Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-12-12

The child was u pretty girl Of Z years,
and she was being arrayed In n coarse,
dark gown to represent Little Buttercnp
In "PinHfore
'lt IL always 80" commented Mr.. Jo-
seph w IIorner. the costumer, to re-
porter who happened To BE present I've
been at this business thirty five years. and
haven't yet found the child VINO did not
object To appearing in dark or coarse cos
tunes"
THE costumes the little girls enjoy
most, added Mr.. Horner, 'are those that
are brilliant; the brighter and more spark
ling they are the better the children are
pleased, while a somber dress seems to
have a bad effect on them at once, The
boys like soldier clothes best and sailor
suits next The giIls always take a great
fancy to train gown and when they
represent birds OF long plumage they pay
particular attention To II. have watched
/ them very closely and have noticed, too,
/ how peculiarly old fashioned girls are in
every instance, and how they are all at
tention to the instructions given them,
requiring much less effort In this respect
than boys Some Of the most elegant cos
tunes worn by girls OF O TO years are
those Of the style of Louis XIV for the
minuet. In this they wear dresses OF the
finest quality Of figured silk, with pulled
yer. These costumes cost often as high
as $15 each. Elegant suits for the boys
are made of silk velvet, square cut They
include sword, jeweled buckles and trim
ming of pink silk and velvet. Such suit
complete Is worth 500 They are for the
minuet also. Fairy costumes are made OF
lighter material, but are often trimmed
with lace and embroidered in gold and
silver.
How young have you known children
to appear in private theatricals or on the
professional stages'
''As early as ? years of age. / remem-
her girl OF this age who committed eight
verses TO memory and recited them ut a
Sunday school entertainment. She did
not break down once, and her pronaneia-
tion was correct throughout. At a fairy
play In hall of this city, at which school
took part, there was a girl OF years who
remembered her part all through and did
the stage business well. She also sang in
an operetta."
"what is the best age for teaching chill
dren 20 acts'
'For girls, 7 or years The brain at
that time begins really TO develop and il
most susceptible Boys must he 10 years
old before they can do anything cute or
smart on the stage That Is my actual
4
children for stage appearances. My idea
/ rs that child's soul is as mature as n
grown persons. The penetrating gaze OF
children seems TO me To show this.
what parts are children best in'"
'Pathetic and singing parts Comedy
In children Is very rare. In fancy pieces,
those written especially for children the
boys do as well as girls but the girls learn
their parts and seem to understand what
is wanted of them much more quickly
than boys. They do not forget, while the
boys do. The boys will leave out lines.
The parts must he fairly thumped into
them. l recall one remarkable piece Of
work by "a girl OF years that will show
you how apt they are. The play was
''The Tempest" and number of chill
dren were 10 act II for some charitable in
stitution. The girl who was to take the
part OF Ariel was 10 years old. At noon
on the day the play WAS to be given she
met with an accident that rendered her
appearance impossible. Our only hope
, was a child 8 years old, who we knew was
bright enough to read the part We saw
her that afternoon and asked her to read
. the part. She had been on the stage be
fore in private theatricals and had done
very well. She refused TO read, but said
' she would learn the part There were 20C
/
began at O'Clock, and by the time the
, curtain was rung up had committed the
. part completely to memcry. Why, on this
stage she recited II as readily as II it had
A been an everyday occur ~ence with her
/. She was the child Of poor yarents. hay'
seen great big girls of II OF Is cry anC
i. snivel over their part whtn younger one
would ge. along without any difficulty
rememl er q noteworthy case where
y had severity young girls Ia a tableau
The girl ia 1t representing 3 the Spirit o
o Death was only 10. | gave them thei
, positions, and told them TO leave the stage
come back and take exactly the sam
. places again. They did IL without singl
error
o How long does II take 20 prepare
child to tale part!'
|, For a play six reheai sails, as a rule
are sufficient and for t,bleau one n
hearsal il enough. In n tableau OF
b gypsy dance not long ago | placed th
children In position, hanr and foot raise
" as IL dane ng. and then dismissed them
n Two day. later they al took the sam
a sositlons without wort Of instruction
An interet tting case was that OF a score Q
:. children whose ages ran t,om . to ID, an
I. who were governed rs 0 their position
on the stage by different lights, one pos
ton iuI hhotueE hla - VI
!, Not ona missed after q q first rehearsal
:. and tn, sittle ones were Itst as apt rs th
older oaes and were, bes1ides, often first
= take n cir places
:. ''Do many Of the chi aren become prS
fessional aetorsf''
% ''Net These little PRIV ate performance
le are do 10 for the amuse ment Of friends
aud I arents are delighted TO see the
N children in them, but when the childre
sf are snted for the proi essional stage th
a. paref Is object Mt once. There is no IL
stane that know of where child ha
q been cultivated at 30 early an age for th
stag; nor do ! know OF woman VIII
v become brilliant actress from a smaI
l. chilli ON the stage. | do know, howeye'
J. Of 'oys who were bright in this respee
who have become good actors. The chill
= wh9 IN 1850 nude sueh hit as Eva |
v al ucle Toms Cabin. . when Il first cam
e on is an example OF what tell you. Sh
" grew up In the profession, but was nc
Il successful New York Mail and E
press.