St. Paul daily globe., 1888-07-29

hide behind myself. clutched desper-
ately at my hauberk and made vain
endeavors to stretch its limited propor-
tiOnS into the affiuence of skirt. But
it wouldn't stretch. Suddenly | caught
Miss Lydia Thompson's eye. 1t spoke
volumes. l felt an accession of courage,
and, bracing up, L succeeded so well in
the part that l was allowed to retain it
through the run of the burlesque.
Speaking of contact with the floor. l
once had rather thrilling experience
i'll which the floor played an active part,
at benefit for which l had rendered
my services. L was down on the bills
for a Spanish dance. My time came.
The orchestra sounded a long, loud
chord. l bounded on the stage like a
fairy and rebounded fiat, with my feet
crossed under me. Here was state of
things. | knew that every string had
given way. | did not dare to move. A
gentlemen rushed to the rescue, but
told him it was useless. l had to keep
my ridiculous position until the curtain
came down amid a storm of applause
and shouts of laughter. need scarcely
say that | had no further use for the
tights L wore on that occasion.
Do like boys parts? Give me boys
parts every time. In fact, would pre-
fer to don boys attire forever. l al
ways feel the encumbrance of
skirts, and even now l would |
were boy again. One of the greatest
pleasures attendant OH an appearance
in boys parts is the admiration | have
received from the ladies while so
dressed. When playing Teddy in
"a Bunch of Keys" was continually
the recipient of tender letters from
them. 1t has always been my aim to
please the ladies in my audience, as the
gentlemen invariably follow where they
lead. and that makes me happy.
1 remember once in London the lord
chamberlain, who, as everybody knows,
exercises fatberly supervision over
English theatricalS, issued an order that
all trunks worn on the burlesque stage
had to come down to seven inches of the
knee: in other words, only seven inches
of the upper leg might remain uncov-
cred. Several of the girls were indig-
nant, but the manager called everybody
into the green-room, insisted on the
order being carried out, and saw that it
was so. Each night thereafter, inch by
inch, however, the trunks were hoiSted.
The seven inches became double that
number. One evening | rushed onto
the dressing rooms, eXclaiming: ''Oh,
girls, the lord chamberlain is in front!"
The result of this announcement was a
sudden and marvellous change in the
appearance of the girls at the next en-
trance. Every trunk has been lowered
to its full extent. | never undeceived
them. | feared their virtuous indig-
nation, and they never knew that, for a
time at least, l had upheld the dignity
of the lord chamberlain's office.
Tights are cheaper in London than
they are here. But prefer to pay the
difference and use the American article.
The silk is much heavier, and though it
does not retain the gloss to be found in
the English, the tights fit better. You
can purchase an excellent pair in Eng
land for 35 shillings, while here the
cheapest all-silk tights cost SO.
fail to see the immortality of wearing
tights. Of course, like everything else,
great deal depends ON the girls wear
ing them and the circumstances under
which they are worn. The wearing of
them can be and has been abused.