Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-21
WIDE AWAKE "BAB."
She Thinks the Theatrical
Benefit Business Overdone.
FASCINATING STAGE QUEENS
As Charity herchants-NapOIeon Bonaparte
Adorers and lmitatOrs.
The Handwriting Craze-Cardinal Glib
bons, Henry Irving, Terry, Langtry.
Wilson. Barrett, Jane Hading and
J.K jerome as Letter Writers.
Copyright 1922 by the Box Syndicate Press,
NEW YoRK, Feb. Is, 1870

lSOPJAASA0t 1883 " 11Ch 0JA0AS~SO ASSo'
NEW YORK, Feb. IS, 1892.
From our Regular Correspondent
OF the giving of many benefits there
seems to be no end. People who do and
people who don't deserve them get them,
and tired actors and actresses have to
pretend to be jolly, and don't dare to refuse
TO appear at them, because they'll be
written up as hard-hearted if they do. OF
course, there are benefits given for good
causes, but, on my honor, fail to see how.
when men have squandered the good things
of this life; when, having danced, the pay
ing time comes, it should be expected that
the theatrical profession should Immediately
step forward and contribute their work
their hard work-to help the one, perhaps,
who never helped them, and who doesn't
deserve it. 1t is good in them, it is kind in
them, but II has been done to the ground.
Everybody who has ever had anything to
do with theatricals seems to think, when
he gets little down in the word, that it is
all right fo- him to have benefit.
BEGGING ACTORS.
The actors clubs do not hesitate to take
charity in that form, and think it is no
more than they ought to have. When the
business man fails, all the people who deal
in stockings and linen don't have q special
sale for his benefit. If l were to grow
lazy and take to drink tomorrow the news
papers wouldn't sell a special edition to
keep me in good brandy in my old age, and
if you were to fail in the milk business. or
if your racehorses declined to be first at the
post, neither the milkmen nor the book
makers would have special days dedicated
to you. There is too much of this benefit
business entirely. The actor, while he is
in his prime, makes money; if he doesn't
save any. that's his lookout; if he chooses
to squander it on clothes, beautiful belong
ings and general Publications, he has no
right to hope that when he is old and
broken 10 hts, his brothers in art are going
to earn it for him. The actor, more than
any other worker, is when he amounts to
anything, very well paid, and more than
any other he ought to be able to save money.
When he doesn't, have very little sympa-
thy for him
It is rather funny that you don't hear Of
benefits being given to the women on the
stage Is it because they are naturally more
economical, or because they look into the
future and realize that the day may come
when they viii no longer be beautiful and
attractive, and yet when bread and butter
must be theirs2 picked up Boston pa
per the other day, and read OF a benefit to
be given to q fat, mediocre actor, whose
chief claim on the public seems TO be that
he has mixed himself up in good many
scandals. Now, why should he have a
benefit He has lately married, has pretty
wife, and one who I think is quite able to
support him, but he is to be given a benefit
Oh, it is nonesensel If they would give
benefit for the cleaning Of the streets Of
New York, it would be TO some purpose
For my own part, am Just bit disguised
with the benefit business all around.
LOVELY DRAMATIC RETAILERS
Somebody wrote me a letter and asked
me who would sell various things at the
Actors Fund fair. 1 don't know; but 1
imagine that Louis Harrison viii retail
chestnats; that Agnes Booth will sell pink
lemonade; that Sadie Martinot will preside
over the roses; that Lewis will sell horns
full of candies; that John Drew will dish
out the ice cream that Marie Tempest viii
rule the French dolls; that Georgia Cayvan
win vend Observation-Disclosures that Kel-
cey will have q mems furnishing store; that
Estelle Clayton will sell slippers those of
Cinderella; they'd ct her, but they would
never st you; that Lotta win preside over