Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-25
OH SIRE press.
Our NEW YORK LETTER.
Something About the Thentres-FiXed
and Minor Stars-,rhe smooth ana

Correspondence OF the Free Press and Times.l
Nav IoHK, Aug IL, 1882.
Midsummer Is dull time in the amnsc-
ment way, HIT as New Years is the time
when we are counselled to review our deeds
and misdecds for the year that has gone, so
the end of the theatrical year is the time
when the records and the cash books are made
up.among the show people. New York spends
pretty penny to keep the wolf away from
the doors of the fourteen principal places OF
amusement, and yet Yew York city alone
would not support SO many. 1t is estimated
that the floating population of the city is
something like 2O0,OOO-that is, there are
about that number of non-residents here all
the time, and upon them do the managers
largely depend for the success of their sea.
sons. About four millions of dollars were
received at the box offices of thirteen theatres
and the opera, last scason-most enough tc
repair an iron-clad or to pay for the wines
and cigars of Congressional committee on
all investigating cruise. or this amount the
Madison Square Theatre (ncluding its travel
ling companies) took in over $500, 900 ;
Booths theatre (Bernhardt played at Booths
$3.50, 900; the Fourteenth Street Theatre,
$4,000; Wallack's, SlS6,00O; the
Standard (whcrc the stock of Patience
early gave out), S2O3, 600: Nihlo's Garden,
SOS, 900 and the Theatre Comiquc S225,
900. haven't time to figure up how many
flannel waiscoats for the Hottentots this
would buy, nor for moralizing over the
amount OF good that the money would have
done even among the poor of our own city.
And if did it would not make Il particle OF
difference, any more than it would to tell an
old smoker that twenty-five cents day FOL
cigars is equal to $50 year, and that $50 q
year invested al compound interest will, in
fifty years, amount to enough to pay a plumb
er's bill for an ordinary season. He recog-
niZcs the vastness of the ultimate result, aid
how gratifying il would be to accomplish it,
but ii he gave up his cigars. the quarter
would go somewhere else in the way Of self
qualification aud wouldn't be saved up at all
Tor this sort Of luxury. SO with the theatre
gocr, who feels an intense interest in the
welfare OF the heather, but nevertheless
would not give the money to them, even if he
renowned the drama.
II costs round sum, nowadays, to either
fiji up theatre or 10 run atravelling company
and the expenses for scenery and costumes,
for the elaborate plays OF the past year, have
been enormous, to say nothing of salaries,
rent, advertising, etc. II is risky business
and the number of failures in it has been
greater than the SUCCESSES This, the thcat-
rical world, is an enticing one to outsiders
and rs a general thing, they see only
The Rosy Side.
Sow uuI .Len sketch or II paragraph con
,cruug lulIng actress goes the round of
tho Press giving the terms upon which the
fortunate manager has been able to secure
hrr services ~ gossip about her elaborate
wardrobe lie humber OF priceless dogs
-hy keeps u. he elegance of her ponies and
pony carriages Just now the theme is the
engagement n' the noted Mrs langtry for an
America. tour next season, the terms reput-
eb being tine ,ume as given last year to Bern
harlt who oarried off $40, 900 of American
money rs tlo result of her six months stay.
II is prcpos rrous and thoroughly absurd that
Hu amateur un the stage not siN months be-
hind the fupliglis, would lie able TO command
equal terms with the woman who las stood ut
the top OF the theatrical ladder, for emotional
acting. iur Years but Manager Abbey has
tested the capacity of the American yfurOre
for celebrities and knows what will draw
and 81. thcairegoers, next Autumn, will be
allowed - galc upon the Langiiy at 80 per
evening l.angtry photographs and Langtry
Autographs will soon break ont all over the
country like The measles in II country school,
aud every attitude that the female form is
apable OF assuming will be the subject of II
picture of the professional beauty, and then
will come, in regular succession, I.angtry
hats, Langtry gloves, Langtry ''bloom Of
youth" and Langtry cigarettes. And in a
year from now the lady may return with a
fortune, praisng God and American extrav-
agance for the means whcfrwith to live
without labor, for the rest of her life.
The Stars ofLcsser Magnitude
Get likewise their share of notoriety. When
| used to 90 to that monument of theatrical
bad luck in London-,he St. James theatre
10 see Rose Coghan in Vert. Vert, she was
content to walk to and from rcheursals and
performances and to occasionally indulge in
the extravaganza of a hanson cab on II rainy
night now her carriage is a. ''tOney" as any
on the avenue and her deliberately furnished
apartments inspire the eoquence of the re-
porters, who likewise revcl in descriptions of
the possessions and surroundings of Clara
Morris, Saral. Jewctt, Mary Anderson and a
score more of the favoritcs of the stage
This is the easy side of theatrical life, and no
wonder that thousands of poor and ambitious
girls are SO fascinated by it as to be eager TO
Join the profession and substitute ease, lux
ury tlattery and fame for labor, poverty, lone
illness and obscurity. 1t is pity that every
dose of such mental poison should not be
accom- aned by an antidOte, SO that these
girls should know something of the frightiul
struggle necessary for the ordinary young
person to gain livelihood on the stage and,
at the same time, to preserve her Integrity
and sclf-respect. The few succeed, The
thousand fail. Let me tell you little story
to show
The SHADY side,
with the proyiso that it is absolutely true,
save only such variation in minor details as
to prevent Identification. Sitting at the opera
one night, last Winter, by the side OF a gen
tleman Of means and leisure, whom ! may
designate simply as IA man about town, he
called my especial attention to member OF
the ballet corps-a tall, beautiful woman,
with mass of jet black lair, but face
whose ghastly and death ike pallor not even
stage powder or theatrical make up could
conceal. ] know something OF the physical
signs of health and disease and studied the
woman closely with my glass, as she went
through her part, with exact precision OF
time, hut with such a manifest lack Of
lhuli Nv sh' o'Niieh WI WV
point of faintlng. At length | said "Tha
woman is starving to death - 'lcs. he re-
piled, she will he dead in six months ant
she would eagerly welcome the eventif it wa,
not for her child" "You know her then ?
said, with quick remembrance Of numer
Gus reports of his somewhat adventurous ant
rapid life. "Yes, and saider story
don't know than hers. 1t is the custom
to look upon the women on TN
stage as doubtful characters, at best, an,
upon ballet dancers as already committed Il
perdition, but there is mol in all the audience
woman more entitled to respect than she
Some time may tell you her story. it is to
long to give you between the acts
My curiosity was aroused and ! studie
the face of the dancer. II had been yer
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