, 1889-01-03
GAY BURLESQUERS.
Secrets of the ShOrt-Skirted
SisterhOOd.
THE USE OF "sYMMETRICALs.
Mysteries Of the Toilet-Tights and Thei'
Cast-Dainty shoes and Costly
wigs.

Il dOpt KNOW WnethtI the iauy Is m' i
will take your card up" and the dusky
toll taker at the door Of West Twenty
eighth street residence disappeared in
search Of Miss Leila Kavanaugh, the Al
thea Of the "Adonis" company.
There was mysterious complexion to
the colored boys action that suggested to
the representative of the New York
Press, u knowledge but an unwillinguess
TO say whether Miss Kayanaugh was real
ly at home or not. The errand was suc-
cess, and the reporter was led through an
avenue of halls and over a mountain OF
stairs, but finally got there.
The indeiinable aroma OF romance that
clin1s about the title of burlesques, follows
this divinity from her gauze skirts and
flaming tights to her patchouly scented
apartments on the troisieme,
Certainly she Ia NJ home. at home amid
a bewilderment Of dishabille. satin acces-
ories, q dismantled skirt sweeping the
floor FROM chair-back, u new pair OF
scarlet tights careiessly decorating one end
of the sofa. slippers whose fiery tips illum-
mate the room, though just peeping from
beneath half drawn portiere, an unsatis-
factory tarantella hat, and other incident.
als unusual to the ordinary sight are
strewn about as bric-a.brac in the den OF
some persistent collector.
Nature has dealt literally with Leila.
Its munifcent gifts of embonpoint have
been variously, though judiciously be-
slowed, and the concealment of jersey IL
more disclosing than were the wraps of
the fair Cleopatra. She has nothing to
envy in the extremities Of an Urquhart or
in the neck of Pauline Hall. Possibly
such aforementioned maiden can. with
an unprejudiced frankness, give me the
secret of her short-skirted associates. Sc
crets that are kept even from the favored
rows we'll to the front
IL come to discuss an important ques-
tion with you," | say. after paying my in
troductory respects. "a question OF profess
sional art. My experience convinces me
that legs, lungs and backing are the re-
uuirements of the leading modern comic
opera managers. What do you think OF
this theoretical trinityp"
Miss kavanaugh dropped novel whose
leaves she had been carelessy turLing, and
replicd;
Really you must excuse an answer to
that i~tists never discuss managers ex-
ceptins when they are quarreling or on the
eve of marrying rich broker
"And you can make neither excuse?'
The lady laughs and replies:
Anything but managers" and then,
as she follows nv eyes to the red tights
on the sofa, she adds, Eyes, anything, al
most anything but managers, tights,
fairies"
Then" interrupt, "tel me what it
costs to dress fairy" while taking out
my notebook | continue, land let as begin
at the ground and 20 up"
sIIpPERs AND TIGHTS.
"Well, ! certainly cannot persist in re.
fusals, she says; 'fairiest may be talked
of, PERHAPS You said from the ground
up; we'll" and slight toss OF her
foot sent petite slipper into the air and
against the woolly back OF her sleeping pet
dog. "Inere is an ordinary sized stage
slipper that cost SO. They are sold tor So
and even less but you people look 30 close
ly ut our feet in burlesque that we can't
afford to have any cheap covering Tor
them. These russet bigh-top boots over
there in the corner cost good S2O bill,
and if they were patent leather and as
high as Urquhart's in 'Nadjy, they would
be nearer $50 worth. And these shoes are
a pretty large item with an actress. for
everyone excepting the chorus girl must
buy hcr own. Anything cheaper, did you
sskp Oh. yes; you can get an interior
quality as low as S12. Caters come IL
triiie less, excep. those elaborated with
gold and silver embroidery, brass heels
and fancy fringes. The white kid boots
reaching to the calf, and worn 10y the Nc
Caull chorus girls in 'Falka,' cost 81
pair at Wholesale.
After the shoes COME" j blush
wander TO the sofa.
"Tiehts, tights, you mean" Miss Kav-
snauoh says ''why tights ire not such
extraordinary thugs as you men seem to
Imagine. They cost Il fair amount; yes.
anywhere from 50 to S25. That pair on
the sofa Ihat interests you 80 much cost
me lust $s27; but they are scarlet, you see,
and scarlet is an expensive color. How do
we get into themP That is easy enough,
and consists principally in stepping IN.
pulling up carefully to this knee, as one
would IL stocking. and from that point
they require not much more care than put
ting on u dress.
"How do you make them stay there?"
There is u button at one side ot the up
per edge of the tights, and to 1t string Is
securely tie,, and this string is brought
around the waist, and there they are.
~ suppose trunks are necessary ] say,
recovering from my confusion when dis
cover how calmly the lady talks OF these
mysteries.
frequently abandoned when gauze over
dress Is used, but they are certainly
proper and respectable protection when
such dress is not worn, They are also
rather an expensive element in the ward.
robe Of an actress. They are made OF
satin or jersey cloth that costs 81 to 80 u
yard. How many yards are required?
All. that depends. but probably the most
expensive item in the outfit is the gauze
drapery worn by the fairies and lightly
clothed participants of that sort. 1t costs
from 85 to $40 per yard. and dress re-
ouires ten yards nsually. Don't confuse
this with the ordinary tarlatan OF the
ballet. That ia quite cheap"
Miss Kavanaugh disappears in one OF
her bureau drawers and returns with roll
. q L.,,;,nt NuHv natariul