Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-08
PROVIDENT ACTORS
And the Queer Places They Select for
Their Savings-In COrsets. Body
Belts and Elephants Tasks.
A Case OF Three-Cent Stamps that
Brought Loss TO the Experimenter-
other Singular Examples.

a gOOO Ce3l Is constantly WrllLen anu
said, says the New York Nens, about the i'm
providence of actors, and few years ago
the charges were undoubtedly well grounded.
Now, however, the average actor Is a very
different person from what he used TO be.
He has ceased TO regard poverty and Bohe-
misnism as essential 10 his profession, and
aspires to a higher consideration than the
enjoyment of these romantic though incon-
yenient conditions embody. There are few
actors to-day who do not take some meas
ures to lay by enough out of their seasons
earnings To keep them over the idle summer,
and the devices they employ 10 this end are
interesting and curious.
The chief of these in the postal order sys-
tenn. Smith is earning $50 week, say. His
expenses for living is SIS. He allows him
self SIS more for spending money, and each
salary dsy goes to the postothce OF the place
in which he ID playing and buys a MT ney or
der for $40, made payable TO himself in New
York. This is an absolute investment. He
cannot make any use of the order till he pre-
sents it in New York in person. No matter
what temptations may Utfsr itself Tor the
spending Of money, he cannot succumb 10 II.
Nobody will advance money on the order,
because no one eau use it but himself, aud
all that he can do is 10 keep it in his pocket
till the opportunity presents itself for him to
turn it into cash. Thus, at the end of a sea-
am with a wallet full OF securities of the
| United States government, which represents
the savings OF his years work, and q hand
some sum for him TO rest on till the money
msking period commences again. II, by any
unfortunate chance the company he Ia with
comes to grief, and he is stranded out oil
| town, he can go TO any railroad othce, and
on the strength OF his money order, get 8
| ticket pays able on his arrival IN New York
This fashion OF banking through the post
| Office originated in England, where the postal
savings bank is an institution There a man
| in any part of the kingdom can deposit
money and draw it wherever he needs 1t al
auy other office. 1t is said that one of the
| English actors Boucicault imported some
years ago, first introduced the postofhce or
| der system of saving money here.
The four per cent. treasury certificates are
popular among the frugal professionals
! These can be bought in SO certificates, with
| the interest added, anywhere, and sold witt
interest quite as easily. By this system
money earns interest, while in buying post
Office orders the interest is sacrificed, but i
| has the drawbac that the certificates can b.
| used as money. For this reason actors
whose ptstious to spend money are great
er, prefer non-convertible monev-orders
| while actresses, who experience fewer in
| ducements and have more self-restraint
| favor the ctrtincates.
Very many actresses run bank account
here while they are away. They forward
| money from time TO time to q friend, who
| banks it for them. Miss Jeffreys Lewis, Car
| lotta Evelyn and other we'll known fooiligh
| favorites are extensive patrons OF our saw
| ings banks. Some of them have deposits il
several banks up 10 the limit, which they
never touch, leaving IL TO draw interest unit
| that period in the future when they will hide
al.
private life, unless, as is sometimes the case
the temptation of a starring tour proves toe
much for them and they break into then
savings to crafty their vanity or self.
confidence.
There is a story told of actor who put ths
savings of his season into postage stamps
and found himself at the commencement Of
the summer with over $500 in gummy, stuck
together paper, which he was compelled tC
| dispose OF at considerable loss. An actress
not unknown 10 fame regularly sews por
ton of her salary into her corset until shs
returns TO New York. A couple of seasons
ago she nearly lost her life at hotel fire, il
returning TO her room to rescue this valuable
article OF attire after che had been removed
from the burning building by the fremen
Another actress has for years made money
belt her savings bank, and is now suffering
from cancer created by the pressure of tn,
buckle on her body. At last accounts she
was likely to pay for her peculiarly INDUCED
frugslity with her life. Probably The
most curious savings banks in the
amusement profession are those OF some
of the elephant keepers in our circSses
1t is an old and iavorite device with
them to hellow out the tusks OF their brute
charges, adjust Il screw-top TO them, and
keep their money in the receptacles thus
curiously formed. OF course this is only
possible where an elephants tusks have beer
cut off. Chief, Sultan, TIppoo, Sahib and
others of the wicked old fighting elephants
familiar to the American public, all did
service as savisgs banks TO their guardians,
aud the reader will, probably, concede that
it would take bold burglar, indeed, TO at
tempt TO break into such treasure chest.
The profession has, of course, 4 name for
its members who thus provide a2ainet the in
evitsble rainy day. They are called Savings
bank actors" But those who come within
that category can afford to be nicknamed
when the name brings them such comfort
and independence as it does. A savings bank
actor fears middle summer, and enjoys a
healthful rest when his less provident fell
lows are scrambling for existence. He can
afford to lay off and reject engagements
which do not suit him, where another with.
out his financial backing has 10 take what.
ever comes along to avoid starvation and the
streets. He is also able to assert his rigbtt
and resent oppositions, where less fortunate
artist bows under abuse, because to do other.
wise would cost him his living. Ten years
ago an actor with frst-class wardrobe was
regarded as the luckiest man in the profes.
sion. Now a wardrobe is but rags. Money
talk, and money alone, on as off the stage.