Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-04-22
WOMEN'S DEPARTMENT
EDITED BY BELLE MEADE SMITH.
mis-. Pixley.

Cdtl0u upou MISS i2iOy oho N"J |
asst week. She received me in her
dressing gown with her black hair fal-
ling about her shoulders; and she
locked SO much like the veritable
'sChild Of the Sierras" that although
she apologized for the negligence OF
her costume, was glad l surprised
her before she had time to effect a
more elaborate toilet. She is just as
natural off the stage as she is on it,
which is saying great deal, in con-
sideration of the fact that it was
the ease of her manner that first took
the public by storm. Although Miss
Pixley is an educated woman OF the
world, she is so superior to worldli-
ness that it is something of an uncon-
yentional departure to hear. her talk.
She is one of the very few people who
are perfectly happy in their lives and
occupations, and who has not one un-
kind thing to say of fate. 10 be sure,
her career has from the beginning
been phenomenally successful. She
has never known either drudgery
or obscurity in her profession
Eleven years ago she made
her debut in San Francisco
in the leading role of Snow Flake,
which was elegantly mounted, and
with tue exception OF herself, played
by artists of ability purposely brought
from the East. A short time later
she was engaged to support Jeafferson
during two-weeks engagement,
while in the following year she ap-
peared at the Walnut-street Theatre,
in Philadelphia, where she scored her
first great hit in M'tiss. Miss Pixlcy
prefers Philadelphia, where she is a
tremendous favorite, to any other
CITY of the Union, although she
afirms that if it was possible
for her to settle down anywhere, she
tn nks it would be in the beautiful
City of the Angels. With San Fran
cisco, the place of her nativity, she is
much disappointed. 81 left it," she
says, "ten years ago, and in that time
I seem to have forgotten all about 1t;
But am quite shocked by the loud
way in wpich the ladies dress. While
walking upon Kearney street was
really panied to see so many young
girls with their faces smeared with
paint. Ny mother has always lived at
San Francisco, but she is think
ing seriously of removing to Los
Angeles, with which she is charmed.
For the sake of my sister, who is only
seventeen, hope she will conclude to
do 80, as am told that the society here
is very substantial" In speaking of
The Deacon's Daughter, Miss Pixley
further said: 'The play was not
written for me, as il has been as
sumed. Indeed, l heard nothing
about it until three acts of it were
written. After that it was in some
respects adjusted to me, but when the
dramatist conceived it l had no part
in it. 1 have been very for
tunate in procuring good plays
she continued. ''In fact, l think
I owe much OF my success to the char
acter of my roles. People think be-
cause there are hundreds Of plays
written yearly that it is always easy
for an actor or an actress to secure de.
sirable ones; but such is not the case
Nothing is so difficult as to secure
exactly the sort of a play one wants. >
The maternal feeling is very strong in
Miss Pixley. AT present she is child.
less; but the touching way in which
she speaks of the loss of her only boy
about two years ago, proves that she
is as much of woman as she is OF an
actress. AT the time Of his death
the little fellow, whom his mother
says was uncommonly handsome and
clever, was II years old. "He did not
display any fondness for the stage" "
she said, "although he was excellent
in recitations. / did not try to bind
his mind in any direction; 1 intended
to allow it to run into whatever chan
mel it selected. If he had desired
when he was old enough to become
an actor should have been satisfied
but l never should have permitted
him to appear in his childhood. l do
not approve If children acting, no
matter how well they do. l never
see a child upon the stage with
out feeling grieved; for 1 know it
ought to be in bed. instead of con-
tracing its heart and muscles in its
premature desire to please. If l had
a family of little children | should re-
tire at once from the stage and devote
the remainder of my life o their care.'
"But," l asked, "would such retire
ment satisfy your" 81 think so,''
she replied; "I have achieved more
than l hoped to. There is nothing
left for me to do now but repeat my
self. Indeed, l play because have
nothing else to do, and I am very
sure that l should be perfectly con.
tented to live quiet life."
ssThe MermOn Monster.o
l have never been interested il
politics. I do not know anything
about politics, while I have ALWAYS