The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21
VIEWED From oxE-x1Gur STANDS.


lCu anu Nt" noEh SoCietys
Mrs. James Brown Potter has Como to New
Zealand after having played in Australia since
last spring with. according to reports that como
from there, no very encouraging financial sue
cess. Mrs. Potter had played in Australia be-
fore. and just before she started TO return thither
last year she spoke about the country in a way
which, in view OF the result of her present tour. is
not Likely 10 be repeated. Incidentally she mado
some remarks about New York society OF the
present day that were not hattering 10 a
set in which Mrs. Potter was at one time con-
spicuous. She had just finished a tour OF the
United States which had lasted for two years.
During that period she had visited all the small
towns OF the South and West, having played
during five months AT what arc known to the
atrical people as one-night stands. That is to say.
for FIVE months she scarcely ever spent two
succeeding nights in the same town. This sort
oftravel. is regarded as INVOLVING about the great
est hardship OF the theatrical profession. Actors
who can afford 1t never visit such places. Their
enforced dependence on the wretchcd hotel
accommodations, the demands OF railroad time
tables which may require them TO leave at 1
o'clock in the morning a place that they reached
at 8 in the afternoon; and the frequent changes
Of temperature encountered. all go 10 make this
experience trying to even tho most hardened.
People are always talking, Mrs. Potter said
just before she started for San Francisco on the
way to Australia, about the riches OF the United
States and the prosperity OF the people. but In
the world, I never saw such a miserable looking
lot AS the Americans OF the small towns. II they
have any money to spend there are no signs OF
their spending il. 40 far as anybody can
see. They are poorly dressed, they look
perfectly miserable, and nobody hears OF their
are no Signs IN the small towns OF England or
Scotland OF such q poor state Of ~ttfairs., But al!
richness OF Tie United States and the prosperity
Of the people. All you noei. 10 get that idea out
of .yG gHc h' h@ra - } in 'y SEN iHF Yor TX ne M smI P5t t9w@ con.
tinued, there il no such display OF wealth as
there in Melbourne nor does there seem to be the
same degree OF happiness among the people.
When l was in society. Fifth avenue on the
spring afternoons was crowded with handsome
equipnges. The people in hem were somebody
that was kEowH. The people In society, then
has changed. 1t doesn't seem TO mo that there
are as many carriages AS there used TO
be; certainly there are no more, and
ten gears New YORK society has changed com.
pletely. If Il exists now as il did That long ago
I b. IS "a = E yCS .e dG a. OF ro aiihGhity MI in nndiIg 1t.
tire, for never saw less brilliant audiences than
New York gathers: Not in Tie streets, for FIN
avenue .Sf a place as hIS as New, York.
restaurants, for the majority OF the people
seen there are certainly not members OF any so
Ciety. Thai Is what makes IL 80 hard for people
who come here alter Q Ions absence 10 realize
all the stories about the great wealth Rad tn"
great prosperity OF their country. The small
Town SHOW no signs o. anything bus wretched-
ness. The cities, o'whiCh New York ~ The most
typical, are not nearly 50 brilliant as far as one
c.n sec aa those oi countries in which everybody
il not 30 proIlEluusly rich and everything 50 ire
mcnaou-lv prosperous.
Mrs. Pottrr's 'o.r IN this country had not been
especially successful, and her strug giles Ia CON
tend with had managcment put in her WAY one
almost insupcraD!e barrier to success. Her re-
mark about New York society are rather In
tcrestlng. as she wac certainly a. one time
siunal returns To New York revive none Of that
phase OF her life. She spends her time between
her hotel and the theatre and secs very few
people, aud those only a few Old and intimate
friends. 1t is said that Mrs. Potter and Kyrle
| appear in London