Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-17
AUGUSTIN DALYS WAYS

was JIG Vi fauSuSIln LAZY tIdilS Al AiS
commerce with Aien and women whose
names weret not enrolled on his limited list
Of Intimately He-was neither brusque nor
rude in hiss dealings with strangers who
presented themselves to him. as great
many did, with letters of introduction, nor
was he anything but kindly and consider
ate toward ,fhe people in his employ. He
was plainsppken apd scrupulously truthful,
and he rarely expanded. outside the small
circle of his intimate friends, into what
could corred4y be Failed geniality.
He had reat contempt for the species
Of stock, So h-deea geniality which is as
sumed by nNny people of the stage. Daily
was visitedSby More stage aspirants of
both sexes, but chiefly young women, than
any other theatrical manager Of his time.
ALL of course. wanted a trial In his en-
ploy. Most Of them offered their services
for nothing for long periods. the DAILY
training being their first aim, and Daily
was offered considerable sums of money
at different times to lend his name in ex-
plotting the stage aspirations OF we'll
known, If somewhat Eighty, society women.
He always declined to have anything what
ever to do with persons of this sort. He
had fine eye for talent and he raised
many clever man and woman into solid
theatrical prominence from utter obscur1ty.
Likewise, ne was compelled to turn
down" many an asprant. He gave them
all trial, and then frankly told them
his opinion.
you are, 1 am bound to say, uncom-
monty plain of feature" he was heard to
say once to young woman who had just
done scene from Lady Macbeth's role
for him, but you have little-a very lit
tle-talent. Your talent, however, is really
not sufficient to offset your plainness of
Wh iah I
woman must have commanding genius, and
not mere soupcon of talent, in order to
force the world to accept her as an act
ress. Duse is hideous but she has genius
and very cool intellect. You have neither.
You are not Duse, nor would you ever
be. After some few years of training you
might play some Of the smaller parts &C
ceptably and even WELL but l am assured
that you are looking beyond a career Of
that sort, which is squalid and unsatisfac-
tory at best. l venture to suggest that
you abandon completely all Of your stage
ambitions"
This was plain talk, but 1t was true, and
Daily hadn't the remoteSt intention of being
simply rude. The young woman, however,
was not endowed with sufficient percep-
ton to understand and appreciate the
words of a man who had been through
the mill for forty years and who knew the
theatrical game as a printer knows his
case. and she took umbrage.
You are Intentionally insulting" she
said, brdling. You are studiously discour-
teous. l feel impelled TO slap your face
DAILY was astounded. The young woman's
brother, a clever man of forty, well known
in New York, was standing by on the
stage, and he took Days end of it instant
ly. His manner showed that his sister
words had thoroughly angered him.
You may count yourself fortunate that
l do not slap yours where you stand' he
apologize to Mr. Daily for that remark,
which ought to apprecably lower you in
your own estimation"
The young woman perceived her mistake,
and she did express her chagrin over her
foolish outburst of uncalled-for anger
when she quieted down.
Mr.. DAILY had few experiences of tat
sort, for the stage aspirants whom he was
palpable DEFICIENCIES, usually melted into
tears. A pretty Washington woman, now
comfortably married and the mother of
several children, underwent peculiarly
violent attack of stage mania about eight
years ago. Her friends had cOmplimented
her for her elocutionary powers as exhibit
ed in her rendering of ''Curfew Shall Not
Ring Tonight ana other grievous aff<:rs
of that sort, and they advised her to
adopt the stage as a career" She wanted,
of course, to begin at the top, and she went
over to New York to see Daily.
Il was really quite confident that he
would engage me Immediately" she sid
the other day in describing her experience
on that occasion. Il found Mr.. DAILY in his
alone, and working hard over an old yellow
manuscript. l told him about myself and
he leaned back in his chair and looked me
| over with a not unkind expression of coun-
tenance
You carry yourself Well he said, slow
ly. What can you dor
~ am told That I do the role of Portia
in ''The Merchant of Venice very we'll I
said to him. I should like to have you go
| through the trial scene with me-
He nodded, with just a trace of a grim
/ ,x,nila y; l., rk,tf,
| picked up his qieer, old timey derby ha
and conductedsme back to the stage, which
was dark and gloomy enough ir all con-
science wasn't the least bit nervous,
and l began with all the assurance in life
Mr.. Daily playing up to me in a quiet way.
The whole piece was, OF course. at the end
+ OF his tongyes He didn't say word in
then he regarded me thoughtfully
" Do you wish to have me tell you cx-
| actly what Think he asked me.
| Yes l replied, my, heart sinking,
| that his verdict was not to be favorable.
" L do not-think. then, that you are In
| anywise fitted for the stage-least of all for
| such ambitious parts as these which you
| appear to attempt he said in kindly but
| very firm tone.
"T need not tell you that you are of
pleasing appearance and that you carry
yourself very gracefully when you are not
| endeavoring to act. In endeavoring to act
however, you seem to be hopelessly unnat.
| ural and awkward, and your natural grace
j of action quite disappears. Your voice
| which is musical in ordinary conversation
you strain and take inconceivable liberties
| with in the recitation of lines. Something
might be made of you, but assure you that
your greatest task would be to unlearn so
| to speak, all about acting which you think
you have acquired just as a young man
who graduates from school of Journal.
| ism" must unlearn many things when he
! takes employment in a hustling newspaper
Office You would have at least ten yea
| of miserable drudgery ahead of you before
you could count yourself even moderately
good actress and at the end of that period
you would be very far, indeed from the
| first or even the second rank of comeptent
stage women. / don't think the game would
| be worth the candle in your case Do YOU?
! Believe me, 1 am not speaking perfunctor-
! lily nor in pursuit Of any desire to be mere
| ly discouragng. There are, perhaps. many
| managers who would give you an opportun-
| ity on account of your exceedingly pleasing
appearance. but If l We're you I would not
avail myself of any such an opportunity.
Do you think you had better2
II could not reply, for 1 was dabbing my
handkerchief into my eyes and having what
We women call a good cry Mr. DAILY s
tone and manner grew gentle Immediately.
and he spoke very kindly to me-a COM
pletely cast down, whimpering grievously
diSa nted girl who did NOT Lnau ba~ o,,,,,