Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09
AN ACTRESS ADVICE.
Emma Y. Sheridan Drops Some VAL
liable Hints to the Ladies.
THE CHARM OF SELF-POSSESSION.
Always Let the Eyes Speak First, the Face
Next, and Then the Lips.
TIE VOICE SAYS MORE THAN WORDS
THE CHARM OF SELF-POSSEsSION
THE VOICE SAYS MORE THAN WORDS
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH. {.

l
An actress is supposed to be more or less
mistress of attractiveness, and if she Is
it is because she is more or less mistress of
herself. She has accomplished that self
consciousness which means ease, and not
awk@ardness. Men complain that they
find the average society girl either "always
In fiutter' or 'deuced stiff and stupid"
Sheis all smiles and all movement, all "oh
dears," and 'ioh don IT'S" or she has nothing
at all to say, she smiles only with her lips
ano then seems to disappove of it, and she
has only one Dose-a straight one
Now both of these girls want to secure
the repose that attends presence of mind
and relaxation of muscle Does that
sound complicated? Let gravitation take
care of your hands except when YOU
are using them, remember that gesture is
not mere movement but should say what the
words that follow repeat. Remember that
q woman's eyes are not given her only to
see with. Let your eyes speak first; a
movement of the hand, change of face say
the same thing more fully and finally; let
the words come gently and in tone which
shall suit their import. What you say
means something then, and was waited for,
too, warrant you, with interest more or
less breatnless as the situation was more or
less important. There is another trick to
| hold position in absolute quiet till what is
said, or what you yourself say, requires
movement. Cut off all your little obs and
abs, let your eyes follow the story your
| escort is telling-it may be awfully stupid
| and it will be easier to let your eyes and
face reflect his varying expressions of in
terest than to pretend further and follow his
with exclamations which are bound to seem
lnsincere or oyerdone.
MAKING A PLUNGE AT A MAN.
That's big secret-never try to do too
much. The girl who makes a sort OF
plunge at q man, saying "Oh, Mr.. Jones,
how glad 1 am to see you-oh, dear, do sit
down, oh my. how are you?'' with accom-
| panying hutter and laugh and fuss, does not
| make hall the impression accomplished by
the girl whose eyes light up till her lips
catch the sound of welcome, and whose
hand goes out before she says Just ''Mr
| Jones" in a voice that means something-a
voice that says whether she Is glad, very,
very glad, or not glad at all. Only little
more is enough to suggest that he should sit
| down.
The average American girl does not know
| how to move unless she moves all over at
jeska. See how the eve catches the thought,
the head lifts, the pose in some subtle way
alters and the hands in gesture say what not
till then the lips utter. ALI of this may be
gone through with in thoughts space but
it is done, and the result is an impression of
grace, sincerity and lack of self-conseious-
ness. There is nothing more graceful than
the bend OF q woman's head on well-poised
neck. Do that bend-no need to move the
rest Of you.
LETTING THE EYES SPEAK FIRST.
If you get into the habit of always letting
your eyes attend to thing first, you will avoid
lots of embarrassing situations. Suppose
you have been discussing Miss Belleville's
hair. and have committed the indiscretion
of calling it red, when voice sounds close
at your side, which to your horror you
think you recognize as Miss Belleville's
voice-why give a convulsiYe start, a con-
fused snicker, and compromising gurgle
of half formed explanation or depreciation?
You will be wiser and safer, and more grace
full, too, if YOU just turn your eyes TO see if
it is Miss Belleville. If it is. your COM
plete repose may make her think she didn't
hear Alright, in case she did hear, and will
not arouse her suspicious in case she didn't
hear.
If Mr.. So and So spills halfmelted ice
all over your gown, your habit of looking
first will save you from the exclamation OF
rage and despair which would make Mr.. So
and So feel worse than he does feel, and will
enable you to smile gently and say. TIT
does not NATTER in a tone of voice which
shall not belle the words.
If you have a piece of startling news
sprung upon you, your habit of Keeping
still till you have looked, may save you
from the betrayal of interest that you wish
to conceal, or from remark which you af-
terward greatly regret.
A CUTTING LOOK.
A rebuke given by sudden droop of the
lids and leveling of the brows is quite az
telling, less bother, and more easily admin
istered than a "eutting remark" You can
wither the person in that way without call
ing other peoples attention to the fault or
to your displeasure.
1t all resolves itself into selEpossession
and invariable presence of mind. SeIfpos-
session means more than mere mental con-
trol-it means complete muscular subjec-
tion. If in your course across the room you
are suddenly brought to halt by having
your train stepped on, your halt should be
prompt enough to prevent the gowns being
torn and the offender being worse embar-
rassed than is necessary. If you turn and
come in contact with an unexpected stool.
you should not fail over it. If three or four
people present themselves simultaneously.
and in an unexpected crowd, for recogni-
ton, only control of your poise will save
you from awkwardness. and this control YOU
should secure.
POWER OF THE VOICE.
have said very little Of the voice. Tbs
less said of the average girls voice the bet
ter. Again, go and study Modjeska-Bern-
hardt, too, ii you understand French
Learn that it is not what you say, but the
tone in which you say it, that conyeys an
idea. A gabble of words all jumbled off ina
strained, insincere voice, with intervals Of
gasps and detached giggles, may suffice to
break up the silence, but it won't convey
what one word in voice that means some
thing will. remember a man once saving
to me: THAT girl she's witch she can
make the most commonplace remark. and
her steady eyes and hearty voice will make
! man forget the words and wonder what
she means" The girl was actress.
The voice should be clear, low, and fulIof
modulations; not the tiresomeuns
md downs of affectation, but the modifying
If tone to suit the thought-the voice color.
ng of words-the suggestion in sound of all
hat the mere word cannot convey. Think of
he advantage Of elating BERTHE by lust the
ound OF the goodby you say, and sending
Mr.. Courtley off with fixed determination
% come back at the first opportunity by the