The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-11
STILL THE TOPEKA GIRL.
Who Has Gone on the Stage by Some
Scores or So Comes Back.

SCOT6S zones 6Gcks
It was fate that did it. Before the
baby daughter was old enough to be
christened, Mamma Lewis said she was
to be a singer because OF her remark
ably healthy lungs and phenomenal
pitch of voice. and Papa Lewis sorroW-
fully agreed with her. And SO it came
to pass that when the minister poured
the baptismal water on her infantile
head he named her Jenny Lind with
the mutual approval of both parents,
and last night she came back as the
prima donna of a popular extravaganza.
Jenny Lind Lewis, who last night
pleased the audience at the Crawford
theater in her part as prina donna in
''Gayest Manhattan" is a former To-
peka girl. Her father was advertising
solicitor on one of the Topeka papers,
and the family lived here up to seven
years ago. when Mr.. Lewis engaged IN
business in Lowell, Mass. Before Jenny
Lind left this city, however, she had
made her first appearance on the stage.
Esther at the Grand Opera House,
and she took the part of one of the
pages. She says it cost her mother
and sister three days of hard work to
arrange the costume for her profession
al debut.
Her father and mother and sister and
brother were present at her first ap-
pearance before the foOtlights, but it
was different the second time she ap-
peared on the stage. Miss Lewis ran
away from homes to go on the stage,
and her parents knew nothing about it
until they received letter stating that
she had Joined an opera company as
understudy to the prima donna. She
had been singing in a church at Lowell,
but church work pays but poorly and
as her father had lost his health ana
the family was in Strengthened circum-
stances she felt that her support was
needed. That was the secret of her en-
trance into the professional world.
1t was the Sphinx Opera company she
Joined, and she remained with it one
season. The next season she took a
part in RObinsOn's "Fatted Calf com
pany and with this company visited
Topeka. The next year she was with
Ada Rehan, and this is her second sea-
son with "Gayest Manhattan"
OF course Miss Lewis likes stage work.
All Topeka girls who go on the stage
and then come back tell you that with
their second breath. But there is just
one feature at present that Miss Lewis
is put out with, and it may be the cause
of the manager providing her with a
new stage lover. The present one fails
to be as realistic as the former Topeka
girl thinks he should be, and if there is
one thing she believes in above another
it is realism on the stage.
Did you notice the way I was made
love to tOnight?' she asked in her dress
ing room after the performance. But
poor Mr.. Herman, he can't help it," she
added. He is in love with one of the
chorus girls, and all the time he is on
the stage with me she stands in the flies
and watches him. If he becomes re
alistic at all he has always a quarrel in
store for him after the performance.
1T isn't that care about him loving
the other girl by any means" she went
on, but I do think that people on the
stage should act their parts. Originally
the piece was arranged so that he kissed
me in one of the scenes, but after he
fell in love with the young lady he did
it in such a, lukewarm manner that it
was cut out altogether. He is nervous
all the time he is on the stage with me
because he knows his sweetheart is
watching him, and he realizes what an
awful time is in store for him if he
does anything she doesn't like. Poor
man, I really feel sorry for him.
Miss Jessie Dell Lewis. a sister of the
prima, donna, is also with the company.
She takes a minor part, and her as
ISOLATION with the company is more as
a companion to her sister than anything
else.