The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-09
[From a recent photograph

the agent with paper before him, and op-
posite sat a pretty, vivacious, young
woman with laughing eyes. She was Miss
Nellie Callan, the ballet-mistress of the
"Humpty- Dumpty" Company.
"All OF you young ladies who want to go
on in the ballet come forward and give me
your names"
There was general rush, but the rush
ers were waved back and told to come up
one at a time.
Each applicant was asked her name, ad-
dress and il she had any experience in
stage dancing, and while the answers were
given the ballet mistress, by sign with
her handkerchief, notified the agent
whether the applicant would suit or not
As the sign was given the applicant was
directed to stand in one group or another,
the one being those who would do, the 9TH
ers those who were doubtful.
Your name2" asked the manager OF a
pert Young miss who chewed gum and was
distinguished from the others by the Tam
o. Shanter cap she wore.
Mamie Sheldon"
ga sister of Minnie?"
mo, sir"
well, how many Sheldons are there in
this city? I have on this list Minnie Shell
don, Kittie Sheldon, Nellie Sheldon, Annie
Sheldon and Mamie Sheldon, and none are
related. Do all the Sheldons live here,
and do they all want to go on the stager
There was no answer, so the applicant
was assigned to one OF the groups.
! Nearly all who applied declared that they
! had had experience in the "Biack Crook
or had appeared with the Kiralfys, who
were here some six years ago. Some OF
| those who ayowed that they had appeared
with the last-named troupe were so young
| that the agent exclaimed:
why, Kirafy must have had only
| babies in the ballet"
Almost every applicant seemed to take
her cue from her predecessor, for the an
swer of each as to experience was remark
| ably identical.
One of the girls. when asked her age,
replied ''15,.' and the agent asked, as he
winked his ,other eye, what the limit OF
age as applied to minors was. Some one
answered Sixteen years, so the little one
was excused. Now let me ask" con-
tinued the agent, as there any one whose
name 1 have taken who is under 1872
| There was no response.
Another was short. thick-set girl, with
/ a red cape, who had two years before ap-
piled to Mr.. Streuli for chance to go In
! the ballet, and he recollected her. u told
you two years ago" said he, THAT you
"But," INTERCEPTED the girl, ave growed
since"
II see you have" said Mr.. streuli, sin
width, but not in height; still too snort. .
| One declared that she never had danced
1 in the ballet, but that she did spec1aities,
/ song and dance and made herself useful;
| but it appears that she was seeking $50 q
week situation, and she was dismissed.
| 4 tall, understanding woman declared
4 that she believed she could NIL the bill,
because, while she had never taken part in
| ballet, she had taught others stage dances.
| The dancing teacher was accepted. The
| girls who were accepted were, when con-
| sidered as 4 whole, quite pretty.
you can't tell, !" said the agent, chow
! they will look when made up. Those who
| look well now make up horribly for the
stage, while others who are not so pleasing
/ often look best behind the footlights. The
use of rouge and powder has great deal to
! do in making pretty stage faces.
A number of those who modestly said
! they thought they could dance were taken
/ in hand by Miss Callan, who put them
/ through their steps and they were either
accepted or rejected as their feet showed
their ability to dance.
The agent asked what had become of the
girls who were in the ballet when the COM
pany was here before and he was informed
! that they nearly all had gone into the spe-
| cialty line and were transforming.
'.But, Pm here" said a tall girl who was
/ with the Lilliputian Company on its pre-
yious visit. $50 you are, May, glad to see
/ YOU; put your name down, eh?" and down
went the name. May rushed up to the bal
| let-mistress, exclaimed, "Why, Nellie"
Rugged her as if she had been long-lost