The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-17
ANXIOUS TO QUIT THE STAGE.
Unsuccessful and Unhappy Actresses Compare
Notes Before a Reporter.

CASuSOOSSiuA anu OhHappy AcCreSseS compare
Notes Before a Reporter.
New York Sun.
Five women, three of whom were actresses, sat
together i'll a prettily furnished chamber in a fat
on Fourteenth street. One of the actresses had
Just returned from a theatrical trip, and was ly-
ing on the bed in a careless attitude. Another.
her daughter, q blue-eyed girl in a garnet
Mother Hubbard, sat on the other side of the
couch, while the third, n dashing brunette in 3
tallor-made costume and scarlet bonnet, occupied
a chair and studied her part for the rehearsal
tnat mad been called for 10 o'clock that morning.
These actresses were ladies, and had moved in
fashionable circles in a Western city
until reverses came and homes and
money were swept away. Like
thousands of American women, they had been
trained to no occupation or profession by which
they could earn their daily bread. They had
belonged to an amateur dramatic club, however,
and thought that that which had been so
agreeable as a pastime might be equally agree
able as a means of support. Each had in those
days received the hearty encouragement of dis
tlngulshed actors and actresses. They had i'm
agined the praise would be continued when
they had joined the struggling army of profess
SIGNALS, and met their quondam friends on the
equality of the boards behind the footlights.
Each was speedily undeceived.
Il could endure the fatigue of standing from
III In the morning at rehearsal, said the bru-
nette looking up from her book, but when it
comes to having a man swear at you in the
presence of the whole company-a man whom
you wouldn't permit to address you at all off the
stage-its a little too much. Why, John M
damned me yesterday-damned me twice"
That's nothing. You must expect it. I've
oeen In a company weeks at a time, said the
blue-eyed girl, where not a member would
speak to me. 1t happened last winter, and con-
tinued until l could endure it no longer. had
been engaged by the managers to take the
place of one of their friends, and that was how
they revenged themselves-vented their spite
on me, when was ignorant of even the man
ner of my offending until L learned it acct
d~ertally. The women turned their backs on
me, and none of the men of tho company was
introduced to me, so | lived l. in solitude as abso-
lutte as II L had been in the middle of the Sahara
desert. | went to- and from the hotel alone, paid
my own bills, bought my railroad tickets, sat
alone in the cars, and was not spoken to by any
body until l was literally driven out Of the COM
pany."
Yes" said the matron, sitting up, II know
all about it--that is, the loneliness of the life"
She was leading lady in a company supporting q
star, just returned from q brilliant and success
full tour to play a three weeks engagement in
New York. | have not been sent to Coventry,
it is true, but | am insulted every time ! go on
the stage to rehearSe, It's impossible to please
the manager. He has been determined to- dis
charge me for some time. and having no
excuse, and being bound by his contract, has
set himself to work Systematically to make me
retire. He has criticised and found fault until
l have grown so nervous l hardly know what
VIII happen when l am on. Then his conduct
has been 50 grossly insolent and overbearing
that no woman with a particle of self-respect
could or would endure it. have had a salary
of $40 n week. 1t seems like a good deal of
money. but when my expenses are paid, l have
scarcely anything left to tide me through the
summer. Travelling is f~earfully hard on clothes.
| wear out more dresses in six months than 1
used to do in two years. OF course l had to
take cheap rooms at the hotels, up at the top
where they put all the old tapestry carpets with
the threads showing through, the rickety bed
steads and cracked washbowls. Miss -, the
star, and her mother have apartments below,
and seclude themselves.
''She is not interesting, so the loss of her So
ciety is no deprivation, the matron added; few
actresses are. They are not educated as a rule,
read little. and talk only stage slang and stage
gossip. And you can imagine what stage gossip
is: like nothing under heaven to be heard any
where else; stories touching the reputation Of
rival actresses. Always something bad, never
anything good. The other two women in the
company were variety actresses; ~virtuous enough,
but not of q kind in any way congenial. L
dare not make friendly overtures 70 the men,
for grave reasons. The commonest civiity
would be misunderstood, since the actor does
not class chastity among his qualifications. l
get no time to read anything except the trashiest
n~ovels-books that Can be picked up and thrown
down at a moments notice. Sometimes l steal out
and take a dismal walk-so lonely and solitary
that l would be glad of a dog to speak to.
Matters, however, have come to a crisis with
me, she continued, after pausing q moment to
wash back her tears. II have sent in my resig-
nation, and after playing out my engagement
here shall leave the stage"