The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-12

and had never attempted anything but
speaking roles in comedy; she would have
been Mortified if any manager had ex-
pected her to sing.
How she came to adopt comic opera as
her speciality is thus told by her husband:
Della Fox was playing in 'Panyan-
drum'-barbarous name, isn't it-but the
piece is good enough. She was playing
the leading part for I. Henry French in
New York and had made great hit in ii,
when she was threatened with total col
lapse of all vocal power. The doctors said
she must rest, but 1t was difficult to get
any one to fill her place.
Some one suggested my wife, but l
wss not much taken with the idea. We had
been married-how long had we been mar
rie2?"
"a week" replied Mrs. Edna Wallace
Hopper with demure smile.
did | take advantage of your trusting
nature so soonP' said the tall comedian.
THAT was two years ago and-yes, we
must have been married about a week, in
deed was afraid at the time that some
Interior motive would be ascribed to me in
having married my wife if | let her go
on the stage so soon, so left the matter
entirely to her and the managers. 1t was
a new line of work for her to sing and
dance and do pantomimic work, but [ be-
lieved she would do it and so did French"
81 had less confidence myself inter-
posed Mrs Hopper. at is hard to follow
any one who has made q great success.
You can imagine what thankless task it
would be to step into Lackaye's shoes as
Svengali, or into those of Jessie Bartlett
Davis as Allen-a-Dale. Besides, l had
only been bride for week, but the man
ayers persuaded me to try"
'And from that moment her engage
ment became settled conviction" said
De Wolf Hopper. "From that day to this
l have never had anything to do with her
engagements in the company. My man
ager, B. D. Stevens engages Mrs. Hop
per, and pays her very much larger
salary than | should probably do. / don't
believe in this idea of wife working for a
nominal salary in her husbands company.
For that reason | have always insisted
that Mrs. Hopper should be recognized
and paid from the standpoint of her pro-
fessional work. We acknowledge no fam
lily ties when we are in the theater. She
is not my wife, but an actress engaged by
my manager, and that is now all the COM
pany regard her"
Eyes. 1 am very independent" said
Mrs. Hopper. THE manager. B. D..
Stevens-breakfast, dinner and supper
they call him in the company-engages
me like any outsider; SO all my money is
my own But the little California actress
did not look or speak as ii she. were q
clamorer for woman's rights. Indeed, it
is her husband and not she who believes
and insists that the actress-wife shall be
emancipated.
One rift in the lutte has marred the Joy
of bringing her big comedian to the Golden
West Ever since he got to this side of
Omaha hoodoo seems to have hung over
him. He is not superstitious, but he can
not account for his misfortunes in any
other way than attributing them to a
hoodoo. First he tripped on the stage and
dislocated his right knee, then he strained
his left ankle and at Denver piece of
stage rock gave way and threw him on the
stage in a way that complicated both dis
! asters and made the unfortunate comedian
halt and lame.
And that cold is the last straw said
Mrs. Hopper. "This is glorious climate,
as I have often told you, glorious, but
don't let that prevent you from wearing
your overcoat out tonight"
"Overcoat," exclaimed Hopper in tones
of surprise. "Why, you said in San Fran
cisco"
'Well, perhaps 1 did, but though
I still hold that this is the most glorious
climate on earth, | tell you as a friend,
wear an overcoat.