Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-14
A&AZE FOR THE STAGE,
Wensn Encouraged to Fellow In the
SNps0f Lanstry-A Star Furnished
with Pisnty Of Radiance
In I've Dozen alto Teachers
who Smile on stsge-struck 0iris-Not
All Teachers Are of that Sort. Though.
New York Mail and Express.

declaration. I do not put it'll am goin,
to be an actress, or, should like to b.
al actress, or, if 1 had been trained
l sometimes think / might have made ,
success on the stage.
l am star which ought to have 50
peared in the dramat icfrmament SIM,
years ago. am open to ofsrs of New
York engagement, to be followed BY .
tCur ct all the one-uight stands in ths
country. Where is the enterprisine
manager who will display his sagacit7
py launching a Rachel in the rough?
snhh ciothe myself with glory IS with q
4 5Arment, and make fortune. So have
fPeen told, ana 80 I am bound to believe
ri have TWO dramatic sponsors. There
Twas third who didn't see the silver
tspoon in my mouth with which l was
Aorn, but she--I doubt If her eyes were
"a gladsssf
IRsdfst person who opened my eyes
to the mistake had made In not sooner
recognizing mg career was q teacher OF
| "drsnatic reading" who takes pupils in
LES tlisordered psrlor over bakeshop in a
shabby apartment house. Ih,d gone to
lher to get some explanation of the mania
(which seems TO be driving increasing
numbers Of American girls toward the
boards. When Ellen Terry was super.
| vising the packing of her trunks a asy OF
| two before leaving America she displayed
Ito group Gt:fffends q heap of letters
(which shyshsd thrown cut IS unnecessary
innpettfn1ents. They made q good.s:zad
litter in one corner of the room and
represented an average OF one billet
day tor the entire time Miss Terry had
been in the country. Every letter
wsA.Writ,en by q woman and the intent
andpurport Of each wss the same. The
DOCUMENTS c.me from stsge aspirants who
Waited advice or help or both with regard
Et6en appearance before the footlights.
Some Of the writers were young, others
were more than mature. Some said thew
had etakAHpasfs in amateur the.tricals.
some said they HAD had no experience, one
or two confessed hey had never seen the
inside of q theater. Some OF the notes
were ill-spelled. Some came from girls
apparently re Il ned ana cultivated. A few
| were pathetic with what seemed to be
honest aspiration. More were amusing
from their copceit. Oae young thing of
eighteen was certain she could give Miss
Terry herself point or two on Portfs.
Another was sure Miss Terry must have
quantities of fine clothes and could spare
to rising, but az yet impscunious, star
some dis &c .rded portions of her wardrobe
Z OF too much worn. Sew 3ral-snd this
was the point which I'm PIE 3sed me-pro-
fessed to have been fitted by dramatic
teachers who had assured them they were
geniuses, promised them q carriage ride
on upholstered cushions and easy springs
to fame, and would MISS Terry make an
appointment for them to read Juliet be.
fore her? The serene confidence of these
full fsdged actresses was imposing.
Here was 8 possible opening for me and
l looked up madsme, the dramatic reader,
ana the brick block aforesaid without loss
Of time.
Madame was engaged OF the time of nv
hrst visit. Would be pleased to wait?
l waited, seated on q stuffy hair cloth
sofa and enjoying q monotonous back
yard prospect of pulley clothes-line
Incidentally enjoyed myself with read
Ing in an assortment of small country
papers, which seemed to have been left In
convenient neighborhood to the sofa, for
that purpose, eloquent descriptions Of the
beauty and grace Of various vivscious
seubrettes, whose renown up to that hour
had not reached me.
Madame proved to be q tall, well.
formed, though somewhat pertly woman
with dark hair, bright eyes and q great
deal Of voice. She became more than
cordial on learning my errand.
told her that was thinking of taking
8 course in elocution, preparatory to 90.
ing on the stage, and had come to talk
Wian her about my plans.
Madame WAS Interested and spoke In |
praise OF my determination. E!ocution
WAS study that no woman could aford |
to neglect, Whatever her plans in life, and |
the stage WAS the only sphere of action |
for an ambitious girl. Whatever else Q
girl tfied, whether she was clever or STU
pid, Industrious or ley, she had . hare
life ahead Of her, all up hill struggle with
no reward st the end. Women's wages
we're low and going to be lower, but on
the stage girl had things all her own
way. had never suspected myself of
any especial endowments of
person or mind, but 1 was now
made aware to my surprise
and pleasure that nav htinv
hands," youthful face" depression OF
and "plessing addressn
guaranteed me hearing under unusually
favorable circumstances; in fact II WAS
evident to q discriminating eye that had
out to name my choice of places in the
world and 1t was mine. was
certain to rise to commanding rank in
he profes ion, and msdsme prophesied
hat the time would come when she should
lave cause to be proud of having number
I'd me among her pupils.
felt bound in honor to cal, attention
% my nose, out was met with the re-
hinder shat Margaret N,ther had made a
lit in spite Of an undeniaole pug.
How long would 1t take before should
re ready to make my debui5
That depended altogether on myself. ,
Is seemed extremely clever, probably i.
lot more than q term or two. .
Madsme had known girls to A. In 40
rief time as that?
Certainly. One of her LAST winters
upils had taken twelve lessons, got an
Engagement in small part with q travel.
1g company, and risen before the season t
7ss out to star IS Leah, the forsaken, q
nth the support of the rest of the troupe. =
Madame taught many girls for the
tsge? =
Quantities Of them. She had had all the :
upils she could take, and there were =
me society girls smong them.
WnnId eho uiu |