Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-28
AN ACTRESS HARD LOT.
SHE HAS TO WORK HARDER THAN
MOST PEOPLE DREAM OF.

ais, She Has Little Time Left for
Pleasure-The Story of One.
"Seems to me it must be lots of fun to
be an actress. l should so like to beone.
You have such nice times travelling
around, and then you see so much of the
world" 1t was sweet little bit of in
genuosity with large brown eyes who
made this remark. Her vis-a-vis, whose
name is well known to the theatrical
world, looked at her moment much as
fond parent listens to the sometimes
startling chatter of child and replied,
half sadly, "You have much to learn,
my dear"
Then, after closing her exquisitely
curved lips over succulent Blue Point.
she pushed her plate from her and added:
"But don't try to learn the truth or falls
ity of your belief by experience. Put
full confidence in me, little one, when
tell you that this time you are very
wrong. There is very little fun in the
life of an actress-none that she might
not have in some other vocation-and as
for seeing the world, by which you
doubtless mean taking in the sights of
the different cities in which she plays,
well, listen to me a moment.
REHEARSING.
ga week ago Sunday night in New
York, after rehearsing for three hours in
the afternoon play which we had been
producing nightly since the beginning Of
the season, we took the train for Boston.
We got there Monday morning, and after
breakfast rehearsed at the Globe theatre
till half-past /. Then we lunched and
took the 3 o'clock train for Worcester,
where we arrived just in time to get to
the theatre and dress for the play. 1t
oyer, we repacked and took train the
next morning at 9:30 for Albany, where
we arrived at 8 o'clock in the afternoon.
We rehearsed till o'clock, got supper
and rushed back to the theatre to dress
My cue comes few moments after the
curtain goes up, and that night, owing
to delay in getting my trunk, was
late in getting dressed and kept the stage
waiting not quite fifteen seconds. for
hours the next morning, and the after
noon was spent listening to the manager
read new play and give his directions
as to how he wanted the different char
acters interpreted.
''That night after the play we took
the :35 a. IN. train for Rochester, where
we arrived in time for breakfast. Then
we rehearsed the new play till noon, and
in the afternoon we rehearsed the old
one. The hotel westopped at was a poor
one, and the meals were worse. My
Nd 4-.x~. I
that l got sore throat. We took the
2:20 a. m. for Buffalo, after almost
freezing to death at the hotel, and in
order not to mar the even tenor of our
way there was no fire in the car
eve all counted, however, on being
able to get some rest at our hotel in
Buffalo. But Immediately we had break
fast we were ordered to report at the
theatre for rehearsal. We rehearsed till
/ o'clock, and were told to be back at
to rehearse an act of the old play. lay
down for moment after dinner and did
not awake till supper time. OF course I
missed the rehearsal, and of course
was fined So.
ON THE ROAD.
''The next day being Saturday the
manager was good enough to leave us to
ourselves in the morning. But, my love,
you may be sure that if any one spent
the time taking in the sights of the city
;t was in his dreams, for no one got up
till dinner time, and after dinner we had
all to go to the theatre for the matinee.
After the evening performance, which
was cut at every possible point, we
packed as quickly as possible to catch
the Chicago train at 11:30. / had an
upper berth over some old man who
snored SO l couldn't sleep, and when we
reached Chicago Sunday afternoon at
o'clock was worn out. But managed
to snatch an hours sleep at the hotel;
then had to rush to the theatre, for in
Chicago, you know, we play Sunday
nights. No, we don't play in many
other cities on Sunday, only in New Or
leans and st. Louis, but in the after
noon we must always have long re-
hearsal, which is about as hard.
"Well, because the play went a little
badly in one or two places Sunday night
(and it was no wonder, considering that
most all of us were nearly dead for want
of Sleep we had to rehearse it twice on
Monday, once in the morning and once
in the afternoon. Tuesday we rehearsed
the new piece twice, and on Wednesday
morning we rehearsed it again. In the
afternoon we had matinee. This morn
ing we had to rehearse, and we had an
other matinee this afternoon-and when
we have finished our supper, little one,
must hurry back to the theatre to play.
sis this the way always work? Yes.
And too, as expect to have to work so
long as I remain on the stage, and as
most all whom you see before the foot
lights with smiling faces and who, you
think, must have such lots of fun and
see so much Of the world, have to work.
Now, do you like to be an actress" The
little one stunned for the moment by the
death of her ideal life, looked mourn
fully into the face of the actress, then
slowly shook her head. Chicago Herald.
His Opinion.
The matrimonial state can hardly be
said to have been extravagantly lauded,
either explicitly or by inference, by the
bachelor who exclaimed, "I'm glad of