you say; let
him rest. Yes he is dead, SO is Nelson.
Is her memory so sacred? But the strange
! inconsistency about it all is, that no one
thinks to question whether an actor has a
wife, what his social relations may be, or
whether his hand is worthy to clasp that of
your wife, sister, and mother. He is gen.
ius; that is sufficient l could mention a
dozen names, observing the same high
standard of morality as Fechters, where
genius leads the masculine artist into realms
of purity. and no thought of a tarnished
brightness dulls the magnetism of his society.
"Ye godsl' as they say in the classic plays,
can not understand why genius should be
burdened with sex, nor why, when tho soul
| SPEAKS dCrOss IHe iOOLiiSnIS Nc iaiest bccue
torment ourselves about the casket incarnate
that is honored with its keeping.
Resides, this peering into the life of an
actress is of very little avail. She seldom
has much in sympathy with the social world.
Why should she2 She does not need its re-
cognition, has no time for its pleasures, and
though her success on the stage depends
upon the plaudits of the multitude. she Is in
dependent of their friendship. Why, think
of the difference in the lives of the women
that the drop-curtain dividesl How is it
possible they can understand each other,
make allowances for certain customs, and
excuse what to either might on one side be
considered propriety, on the other inde-
corum, to say the least2
begin to believe that women naturally
have not half the inquisitiveness of men,
and it is an awful pity that this should be
SO, should have commenced so, because now
We have 8 lifetime of difficulties to sur
mount We have submitted our conduct
to these brethren of ours with feeling
secure in its faith, while they in turn have
accustomed themselves to be our severe
judges. They are not altogether to blame,
and their injustice is like going to sleep at a
stipulated hour, and arising likewise from
the force of habit. They are used to it. But
it can not last forever, Women have