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

with my mother and myself with ref
erence to my professional career.
II was pointed out by him that my
experience had been confined to one line
of work and that IL / continued in 1t
much longer 1t would become impossi
BILE for me to obtain employment in any
other. He also said that the fact that
had come to be recognized as fairly
good performer was disadvantage I'M
less intended to stick to extravaganza
or buresque all the rest of my days.
His advice was that as I was pretty
well known in Boston by this time, i
should accept an offer which had been
made me by the Boston Museum stock
| company. The step seemed to me at
the time a distinct check to my carser,
but there was force in the argument,
and 1 Joined the Museum forces. But
the salary. Whew! That dropped to
zero almost. To he exact, ! was paid
$40 week. quite come down 1t was,
but If there is one thing more than an
other that l can look back to with
pleasure and satisfaction 1t was my
engagement at the Museum, for to that
feel that owe whatever I may have
since become in the theatrical world.
My family, my friends and myself had
decided that 1 must have opportunity
to display any versatility l might pos
sess. and / certainly got 1t there.
My first appearance was In small
role in Sardous Diplomacy" That was
not much like "Ixion' and Chow
Chow" but liked it better than either,
and my work gave better satisfaction
to my advisers. They told me there
was hope of my rising in my profession.
After many weeks, in which | played
as many different parts. Lawrence Bar
rett came to the Museum. He was to be
supported by our stock company, and
you may be sure that all of us were
nervous as kittens.
During Lawrence Barretts engage
ment with us / played Lady Anne in
"Richard H." Jessica in Merchant of
Venice" and equally good parts in sew
eral other pieces of his extensive rep
ertory. The result? An increase OF
salary of IS a week, so that I began the
next season at s25. Matters proceeded
uneveptfully enough for some time, but
I had begun to have sense, and / re-
fused several offers to appear in ex-
travaganza at largely Increased remu-
neration. In fact a seasons contract
was presented TO me at S75 week, but
l had determined TO master every de-
ttti Vi ttt1lhbs ~ AtNl ray
power, before leaving the Museum and
commencing a still hunt for the dollars.
Dion Boucioault, that wonderful play
wright and author, came to the Mu
scum in time, and l had the opportuni-
ty in his support to learn all that was
worthy in the Irish drama. / did my
level best and was amply repaid by
his commentator, Fanny Davenport
visited us as a star. and played Raitch
with her in "Pique," She also was very
kind to me, and when the next season
opened my salary had Jumped up to
sac. and was nominally the leading
soubrette of the company,
Boucicault, Frank Mayo and many
other stars visited the Museum that
season, and the opportunity given to
appear in a wide range of characters
was fully appreciated. / think. know
that I never worked harder in my life,
and ] was rewarded by being made the
regular Juvenile leading lady of the or
ganization. In this capacity 1t would
be useless to attempt to enumerate the
parts played and 1t would serve no
purpose in this little story. My salary
had still further advanced. to $50 n
week, and l was as happy as / could
be.
Then came my break with the Mu-
scum. ] felt that when so good an ac-
tor and stage manager as Dion Bouci-
cault was willing to pay me $3.50