The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-17

direct from Aunt Louisa herself, and in
addition is urging her to use her influ-
ence with Jefferson or Mansfield to get
him a position in the company.
Then there are two or three elderly
actresses who drop in and who remem-
Der Macready and have no opinion of
the people of today; therefore they Sc
verely criticise all the young actors,
who to them are sticks. Yet they are
NICE kindly old souls, who left the
stage while they We're in their prime
and whose names appear in the history
of the American theater.
If an actor dies, the reporters think
nothing of ringing Aunt Louisa up at
o'clock in the morning to find out
whether he was first old man with For
rest, played juveniles with the elder
Booth or voted the straight Democrat
ic ticket. A little later on Aunt Louisa
will be using her influence with the act
ors' fund to get il to do something for
the widow and children; and she will
have stuff dyed black so that the poor
souls may be in decent mourning. and
she will nearly run her legs off looking
after the interests of this tribe who, up
to the time of the late lamented's death,
was unknown to her.
However, there is one day in the
year when Aunt Louisa is literally
queen of the May. This is on the Sun
day night after Christmas, when every
small tot connected with the stage is
taught what Christmas means by hay
ing his little tum-tum well filled, his
little body well covered and his poor
little heart delighted by the very gift
that he wanted most.
For weeks before Aunt Louisa and
Tony Pastor work together, as only
real ministering angels do, and then,
when the festivity takes place, Aunt
Louisa, dressed in hei, finest frock, is
simply one magnificent smile and
doesn't look a day over p. Mr.. Grease
Paint, whose son, IL years old, Is train
ing for the legitimate, is--made happy
by hearing him recite Hamlet's soli,
ouuy; the small niece of Miss Puff-and-
Powder (whose likeness TO Miss Puff
and-Powder is sufficiently great to make
unkind people shrug their shoulders)
does a skirt dance while the small boy
whose grandfather was Edwin For
rests dresser makes a stump speech.
Aunt Louisa is too tender hearted to re-
fuse TO allow any child TO make q fool
of itself, and everybody knows that the
lHedtTictl Cllliu IL itNti iid1py
it Is following In The steps of its more
or less artistic predecessors. The chill
dren have their innings in one way;
then, before the well spread table, they
have it in another, and then the Christ
mas gifts are distributed.
Earlier in the day there has been
meeting of mothers and children at the
Hotel Eldrfdge, when warm fiannels
shoes and stockings, good topcoats.
hats. everything or anything that can
make child comfortable in the way
of clothes is given out to the poor lit
tie bits of humanity who know what it
means to be cold.
These are the times when millionaires
are writing to Aunt Louisa; when
Elbrldge Gerry sends his check and tells
her that it comes from him with great
pleasure; when Mrs. George Gould gives
her contribution; when everybody Is
glad to give as much as he can so that
tho little people Of the stage may have
happy Christmas. And they wouldn't
be so generous. these inillionaires, IL 1t
were not for Aunt Louisa Eldridge.
They know her sincerity and they
know her honesty. and they are sure