The morning call., 1892-12-18
A Character Sketch.

is ne a star or is he in the stock? Be-
cause the manner Of man depends very
much on the position lie fills in the "per-
flesh" If a star there is an assurance in
his personality that conveys the idea he is
above all professional chances. is certain of
the public. or, as Foy says in cali Baba,"
has the public dead onto him" and can
dictate terms to tile manager.
An atmosphere of intense egotism sur
rounds him, and to his mind the most i'm
portant political or social event has no i'm
portanee, excepting as to its bearing upon
his individuality or whether it may tempo
Tarily withdraw public attention from him.
self.
That he is the foremost person in the CON-
munity your star never doubts tor mo-
ment Should a President be assassnated.
an epid emic break cut or a city be reduced
TO ruins by an earthquake his comment is
only Instrumentation that he did not hap
pen to be playing an engagement in the
place when the particular event occurred.
He pities the lack of editorial discern
ment that fails to give column TO the dis
cussion of bis performance in every morn
lng's Issue of the paper and to cut down the
telegraph and other news in order TO do so.
All public interest being conferred in him.
self. as he thinks, it follows that it is the
duty Of the managing editor tG allow him
the utmost space in his journal.
lie carries tapelne in his pocket with
which to measure the size of the letters in
which his name is printed on the posters
covering the dead walls and hOardings, and
II they are moi the largest in the footprint
eT's Office woe to the unlucky managerl A
fit Of starry" sulks is likely to be the re-
suit perhaps violent outbreak of anger,
often canceling of tie engagement
1our modern star depends more on print
eTs' ink than did the stagelights Of the old
school. Macready, for example, was so
modest that when he saw his name plac-
arded in staring capitals he crossed the
street TO avoid the 5 ght. On the contrary,
the star Of to-day looks at the letters
lovingly and twirls his cane and mustache
at the same time in manner that tells TO
all pasSers by: That's my name. l play
Macbeth tonight. OF course ali the world
and his wife will be there"
It is a matter of astonishment TO your
star nowadays that writer for the press
should criticize him adversely. In his own
opinion the conception and acting of all the
characters be chooses to represent cannot
be improved, and it is TO him mystery as
insoluble as a riddle of the Theban sphinx
WHY t4EC ne pdkc4 cCAlUe UOSS not see [.
When the star" acQuitS himself we'll in his
part, and the press credits him with good
work, he meets the writer with a sort of
patToniZing oondescension. When he is dire
bad in the opinion Of every body excepting
himself, and he is told so in print. his man
ner is geld toward the critic, who hap
pens to care as much for his smile as for
his frown.
Knowing but little beyond the stage and
its necessities, and that little smattering
Of literature, the "star" is terrible bore in
outside life. He is as ignorant of the
worlds business as an Irishman is Of logic.
Ills existence Is gaSllghted one, and he
has no place in the y hole some sunshine of
the world. The reekiDg. dusty theater, the
dull sense of half-eXhaOsted perfumes
the applause Of paTtlsans IN the gallery
when he makes a point" are the sur
Toundiugs wherein he lives, moves and has
Rs being, the kind Of meat on which he
feeds till the body. mind and soul become
faced from the iDuutrltouS diet.
lie Is never in earnest. Living in a
mimic world and Stimulating the passions
and emotions Of human nature, acting be-
He is gradually led TO believe there is no
pose, sincerity in feeling, the consclen-
Responsibilities are "a fake" to be dis
charged as easily as possible. His world is
bounded by the theater in which for the
nonce he may happen TO play. directed by a
manager with whom he often, perhaps
daily nnarralS