Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-10-14
AMONG THE BALLET GIRLS.


powerful an influence as she ever did, but a
false impression prevails regarding her char
acter and habits when divested of her slen.
der Iaiment, and clothed in more substan-
,ial garb. She has been believed by some
persons to be Il prosaic creature with re-
iigious tendencies, 4 model wife and mother,
who is passionately fond of her two children
and who exhibits her graces upon the stage
with an eye single to the glory of the family
ketJie. The evidence does not bear out the
verdict.
A poem Of rhythmic motion was waited
across the stage Of Il we'll known Broadway
theatre The orchestra set it to music, and
forty pairs Of graceful legs interpreted it
with almost vocal power and eloquencc.
4 dancer in the rear rank was by no
means the least attractive of the graceful
corps. Her dress was decollete ut both
ends, and her willowy form hid few of its
charms from the eyes of the spectator. She
was white from head to foot, saving the
presence of yellow bangs, crimsoned lips
and roguish blue eyes. Dancing as if she
enjoyed the movement, she laughed and
flirted with her companions in careless
fashion. She had wide-awake pair Of eyes
on duty to catch the glances Of any of the
dudes and Pharisees of the front rows, and
received quite little circle of personal ad-
mirers in spite Of her inconspicuous position.
The reporter asked permission TO inter-
view the ballet girl. Unluckily the first
chorus had just ended, and the trembling
visitor was suddenly confronted by the
ballet, half Il hundred strong. Before lie
could catch his breath throng Of laughing
| minxes noticed his embarrassment and
crowded about him as he backed into cor
ner. He grasped the edge of a scene fol
support and trembled like leaf. The
manager laughed aloud.
II warued you it was dangerous. Girls,
leave him alone;" but they paid no atten-
tion to the command.
Isn't he a darlingm "Dd he blow in?'
"Whata pretty blush!' 80, my! get on to
the specs!'' Say, girls, he is bowlegged;
what fnn!" Are there any more like him
where he came from?' And SO the fusilade
was kept up for a couple Of minutes. 10
describe the accompanying glances and
smiles would be impossible. The blue.
eyed angel with the blonde bangs was one
Of the railing crowd.
Happily the necessity of soon appearing
in a new phase Of undressedness compelled
the merry crowd to depart to their dressing
rooms The reporter busted the pearl pow.
der from his clothing and wondered if he
would ever get the smell! OF patchouli out
Of his nostrils. Then the manager took
him through labrin,hine passages subterra
| mean and aerial.
Every nook and Granny seemed peopled
| with half-dressed humanity. Every body
was in Il merry mood. No false and iictl-
tious nodcsty Was anywhere apparent, ant
no une seemed 10 care when dressing room
doors were not closed. The ballet girl wa:
no. skinned.
I'd three fights Of stairs the blue cyee
auge! was encountered in Il SNOWFALL COS
| tune Of phenomenal modesty, all ready fo
the swan ballet"
"Ah, there!" she said, with a smile "Tak
iny it ail in, eh?"
well, ain trying to improve my mind
said the reporter, who had somewhat re
covered his sangfroid. 'By the way, tell mt
are you uarried?"
married" ?" The lady started, gigglet
and then said. Nix"
Don't ballet girls ever marry 2"
'NcL often. Lfa's too short We like /,
| have Jolly time too we'll to get married
Come and see mo and l will tell you al
about it, she called up from the stairway
Il wouldn't advise you to do il" said tn
manager. There is man who weigh
about 100000 who might object"
! Where the ballet girl comes from or into wha
species OF living creature she is transmogritie
| are mysteries OF nature. But while she is q bal
let girl she is gay creature who turns night int
dag. The theatre pays her salary Of $1O week
but she manages to dress sumptuously and usual
wears genuine diamonds. She is no stranger t
champagne and French cooking, but the gamu
Of her appetite runs all the way to beer. To tn
crowd which always collects about the stage cr
trance she pays no attention whatever, but ther
is usually some friend waiting around the cornc
who carries her off on foot or sometimes i'll cal
riage. Where she goes 20 nobody knows.
These facts, of course. have nothing to do wit
the ballet old women, who are sent out upon tn
road with travelling companies They are tn
lively grandmothers of the ballet girls OF to-da!
IN \. Herald.