The times., 1898-12-04

o, Promise Me, just 1900 times-enough
one would think to wear any songs
vogue to tatters.
"Cushman or Anderson" Mrs. Bart
lett-Davis repeated slowly. II would
genius as she had lasts and lives. But
don't think / undervalue Mary Ander-
son. She deserved all she got-more
than she got, indeed. She is n sweet
creature. kind and warm-hearted, just
the opposite of what she is thought 10
be. She had to hold herself hard, or her
heart would have run away with her
And how she did crave love, l remem-
Der once in Cincinnati she said TO me,
with tears raining down her face, that
her success did not bring her happiness:
she was so cruelty misunderstood. 'Peo-
pie appaud me and flock to see me-
she said. but II is as to s.ectacle,
not because they love me or my work.
That Is why ] mean TO leave it alto
go away and marry the man / love. He
loves me for myself: with him / shall
be. what / have never been here truly
and honestly happy You cannot know
how sorry ] felt for her, the woman
half the world envied ] hope she is as
happy as she thought; Is happy as she
deserves to be. Beauty was the main
chose TO regard it more than her art.
She was clever actress and a hard
student. think 1t ought not to be re-
membered against her that her face was
her fortune"
Among stage veterans, none-is better
known .and few SO well beloved. as Mrs.
John Gilbert-"Mrs G. H Gilbert she
prefers to style herself. Especially is she
a iaVorite with the London audiences who
mock TO the DAILY productions quite as
though they were Americans Often upon
hrsf nights Mrs. Gilbert sits in front. but
a trst night she never misses When the
curtain call comes she goes on with the
company, in bonnet and street frock and
Is cheered to the echo. All London knows
her and loves her welL She was loath to
talk Il think somehow It is undignified
and just bit presumptuous. she said.
10 rush into print with opinions that
may not be worth rap. Still l even
question IL a repulsiveiy ugly woman
could succeed on the stage II is human
TO feel that heroine TO be normal must
De beautiful, and audiences are very hu
man. This Is, of course. aside from char
acter parts For them really eccentric
features may be turned to good account
AS to Mary Anderson and Charlotte Cush-
man, choice between them would be in
, vidious. Each was great in her own way.
lace and voice undoubtedly secured a
nearing for her very considerable talents.
Miss Cushmans plainness was. in nv
| Judgment, no handicap
Could she, could any one make a
hideous heroine acceptable?" was asked.
| Like flash came the answer: No, No
| heighth nor depth of genius could make
a truly hideous heroine go down with
the public. Nor hideous hero either. of
| certain sort. Fancy Romeo with a Cyr-
ano nose! He would turn the play into n
| screaming farce. even though 1t had an
| ail-star cast. Briefly, my Judgment is
| this: Absolute deformity aside n woman,s
| face need not bar her from stage success
| yet the success will be earlier and more
easily won if her face happens to be a
caress to the gazing eye"
! 1t is liberal education in the fine art
| OF laughter to see Miss May Irwin on the
stage. Off it she is even more delightful
between the acts of Kate Kip, Buyer"
| she took time to say: Brains, brains. al
ways and forever. Brains can put YOU at
the top and keep you there. Beauty,
| Well, 1t is good thing. yet the woman
! who has nothing else is apt to go up like
rocket and come down like a stick
Can you, who are so successful, give
the secret Of the inquirer began.
| THE secret of success, If there is one.
is-well, several things. Let me see
| Hard work, soap and water sound sleep
and plenty of it. There may be people
who do their best upon all-night rackets.
/ am not of them. Then / should say,
| going with the grain. l am not the least
bit an actress, you know. If / tried to be
the public would not have me- Once 1
| was very ambtious-wanted to give the
| world the highest of high comedy. Now,
| l have learned better. l give it Instead
rl.AN
admirably. My plays are written so as
to bring out the things people are glad to
pay to see and hear. Since 1 gave over
| trying to educate the public into liking
what thought it ought to like find life
l-Oh, ever so much easier.''
would you have liked to be Mary An
derson?" asked the querist.
No" said Miss Irwin. "Oh, she was
beautiful-but cold. Why. marble is tor
rid by contrast With that face and voice,
too. / saw her in the most beautiful
thing-a short play, whose name / don't
recall She had the most tremendous op-
| portunities! She seemed to me Just to
look at them, and pass by on the other
side. She had not the least bit of SYM
pathetic fire. / know an actress when ]
see one. She was like a perfect statue
vitalized and beautifully drilled, but lack
ing soul.'
"How about Charlotte Cushman?" was
asked. Miss Irwin's face grew thought
full "It would have been something tc
be Cushman," she said3 "She was great
Yes. think all of US crave greatness. ]
think in way we feel it is as much our
right as happiness No. don't believe
In the necessary unhappiness of genius
Geniuses may SEEM unhappy to the cas-.
ual glance, but the consciousness of what
they have within. Fam sure, makes up tc
them A man or woman can cherish q
reputation. and work for 1t. and live In it
as work for and live in my two bis
boys
Next minute she was ss6n the stage. set
ting matinee audience, nearly half made
up Of men. in roars. When she sang ths
roaring redoubled. on,rbn. fast and furi