Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-04
STAGE-D0OR GIRLS.
THEY ARE SAID TO BE MUCH WORSE
THAN THE FOOLISH DUDES.
some Of Their ToIiIes-Annoying Aften-
lions OF silly Young Women TO
Actresses of Their Choice.

papers. have been on the stage.-well,
won't say how many years-but in all that
time l have never seen one of his kind
There is. however, being who haunts the
stage door, saws writer in the New YORK
Herdd. This individual prefers sunshiny
matinee days, Is young, pretty. well
dressed, and possesses an alarming cara
mel appetite. In short. 1t IS the sister, or
possibly the daughter, OF the stage-door
dude. He, If he ever existed, belonged TO
past generation.
She goes 10 the matinee, falls in love
with the hero, sympathizes with the hero
inc, hates the villain. giggles at the come
dian (the stage-door girl never laughs
dear.n Then when the curtain tails upon
the reunited lovers with the villain
shipped of to Botany Bay. the galleys, or
Sing Sing. according 10 his location, she
6evours her last caramel and hurries TO
the stage door. And she does not go 70
the stage door to see the hero, the
leading Juvenile. or the handsome
villain, but. astonishing fact, to see
the heroine, the tngenus or the SOU
brette THIS door, which il TO her eyes
gilded portal, is usually located down tho
dingiest, dlrtiest alley in the neighborhood.
But il does not look dingy or dirty to her.
She does not even see the garbage barrels,
tin cans, and general gloominess of the
place Her Mecca is that door through
which She must pass-thst radiant vision
whom she has Just seen folded to the heart
Of the hero.
have known girls to stand for an hour
or more in pouring ram with undampen-
ed ardor merely to see figure completely
enveloped in Macintosh veil and umbrella
hurry past them and disappear.
TWO ORA KIND IN BALTIMORE.
In Baltimore are two sisters whom, am
assured, are cultivated and refined young
women. But these girls have n perfect
craze for actresses. Every Sunday 'hey
are seen at the principal railway station of
the town to welcome the coming and speed
the parting actress. although they have
no personal acquaintance IN the pro-
fessiou. They are perfectly content TO
worship from afar. But they must see their
div nifty and find out If she is "as pretty
of the stage as she is on It They
usually sit in q front seat at the theatre
and stare at her through their opera
glasses. This TO a sensitive actress ls some
thing maddeniug, If by any chance she
happens to catch sight Of them. However,
there are many people who do this same
thing and who are not stage-door girls, aud
no doubt :he girls are justified in thinking
that they have right 10 doso. But l can
not sec what pleasure they derive from
minute inspection OF rouge and grease
paint.
TO return 70 the stnge.door girl. It will
require a great deal Of argument TO con-
vince her that the hero and heroine are
not madly IN love with each other IN prl-
yate life. A pretty girl once sand TO an
actress Of my acquaintance. Is 10 really
possible that you do not love Mr..
B-?" Certainly not replied my
friend. well, l can't understand
It" said the young LADY. ne
must be in love with you or he couldn't
act his part SO we'll 1t was time and
words wasted trying to couvince this. on
other subjects. sane young woman that
Dir. b was devoted husband and
father. with about as much sentimental re-
gard for my friends as be mad for the table
over which be spoke q certain line, tho
sword with which he fought the VILLAIN,
or any other stage property.
WANTED HER DIyINITY's SLIPPER.
The stace-door girls room is usually de-
cOrated with photographs OF her fayorltes,
and she is not always contented with a
mere photograph. Actresses receive pho
tographs of themselves every day rom ad-
hiring girls, with the request that they re-
turn them with their autograph. rms is
not always the limit, either. All sorts OF
peculiar requests are made. Here Is a
copy of a note recently received by we'll
known New York actress:
Dear Mlss.-I have seen you q great
many times and think you are lust lovely.
am sure you will grant the little request
l am going to MAKE. VIII YOU please send
me a SHOE that you have worn on the
STAGE of course ! do not want one that
YOU need now. but one that you have nc
further use for will be most highly priced
ty me. | have seen you IN all the parts
that YOU have played and | liked YOU III
every one of them. Please, dear Miss -,
do not think ne rude 10 ask this. You will
make me so happy if you will grCnt my re-
quest. Your ardent admirer. =,
"MAUDE -"
MANY ODD QUERIES.
All sorts Of questions are asked in these
notes. This one wants lock OF Galr, an-
other to know who makes her dresses.
Aud | know OF one girl, more curious than
the rest, who wished 70 know the name OF
ner dlvinity's corset-maker.
As rule. the stage doors OF the more
fashionable theatres only are freguented
by the stage-dCOr girl. The stage doors OIL
the Lvceum, the Fifth-Avenue, the star.
and Palmer's theatres we're besIeged by
girls when Mrs. Kendall was playing al
these theatres. Crowds of inqulsltiVe glr
watch for Ada Rehan's appearance after &
matinee, and even the rumor that DIZZY
stage door is guarded by two bulldogs and
n bloodhound does not restrain them.
Modjeska and Julia Marlowe are also
fayorites of the stase-door girl. so also
are Georgia Cayvan and Efie Shannon.
But the letters received by actresses are
not all from inQuisitiye girls whose. eyes
have been dazzled By tho glare Of the
| footlights. Sometimes they come from
sensible, thoughtful, women VINO WISH &c
! tell of an evening pleasantly, perhaps pro
| ftably. spent at the theatre and TO speah
words of commentator and encourage
mspt. These are always pleasing To tine
actresses who receive them. One word OF
| honest appreciation IL worth whole pages
| of gush, and no one is so quick 70 appre..
| ciate this as a woman whose life Is passed
| in an honest struggle TO achieve success
| and possibly distinction on the stage.
A friend of mine received the following
| note. accompanied by Bible and Duncl
Of yiolets, from dear old lady:
Ny Dear Miss -,-l am sure yoI
will not be offended by an old woman
sending you this gift and her, best wishes
| / have many times witnessed your inter
pretations of characters that show muct
| intelligence. | know 10 look INTO YOU
| honest ewes that you have sweet, pure
| heart. God bless and keep you.
VERY sincerely, Mrs. - -.
| And. bless her heart, her judgment wa.
not incorrect. And Bible ana MITE
faded bunch OF violets are kept among th'
dearest treasures Of the actress IN ques
| ton.
AN UHGRoUNDED FEAR.
Before the Actors'-Fund Fair a grea
deal was said about the probability OF the
actresses who attended the booths belns
| subjected TO insolent attentions from men
| This fear was afterWard found to be en-
| tirely groundless. II was not the men Wh'
pushed and struggled in the crowds anoq
the booths, staring and making audioi'
| comments about the actresses who wer'
working for charity. 1t was the women
| These gentle creatures hocked thero y
crowds and stared to their hearts content
Ii was the first time they had ever nae
such an opportunity, and they were ooun'
| TO make the most of it. OF course, / az
! not assert that every woman went tner'
| out of mere curiosity to stare ana com
ment. but. from personal experience,
should say the sensible ones were IN vas
minority.
| Among the very few notes | have hear'
of actresses receiving from adorlns youth
| ia the following note received by cele
| brated leading lady now playing at one o
| the leading New York theatres. l canno
| resist the temptation TO allude to II. !
L -. nd - n ~