The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-26
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The I-ightning Changes by Georgia Cay
van. the Actresa.
According to all preconceived notions i
requires moro time for a girl to array her
self IN bridal tnery than to make any othel
kind Of a toilet. Wedding guests remem,
Der the invariably long waits at the churcl
while the fair bride wrestles with her we'd
ding veil and agonizes into her bfida
gloves. But over at the Lyceum theat e
Miss Cayyan does the whole bridal para.
half from the time she speaks her last line
before, the wedding scene. II you happen
to be a woman favored with the entree o.
the pretty dressing room behind the lay
ceun stRge. II will promise not to stir OF
speak, you may be allowed to witness that
lightning change, which beats the record Of
all ancient or modern costume transforms
ton in the opinion OF a writer in the New
York sun.
At precisely Eve minutes to Ii you hear
the swish of silken skirts and the quick fall
of siippered feet coming down the corridor.
In a clOse-titting yellow gown hooked up in
the mysterious hidden fashion peculiar to
the stylish dress of the day. She sits down
in front of the mirror and, while the delft
handed maiden, Katy, changes the colored
shoes for the bridal slippers, Lady Bounti-
full has tossed off the big lace hat with its
yellow roses and Invested herself of the
waist that is nodded 80 perfectly to her
figure that one doubts its being designed to
come off at all. And before Katy can pos
slbly button the slipper straps her ladyship
stand in the middle of the floor with her
arms over her head, waiting for the heavy
satin bridal dress, or rather, she would be
waiting only that her wish is anticipated,
and as soon az she lifts her hands the dress
falls with them, down over the fluffy hair, and
slips to its place at her waist. Ihe sleeves of
the satin bodices are OF delicate chiffon,
long and close, but the arms are thrust
recklessly into them, and with a little skip
the skirt drops about her feet. She slips
ont of it, and Katy fishes it out from be-
meath the long white train, throws it over d
chair, and with a single turn has the we'd
ding veil ready.
The white bodice hooks from the throat
to the point and has n mass OF swaying
crystal fringea to be hooked up over it.
While che maid secures these fringes the
mistress fastens her veil over an old silver
comb and smiles at you from the lace web.
She knows she is on the home-stretch now
and can afford to smile. She smooths on
and buttons a pair of four-button gloves,
picks up her bouquet and has fifteen sec
onds to spare of the three minutes and a
half.
Before you have really recovered your
UISdtA SIG ID OdGh dkAluy bAo NV ~ ONoI.
In Just FIVE minutes from the time she
comes into the dressing room in the
yellow gown, she takes off the n dress,
puts on the other, goes IN for the scene,
finishes it. and the people are leaving the
theatre. Perhaps you don't believe it. but
timo it for yourself. The manage didn't
believe it could be done either. The
woman who played in the piece in London
wore her wedding dress under a cloak in
the last act. Miss Cayvan knew the New
York audience wouldn't tolerate such an
anachronism. The stage manager in
sisted that she couldn't make the given
time; she insisted that she could. At the
dress rehearsal of the piece he took out his
watch and said to himself; we'll see how
long it takes her, and prove to her that it
can't be done." He did see. She was on
the stage before he could get the other
people there, and has been every perform
ance SINCE. When a woman will she can
dress in three minutes. and when she likes
she can take an hour to adjust a veil and
pin on her little bonnet, and be busy every
minute, too. ~