The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-01
VANITY OF ACTORS.
The Self Esteem of the People Connected
With the Stage.

eel with the stage is immense.
Ehere is no profession where this
feeling is more developed. Actors,
chorus girls, dancers-every one
having to do with the theater seems
to be vain to the verge of burlesque.
This self esteem is not only quality
of mediocre artists. The greatest
are not less vain. Celebrity ought to
put them above jealousy, but it does
nothing of the kind.
Frederic Lemaitre, notwithstand-
Ing his talent, could not endure the
success of. .one of his comrades. In
melodrama he came on the stage
holding in his arms his son, who
had just been drowned. The actor
who took the part of the dead boy
was horribly lifeless. His realism
was striking. The public applauded
loudly. This did not please the great
Frederic. Piqued by jealousy, he
pinched the drowned man, who, con-
trolling himself, madeno sign Then
Frederic ticklel him, and this time
he could not hold out. He began to
laugh, and the applause was soon
changed to Kisses. In provincial
city blood and thunder drama was
represented in which crime fol.
lowed crime, assassination succeed
ed to poisonings, and, at the end, as
in every good play, the traitor, ar
rested, was condemned to be behead-
ed. His head, covered with blood,
was placed on the table. Thanks to
hole in the top, the actor, hidden
beneath, could display it as if it were
actually detached from the body,
and the illusion was complete. A
comrade, jealous of his. success,
placed a pinch of snuff under the
nose, and soon the detached head
began to sneeze violently, which
changed the horror of the spectators
to shouts OF laughter
But it is not actors alone who are
vain; simple chorus singers and
ballet girls have also their self es-
teem. In an opera where the scene
opens on the seashore. a storm takes
place; boys hired for the purpose
shake the green cloth that gives the.
Illusion Of waves. The device had
succeeded well. and the public were
manifesting their satisfaction By
applause. They are applauding
my wave, +" said one boy. Not at.
an, said another, tits mine!''
Not on your life, it's mine!'' A:
dispute ensued, loud words passed
and a struggle took place in the
depths of the savage ocean. All
this time the actor was singing;
Sailors, now the wind subsidies.
Calm reigns DER the waves.
But the waves had never been so
much agitated. The director had to
go and re-establish peace by means
of Wig gorous kicks in the bosom of
the ocean.
Soldiers, too, who sometimes take
part in theatrical representations,
DO not always obey the actors. In
an eastern city a tragedy was being
enacted, having for its subject Joan
of Arc. In the third act Joan, in a
combat seizes the sword of an Eng
lsh soldier. The Englishman was a
soldier who was appearing for the
first time. The actress tried to get
the sword, but he refused to give it
to her. You shan't have my
sword!" he shouted in a rage. II
won't have it taken away!'' The
actress insisted; the soldier defend
ed 1imself; a struggle took place
between Joan of Arc and the soldier,
while the theater shook with laugh
ter.
One actor whose self love was
wounded revenged himself in an
original fashion: 4 hairdresser had
declared in the presence of numer-
GUS customers that the actor had no
talent; the latter went to him to be
shaved. What do you do with all
the hair you cut off?'' he asked the
hairtlresser., 81 sweep it up and
throw it away, y was the answer
What a fool you arel' exclaimed
the actor You can easily sell it.
They make great use of it in Amer
lea, and myself make business of
exporting it" rs that sos'' said
the barber. "Of course. Save up
your hair. will drop in six months
from now and take it..
The bargain was struck. Six
months after the actor reappeared.
~ have been waiting for you with
impatience, said the hairdresser
The hair is everywhere. Even the
back shop and my bedroom are full
of it. 'Show it to me. :" The hair
dresser opened a chest that was over
flowing with it. "Stupidl'' cried
The actor. what on earth have
you done7 Why. you have mixed
it all together. 1t is good for moth
ing now!" And he hastily with
drew. - illustration Europeenne
fBrusselS).