The morning news., 1888-03-18
HOW TO BE AN ACTRESS
ROSE COGHLAN ADVISES YOUNG
WOMEN AGAINST THE STAGE.

A Spirited Round With the Foils-The
Chances of tho Profession Miss
Coghlan's New Play-The Trials,
I,abors and Vexations OF an Actress.
NFw York, March stamp! stamp! in
mick succession; then in a masculine voice
with a profusion of RS: EN- gar-r-r-de
Mar'selle, en- gar-r-r-de." Stamp! stamp /!
.gain, and finally, in rich coltralto voice
that was we'll familiar to me the half
natulaut calculating: THAT will do for to
dav. Senac I'm tired and it's getting late -
7 was Standing at the door Of an apartment
IN one of those huge caravansaries which
hot Broadway at frequent intervals, and the
ball had rung on leaving the elevator was
distinguished from its fellows by a little
.ard on which was written in a feminine
hand. "Edgerly," and it was Mrs Edgerly
upon whom l was calling. "And who on
.arth is Mrs EdgerlyF' you ask. ''Edgerly
Edgery? don't know Mrs. Edgerly" Oh,
yes YOU do, though, and pleasant recollec-
hons YOU have Of the lady. Do you not
remember her Peg IVobin9ton in "Masks
aud Faces her bonnie fisher lass in ''Our
joan; her delightfully."- lively Lady Gay in
"London Assurance" ;her brilliant vindictive
Hephanie in Forget et-me-Not," and half
dozen other characters just as easily to be
tecalled! OF course you do, for Mrs Edgerly
is Rose Coghlan, and Rose Coghlan is one OF
the best known and most highly esteemed
actresses on the English-speaking stage
This while am standing at the door and
the trim maid is taking in my card to the
room from whence the sounds of fururious
stamping and cultural French nave pro-
reeded. Then | hear a merry laugh, and
again in the rich tones of that voice, which
Is one Of Coghlan's charms, the invitation,
"Wei, come in, but prepare to be shocked
when you see me-"
/ accept the invitation, and as I enter the
room an athletic and good-lool1lng man, in
whom | recognize M. Senac, the well-known
fencing master, leaves it with a brace of
foils tucked under his arm. In the middle
of the large, rather richly furnished and
bric-a-brac- haunted room in which / find
m yself is an attractive figure. 1t is that of
a woman rather above the medium height
who, if she were not SO perfectly proper
toned, might seem inclined trifle to en-
tonpoint. She holds herself, however, as
straight as dart, and the picturesqueness
Of the simple costume serves to enhance the
ShapelinesS of the limbs and the suppleness of
movement of the 1.-THE FORM The dress
merits some description. A tight-fltting
Jersey of black silk is confined at the waist
by broad belt Of stiff red leather, below
which fall the folds of a plainly gathered
black skirt reaching to the knee. Black
silk stockings and white rubber-soled shoes
complete the dress.
81 suppose you are wondering at my ex-
traordinary garb, said Miss Coghlan, and
then in response to a little complimentary
speech of negation: ''WelI, it is rather a
peculiar sort of tea gown isn't ita But
thought you wouldn't be overshocked and
you know l am so busy now with rehearsals
and performances that l have to practice
my fencing when l can, and that is gener-
ally just before dinner"
Have you, too, fallen a victim to the
prevailing mania for the polite artp
asked.
'Oh, no, indeed. I don't want to be
fashionable, or rather that is not my reason
for taking up my fencing again. When
was girl used to fence regularly with my
brother Charles, and that, fancy. has in a
way suggested to HIM an incident in the
play he has written for me and in which |
Inn to star next season. At all events, the
scene is there and forms an integral part of
the play. and as l like to do everything as
thoroughly as possible have set to work to
brush up my half forgotten knowledge of
the art OF defense, and have engaged Senac
to assistme in this laudable object"