The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-12
An Interview
With Mrs. FiSke.

Mrs Fiske recently talked about her
early experiences in the theater and re-
called the Impressions made upon her
young mind when as child she night
ly accompanied her mother who was an
actress. TO the playhouse. The love for
the realm behind the scenes that begfrs
in childhood is evidently more true and
| abiding than that which comes later in
life. Mrs. Fiske. while recalling her
the sustained youthfuiness. endurance
and bravery Of actressea.
After IL had been determined that
should accompany nay mother nightly TO
the theater." said Mrs. Fisse. II began
a. 10 me. delightful existence. After en-
tering through the stage door we had TO
traverse a long dark passage before
reaching the stairway which. branching
OF right and left at the top. led to the
stage on oEe side and the dressing
rooms on the other.
| 1t was coming along this long. damp
passage that first learned co know and
love the smell OF the tAeater-thst csior-
ferrous medley made up or gas. paint
and mold dear TO the scent OF all true
I
familiar as the salt breeze 70 the sailor.
! Graduates OF dramatic colleges and
society ladies who embrace what sorse
members of il insist upon calling the
profession at a certain aye. don't as a
rule inhale this venerable odor with any
large degree OF appreciation. Indeed.
they usually find IL noisc--ss and of~n-
sive. but the girl who has hze&sksd 10
| from infancy rcvels in IT, 10 is hsr nat
uTal atmosphere. and uron my word
she seems 10 thrive on IL. Actresses are
the strongest. healthicst. youngest wo-
men in the world. Where else. pray.
save among them. do we find grand
manmas so pretty. so 1.-THE. so coque.-
tiSh as 10 turn the heads OF sons whose
gri=zled papas dare not recall the days.
years agone. when they. too. worshtpsd
at the same shrine2 The ordinary ma
tron dons her bonnet at 40. but hlcss
you. Mrs. -. who did soubrettes with
Burton In 1870. still sports sailor hat.
and IL Is nightly becoming too
And then the care5essnees with
which the actress uses her wondrous
power of endurance. IL may be that
the secret of her strength lies partly IN
the fact that she has not the time 20
take to her bed respectfully and thus
nurse her Ills in n conventional and
proper manner. II Is true. provided
there is neither rehearsal nor jump
10 be made. that she is at liberty to be
comfortably i'll all day. II she likes. but
then as she is under contract to be In
prime condition by 7:3o In the evening
at latest. she finds II scarcely worth
while To play the invalid for the few
short hours that are her own
"Oh. We matinee girl. pausing breath
less as he carelessly stroils by all un-
heedful OF your nuttering hearts. yours
and Maud's and Clara's. this gracious
specimen OF young leading manhood.
with a bunch OF violets In his button
hole. I wish, dear creatures. I might
show you this same young man making
one night stands m Texas. But the
woman OF the stage. she is usually Sc
rene. though even amid the confines OF
the caboose or perched upon n baggage
truck for a three hours wait at sons
snow covered station In n western vii
derness as she cheerfuily swings hsr
feet and watches the sun coma up and
tip the Rockies