, 1884-06-28
FANNY DAVENPORT.
A Stout Stage Lady's Training On.
der Medical Advice.
"Redora,sr on Physical
Strength - Newspaper Fun md
Woman's Inquisiuveness-
What Diet VIII Do.

Boston Hsrald.l
Miss Fanny Davenport, the we'll known
actress, who is a very affable and agreeable
LAZY, kindly conseutel to the usual inter.
view, and a very pleasant chat, which was
cut short by the demands of the public and
the stage, was the result.
"a great many professional people pretend
to dislike being interviewed, and vote ii a
bore, " said Miss Davenport "No doubt they
are often sincere in this, but | think that tue
majority OF us, when VIZ are not grossly mis-
represented, rather like to SEQ the results in
print For my own part, 1 don't dislike 1t,
and it is fortunate that l do not, since l
have had my full share of the interviews at
tention this present season. These things are
incident to our public life, and l take them
in u philosophical and easy way. You want
to know II Fedora is a hard part to playl Il
is a very difficult part to enact. 1t is hardly
possible, | think, that the public can have
any correct conception OF the strain it Is upon
brain, nerves and body. 1t Is what actors
call a hard working part. 1t does not, in
the language OF the stage, play ITSELF
You cannot lose your hold upon it for a mo-
ment without fatal effect, and, as Fedora is
upon the stage a great deal, but little rest
can be taken"
lard WORK IN FEDORA"
Fedora is a woman of unusual intellect.
hDbt IN a jimmy OAlhu hllu Lht OIhlllI VI
her mind must be clearly depicted in order to
make the character comprehended. She is
also impulsive ana quick of action, both
mental and physical, and her moods vary fire.
quently and VITA IA rapidity that calls for
the highest skill for their proper portrayal.
Then, too, the business of the piece is such
as would break down any woman of rdin-
airy strength. To merely go on for the part,
and go through the business with anything
Ill. ~ l. l.. sN-.IF I-.l l--f.
work l was fortunately blessed with a
good constitution, and l am now in excellent
health; or, as Mr.. Price puts it, in constant
training so that | am able to bear the strain
very we'll; but, even as it is, my doctor has
advised me to cut short my present. season,
as he says l would not be equal to the task
after one week Of hot weather, SO that | have
Cancelled all dates ahead. and will close my
season after next week here in Boston.
"You can readily understand, however,
what n great chance a good rest gives Une for
recuperdtioD. Fedora is the hardest part l ever
played in my life, but L like it immensely. II
l may be pardoned for saying SO, it is the
best part for a leading lady or a star actress
that | ever knew of. There Is something to
it, something tangible, something TO lay hold
ON; there is passion, power and heart in it,
and when ven are acting it you feel that you
are really accomplishing something. Then,
again, you have that feeling which is so dear
aud satisfying TO the heart of an actress, that
your audience is deeply interested in you
and watch all your acts intently. 1t is an
attention, too, from the whole audience; the
gallery is equally interested with the boxes
and the orchestra. !"
AN ACTRESS ANTI-FAT.
miss Davenport, might l ask you how"
You may, " said Miss Davenport, laugh
ing, "you wnnt to ask me how l reduced MY
weight, do you mott" u
The writer admitted the correctness If
Miss D~avenport's guess, and the lady said:
at is n very simple matter. You can platu
1t under the heading of exei else and diet.
When l found myself growing stouter yea
after year, l took medical advice. l was i'll
formed that obesity WAS OF the nature of I
disease, and l finally took the advice of {
famous London physician, and wLai
my friends didn't expect, followed the
advice to the letter. | eat no bread,
Except some dry toast now and
then, Danish sugar and sweets of all kinis,
as well as fatmeats, and drink very s~paringly
of fluids l was "a great water drinker, ard
seldom went about without a box of bonbons,
So you see / suffered somewhat at fl st by
giving these up. II men suffer as much when
they give up smoking, as | dill when l be gan
this diet, they have my entire sympathy.
'eA 30 hJ NAAJ SNN0nA1AAall1
l eat an ice Or a sherbet, but confne my
dessert to these things. forgot to say that
coffee was to have been excluRed, but l
wouldn't submit to that, and / generally
take a cup in the morning. Butter, and, in
fact, all fat or rich food, is not for me. 1t is
rather aggrnvating when one, by good
fortune, can afford TO have almost anything
in season, to be compelled to live upon poor
house diet"
NEWSPAPER FUN
"The exercise | take does as much for me
as does the change of diet. l formerly rode
wheraver I went, either in a carriage, or
horse car or omnibus, but now l walk a great
deal. Every day when it Is pleasant, and
some days when it is not, | walk u good
many miles. l AM better and stronger than
l ever was In my life. The newspapers and
persons who have written 10 me about the
sudden change in my appearance, have caused
me n great deal Of amusement, and il the
saying were true "laugh and grow fat,n |
should soon be heshy again. Why, one would
think, to hear the Comment made on me, that
before the bhnting season began / was a fit
subject for a dime museum. l don't think |
was so awful fat One newspaper repre-
sented me of huge proportions, training my
self down by the use of sand bags, dumb
bells and even boxing gloves. 1t is too ridicu-
lous for anything 1 have received scores OF
letters from ladies who are DESTROYS of lesser
ing their avoirdppois, and MANY Of them are
so seriously funny and 30 absurd that |
laugh whenever 1 recall them. / receive
some in every city / visit, and / don't mean,
even 10 n newspaper man, to say that Boston
Ia les are any better than others, for | was
laughing heartily at n letter on the same sub
jeeL written by a Boston lady, just as you
were announced.
l. WHAT WOMEN AsK
aone lady wants to know IL l sleep on my
right side, left side, or on my back and II
! have ever tried an alum water uath.' An.
other wants to know wat anti-fat use,
One lady tells of the beneficial results she at.
tained by hiring a Sci want to wake her up
suddenly several times during the night.
Your Boston lady says she heard or read
somewhere that l used mud baths and writes
to know all about them. DO you drink much
vincgarf Is q frequent question, and |
am often advised TO try stale beer. II
IL were fair TO the poor women who so
seriously write to me, ! would Ike to let you
read the letters, but 1 sympathiz, with the
poor souls. One man, with most INNER
able business presidency, has pursued me
with offers of an interest al his patent medi-
cine. He wants Inc, for a consideration, to
recommend it aud allow him the use OF my
picture. Fancy my letting him use my por.
trait as an advertisement after tho stvle Of
Before and after takingn But | must begin
the agony again, and merge Fanny Daven.
port for a little while in Fedora and the
lady went to her place ready to go o" tbs
sIQg0-