St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-15
IN A STARS DRESSING ROOM,
A Queer Half Hour Among the
Very Natural People OF the

A Queer Half Hour Among the
Very Natural People OF the
Stage.
The world behind the scenes of a the
alter Is not only interesting because it is
strange to those in front, but the actors
themselves and the life they lead are
strange in themselves. The other night
reporter was in stars dressing room,
waiting to go up town with the actor.
W hat he saw aud heard was all part of
a world utterly strange to the very great
majority of the people. The actor had
on nothing but trousers and drawers,
and was washing off his makeup. He
appeared as nobleman of the middle
ages. and was made mp TO look like an
extraordinarily handsome youth, with
preternatural splotehes of red on his
cheeks and jet black eyes and coral lips,
and all the rest. He stood before
box OF many compartments, each
one full Of paints. These paints look
like the sticks of cosmetic that
men use to dress their mustaches with.
They were much the same thing-mere
thick pencils Of grease dyed with diff
ferent colors. Brushes. bottles, pots,
and a litter of false jewels and bits of
fnery were all around. Dozens of COS
tunes hung on nails around the wall,
and queer shoes, slippers, tights, and
odds and ends of costumes were on the
floor. the chairs. and the trunks, The
actor suddenly smeared his painted face
with a glistening bath of something
that shone like oil.
Its vaseline," said he. "It removes
the paint
Nc r-Irhhnd o.a rsa0ro ond - oAe
and rubbed on still more and again
wiped it off With dry towel. Some
times" said he, when it is very cold
out we don't wash this off. We rub
enough of it off so that it does not shine
and then we go home and wash there.
That prevents the face from chapping''
How did the piece go in front?' he
asked.
''Oh. very well. indeed. The house
was enthusiastic"
what did the newspaper men say?
Are they going to give it rats, or what?''
why, they spoke well of you and not
at all well of Mr.. Jones, who oYerdoes
his part. But Miss Brown will get some
good notices on account of her pretty
fgure.''
lis that so?r said the ACTOR. sJohn. go
and call Miss Brown. Is that you,
auntie? Don't come in till / get an
oyefeoat on. I'm in frightful dis.
habille."
You're growing very nice all of a
sudden the voice of the pretty actress
sounded from the other side of the
dressing room door.
''Yes, but it's only because I've got
some friends here. Now (buttening
up his eyercoaO you can come in.
They're newspaper men, or l would
have asked you right in. | say, auntie.
the papers are going to make nice read
ing for you tomorrow because you
looked SO pretty, and they're gone on
your FORM
Are they?" SAID the little actress,
who was quite as bewitching in a long
Newmarket and Partisan bonnet as she
had been in tights few moments be-
f0re-"Are they? Well, Pm glad they
Gid not see how dfeadfully nervous l
was. I'm trembling yet. New York
makes US all afraid, gentlemen. It's a
horrid cruel place, where the papers say
just whatever they please and kill US off
right and left.
''Auntie,'' said the star, 81 want to
tell them about your FORM
Well. go on. Whatare you inventing
You know, gentlemen" said the
star, when this piece was cast and we
knew that some of the ladies would
need to wear tights. there was a great
deal of buZzing, and one lady boosted
that she would make a great hit. Her
legs were simply wonderful, she said,
and we would all see how they would
eclipse everything on the stage. This
little woman said not word. She is so
small and quiet that if any one
thought Of her. it was to guess
that she would not amount to
much in tights. Well, the dress
rehearsal came and she appeared, and
we never heard another sound from the
woman that bad boosted Of such pro-
digious wonders of human perfection as
she had claimed. Auntie knocked them
all out. And auntie's are her own, l
want you to know. / satisfied myself
of that -"
You may be sure he did," said the
actress.
II took dagger and went for them,
and how she did howl
well, can 60 now?'' said the act
ress. ''0h, here he is. l was waiting
for my husband. I'm all ready, dear.
Good night, gentlemen"
Other members of the troupe, male
and female, came in, cigars were lighted
and chatter flew around the room. One
actress, seated on a trunk. carried all
before her with her wit.
This is delicious said she. ''You
know the manager orders that I shall
not receive anybody in my room. /
thought it was going to be dreadful not
to see anybody at all, but l can come
here ana entertain as much as / like in
your Toom-can't /. Mr.. Bracebridge
oh do enjoy getting around his hor-
rid rules -
''She's only been on the stage fifteen
weeks said the star.
But what about the other rules? I'm
not to have anybody see me home and
I'm not to receive gentlemen at the ho-
tel. you know. Dear me, but these
rules will have TO go, too. There'll be
war, but it will be fun"
The rules did have to go. She went
out of the theater with four male es-
cortS. and all were invited to her room,
with its confusion of lace nighteaps and
photographs and dresses hanging I'D.
and its bottles of perfume and china
pots OF mysterious toilet articles. Again
cigars came out, and walters flew
around with glasses, and the strict rules
and the night both few away together.
AN IMMENSE DEAL.
Negotiations for the (ons0Ii6a-