, 1889-08-11
MARY ANDERSON

It's little wonder that this sort of thing an
noyed Mary. There are two stories told
about the cause Of this terrific criticism. The
one most creditable to the critics is to the eff
feet that st. Louis was angry because the en-
gngement was but for five nights and the
spectators bought up. tho good seats. The
other goes that the supply of deadhead tick
cts was too small to suit the newspapers.
Neither of these alleged reasons are such as
should influence the critic. In fact, writers
who would crafty spite in dramatic criti-
cisms are n disgrace to the profession of jour.
nalism.
RUT NOT CAUSE FOR DIsCoURAGEMENT.
But it was n matter Of wonder that a wo-
man of such strength of character as Miss
Anderson should DO completely upset by the
vaporings of such alleged critics as those of
st. Louis. And it is to be hoped that she
may be seen many times Upon the stage in
future. Miss Anderson had received little,
II any, thorough instruction when she made
her debut, according to one who has written
OF her earliest dramatic life, and 1t required
great courage and determination to make
the attempt. She had talked with poor Bar
ney Mncauley, who advised her to accept a
position with some good company and gradu-
ally work her way upward. But Mary An
derson, u moro slip of a girl, did not coincide
with his views. She had higher aspirations.
She had always pictured herself as n star of
no mean magnitude, and she could not easily
r%elinquish the idea.
Barney Macauley was o large hearted man,
and though he predicted a failure for the
young aspirant for hlstrionic honor, he gave
her all the aid in his power. Macauley's
theatre In Louisville was placed at her dis
posal, and Mrs. Macauley, herself an actress
and a woman sympathetic and kind, gener-
ously loaned the young girl some of her own
costumes. The white satin dress in which
the fair Juliet appeared, and which caused
considerable common because of its being
too short for Miss Anderson's tall figure, was
Rachel Macauley's. So unaccustomed was
Miss Anderson to such costumes that during
the balcony scene she actually stumbled over
her train.
Popular opinion was divided, some sympa-
thizing with the young girl, while others
thought that she had lost caste and decided
that she should be incontinently snubbed.
However, Mr.. Watterson. was in sympathy
with the actress, and The Courier-Journal
the following morning contained a lengthy
account of her debut, claiming it to have been
a signal success.
sNUBBED.
There was a story told of Miss Anderson
about that time which, II ever she recalls it,
must cause a smile OF self pride and ~satisfac-
ton Not long after her debut she was one
day going along Fifth avenue, New York,
near the cathedral, when she saw coming to-
ward her m old friend
Miss kndersonis face frightened instantly,
then a faint flush overspread 1t, for she saw
no answering smile on the face of her friend.
Nearer and nearer they came, but the other
woman, looking Miss Anderson full In the
face, passed her by as a stranger. 1t was the
cut direct, and Miss Anderson's face was
crimson. Poor grill it was rather hard to have
old friends cast her of.
But that was a long time ago. In the years
that have passed since Miss Anderson has won
fame and more-the respect of the world;
perhaps she doesn't know the other young
woman now.
At any rate she numbers among her friends
many whom the other woman would be glad
10 know. Among them is Lord Tennyson.
She visited him last summer during her holt
day, Mt his beautiful home In the Isle of