The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-01


nets Of Natural Flowers-Women's
Doings.
(copwight)
NEW YORK, May 31.-The papers have
been making some little stir lately over the
announcement that two ladies have gone
into business as dramatic agents in London.
In point of fact, the first woman scout to
reconnoitre this novel business and capture
its outposts is not subject of Queen Vic
toria, but an everyday American, who
opened her Office three years ago and is
doing to-day highly successful business as
q dramatic agent In New York city.
She IS an interesting person on whom to
call Just at this season when all the player
folk are returning to the ''Rialto." Her
walls are covered with photographs of
actors and actresses, and oLs makes an ex-
haustive study of poses and shippers more or
less successful and attractive, while a
''star," who wants an ingenue for the sum-
mer season, completes his negotiations. He
is pock-marked and mild-mannered and
would hardly capture a maiden's fancy on
close view.
He is talking with woman who sits at a
L
is pug dog at her feet and files Of dramatic
papers lie around. There is waste basket.
but it is small aud lined with some hing soft
in pink and blue. The waste basket and a
rocking chair are the only touches distinct
lively feminine.
The woman who owns the waste-basket
has very pleasant face, and manners that
are direct and straightforward. She is in
clined to he stout, and, if you are at all
given To SlanO won Sot har down in, uo,,-
mind as good fellow
"Well," concludes the star, 1.-THE girls
both say they can do the part and you say
they can, so guess I'll take the first one
she's the best looking"
There is woman who is anxious to know
if she is going to secure an engagement and
who is comforted by being told that the
manager has set his heart on an actress
whom he can't get and that he will probably
come back for her. There is character
actor who asks if there is anything in his
line and laughs when told quite en- famille
that the agent Is not IN the menagerie way
There are all sorts and conditions of people.
and one has added a good deal to ones
knowledge OF human nature by the time
Mrs. Fernandez is ready to answer a ques-
ton as to how she came to enter business
followed by no other woman in the country.
Mrs Fernandez is the mother of Biiou
Fernandez, one of the best known of the
child actresses and member of the DAILY
Company. S e was herself formerly an ac-
tress of some prominence, and after her
marriage and retirement from the stage
Travelled for year or two with the com
panies in which her little daughter was
playing. and finally undertook the task of
training children for the stage, relieving
managers of the sometimes difficult task of
dealing with horde Of mothers, each conf
dent of the gifts of her own particular prod
ICY. The little Leslie and the too rapidly
growing Russell boy and Gertie Holman and
the rest Of the sometime popular but now
scoffed at Fauntleroys had her for their dra-
matte godmother.
From managing children Mrs. Fernandez
passed to the regular business of a dramatic
agent about three years ago, not without
considerable opposition. Everybody"
she says. Laughed at me, even my own
husband; it is so bard to believe in the DOS
sibility of success for woman in ANYTHING
absolutely new.
Managers wouldn't deal with me, for
they had no faith in the executive ability of
woman. One manager who was my person
al friend said he hoped might succeed but
ne would never give me his business, for he
didn't consider it a proper occupation.
Actors wouldn't register with me, for they
said, Fernandez! She handles kids, doesn't
sheF Even when manager came to me
had no people of any consequence to offer
him, and when / knew a good actor or
actress likely to suit him was
disengaged, had to write in the
most humble sort of way, fairly
apologizing for offering contract to a per-
son not on my books In this way l worked
under every sort of disadvantage, and many
times was on the poiut of giving UP the
struggle. Daniel Frohman was the only
man who stood by me- After he took the
Lyceum theatre, if man applied to HIM for
part he'd say, L don't want anybody at
present, but are you registered with Mrs.
fernandez No. Well, you give her your
name and II need you I'll send there for
you. l always get my people through her,
He gave me all his business, and the fact
that he did so became known. Then actors
always ask man who's got an engagement
how he got it, and after had negotiated
few good contracts they began to say, 'Ah!
hernandez; she must amount to something.'
vt was hard fight. aud 1 wouldn't ad-
wise another woman to undertake it. If |
had been wholly dependent on my own ex-
ertlons | must have succumbed, but won,
and now l am doing, think, the largest
business of any New York agency"
How do you account for your final sue
cessg'
"My stage experience counted. l was
courteous to actors. | could remember in
my own days in the profession going up an
agents staircase with my heart in my
mouth and feeling like dog about to be
whipped at thought of the treatment l was
sure to receive. The man wouldn't put
down his newspaper nor pay you the
slightest attention. He kept you on the
footing of a menial.n
"And how did you conciliate the man
agersg
THAT was my second point I had no
favorites. Some agents send manager
the actor or actress they like, not the one
who is best suited to the part or the COM
pany. Now, | have some very dear friends
whom | should like of all things to see in
good positions, but have taught myself not
to recognize friendship in business
Did the women managers encourage
youg"
Practically there aren't any. Oh, yes, 1
know Miss Ober used to manage the Boston
Ideals and D'Oyly Carte's wife managed his
productions before their marriage, and
there have been first and last a number of
such instances, but just at present, except
LOT Mrs. Kimball, who manages 'Coriane,'
there is hardly onen
Mrs. Fernandez, il may be said, made
money enough last year to buy a pretty
place at New Rochelle, joining the colony
Oh 2OO or more stage people who own homes
10 tnat suburb. 1t was an instance Of her
business sagacity that when Klau & Err
LANCER put up their building, which is prac.
ucally managers exchange, she saw at
once the advantage it would be to have