Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

chester, where / studied French. Ger
man and music. all of which found of
inestimable benefit to me in after years.
i had long ere this begun to suffer from
stage fever" but my opportunities
were laughed to scorn by my parents.
was, however, in dead earnest, and my
persistence was finally rewarded, for /
won my mother over, and she consented
that ! might try to get start. j set
out boldly to beard the managerial lions
in their dens. i was but IA at the time
and had had no experience beyond a
few amateur appearances. 1 succeeded
in winning the usual stereotyped prom
Uses, but did not get an engagement un-
til / saw MIR. Josh Hart of the old Eagle
theater. He laughed at what he called
my terrible earnestness' and promised
to give me a trial If my parents would
personally visit him and signify their
acquiescence. This my mother did, and
I began my stage career as chorus
girl in the company of English beauties,
among whom was tiny Maud Brans-
combe. who played Cupid. The piece
presented was "Ixion," which won con-
siderable favor.
1 well remember my first appearance.
At first the house appeared to me to be
a mile long. and there seemed to lie
about 10000 people in 1t. I imagined
that every one of that magnified audi
ence was looking intently at me and ut
no one else. After n night or two
began to think that was of considera-
BILE Importance, and at even so early a
date as that l was inclined to rebel
against the unjust fate which had as
signed me to the chorus, while others
whom I foolishly regarded as my in
feriors had Zines to speak" And right
here 1t might not be amiss to remark
that that is one of the greatest faults
of beginners. They are so apt to think
that they are not appreciated at their
full worth. / was simply longing for
chance to have line to say. Well the
opportunity came within two weeks, and
1t almost took my breath away. Miss
Branscombe met with an accident, and
the management desired me TO play
Cupid. / nerved myself for the ordeal
and managed to get through. / actually
got notices in the newspapers'-my
fir - course. The gentlemen of the
IA; ERE good enough to say that
quitted myself very creditably
although now realize that had given
very unfinished performance, Nat
urally I was elated and from that time
considered myself an actress.
Then came an engagement with Adah
Richmond. who made a tour In piece
called "Chow Chow" The success
which I fondly imagined had scored
as Cupid in "Ixion" had given me a
very exaggerated idea of my value, and
/ was Mortified when found that my
salary was to be but SIS n week. Stin
l accepted. though l mentally vowed
that / was worth five times as much
| had seen that charming French ac-
tress. Aimee. ere this. and l obtained
permission to introduce her famous
song, Pretty as a Picture" and to
give an imitation of her These met
with great favor, and was emboldened
to seek an engagement of which the
Aimee miniicry should be the special
feature. l was fortunate, for ] was
offered the part of Cupid in "Pippins,"
an extravaganza which was present.
ed at the Globe theater. Boston.
| next accepted an offer from John
Stetson of $50 a week to Join his Babes
in the Wood" company. We made a
tour of New England. and when we got
back to Boston we produced my old
original friend. 'rxlon." when my con-
tract with Mr.. Stetson expired. / again
Joined Adah Richmond, and this time
she paid me S35 week. My but was
getting along In the world. or at any
rate, that was what l thought. Later
l played Eulalie and Gabriel in Evan