The times., 1897-04-11
THE DEMONS DOGS.

It takes all sorts of women to make
I'D the world-which is the only excuse
l have to offer for being so humble u
creature as the wardrobe woman at
Woods.
No, 1t isn't an elevated position-eXcept
in the matter Of steps--and l can't brag
that the work is easy, Woods being the
sort of theater that runs TO Inatinees daily
and specfaculars the whole year round.
Still, If you are on the lookout for the
woman who has most cause or all women
to be glad and thankful these blessed
Easter times, you Will find her by going
to the stage entrance OF the biggest thea
ter in New York, and inquiring at the
top of the fifth flight of steps for Mrs.
Mary j. Baily, which is my name, and
this skirt I'm spangling belongs to Amy,
my only child.
I'VE been wardrobe woman at Woods
now ever since Amy was first took on to
dothe infant III " being seven
teen years ago, and me a fresh widow
through her poor pas hard-headed flying
around scene shiftin' in his shirt sleeves
when rae and the doctor and his own
common sense told him he ought to be
abed It's q hard life, is costumes, and
I don't say but what if it wasn't for
AMY I'd aauit it and forgot, but from the
very start the child has been so wrapped
up in the profession that haven had the
heart to cross her, and, besides, it used
| to he n deal of pride and comfort to stand
| in the puIley-box alongside of Moggs, who
| worked the drop curtain, and watch her
from the flies while she went through her
| little songs and dances on the stage be-
har hpr like horn
angel, with her golding ourls in double
| rows, and her little feet in silver slippers,
| acutting of her pigeon wings in way
most lovely to behold. But I've never put
| step in the flies since Easter Monday three
| years ago, no, nor the HORSES AN n'dae
| that could drag me!
| We had nut on 1.-The Demon Huntsman"
| that Easter week, and what with the ex-
| tras engaged and my prentice home with
| a swallowed pin, was In that condition
| in which a March hare rails TO do me JUS
| tice. Sometimes at rehearsals could coax
| q fairy or an imp OF two TO run u p between
| acts to help me, but In general couldn't {
| get even a glimpse of Amy, and when she
did manage to pop up 1T was only to try
| on the tarltans to see which she looked
| best in. or to twist the spangles around
| her neck and arms till, like as not, she
| would m,st the strings and away they
would scatter until the floor looked like a
skv full of stars, only not so clean. l was
feeling as cross as two sticks one morn
ing with being behind hand, when, all of
a sudden somebody taps at my door, mo
Admission being pasted below the knob,
and rules rigid as should be.
| "Come in I calls out, in a gruff way l
has when worried, and then the door opens
nervous like. and there stands CleopatrJ
Jones as big as life the very last soul
expected or wanted, for that matter, see
ing as how | had got in the habit of guying
her along with the rest of the stage folks
she was so downright gawky and haC
such cranky ways
"Oh." saws /, sharp like and I shall be
sorry for it to the end Of my days ~ ain
no time to bother with you- Jones, SO Jes
Won noke Yourself back to where you come
from. What do you want, anyhow?'
,sNothin ma am only | heard Amy say
YOU were hard pressed, and Manager Jerr.
said | might come aud see If you would lei
me help"
Hooked hard at her, waiting there in bel
shabby clothes, with her dirty bleachet
hair standing g out IN spikes where she hadn'
frizzed il proper, and her eyes as big an,
; solemn as an owls, and then / said, care
less:
"Well, if you know how to sew decen
, and your hands are clean you can TAX
t | that stool there and finish basung tn
gold braid on themi yellow flounoes.'
! Poor thing! she held her two hands U