The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-03-18
THE PASSING SHOW
VILLA GATHER

occurs that quite surpssses the story
teller's art. Such one happened here
. few weeks ago. Lizzie Hudson Col
lier 10 the leading woman Of the Grand
opera house stock company here. A
mighty handsome leading woman she
10, by the way, and an actress of most
unusual talent and versatility. You can
count on the fingers Of one hand the
other leading women Of this country
who are q match for her in all around
work. She has been here now for three
seasons and her life has been even more
beautiful than her work. think those
Of 10 who know her intimately some
times fail to do comp'ets justice to the
actress. 90 much do we admire the
woman. She IL probably the NOS. in.
fluential woman 10 this city OF half.a.
million souls. She has entered COM
pletely into our lives land the deaths we
died che has watched beside think
nothing illustrates the power OF her per.
sonality more forcibly than the attitude
of young men toward her. Take the
boys in our Office, for instance. They
are all good fellows and gentlemen but
they all saw the black side Of life too
early and they have the reporters cyni-
cal attitude toward actresses. Yet tley
always speak Of this woman 10 the Ian
guage OF chivslry, az the knights OF old
spoke OF women. They believe in her.
And the g1od OF such belief cannot be
estimated or measured. ] could weary
the most patieat listener with instances
OF her goodness and tact and charm.
and Of course she is unconscious OF it,
she doesn't know that she is good. She
simply has the high talent for living
beautifully, and lives GO. Such virtues.
IN % tair setting. are q source OF per-
petusl fragrance in The heart Of this
great. gloomy, jostliug town. breathing
perfume into the lives Of thousa ,ds.
But nov for the story: They were
playing "Jsne" at the Grand some weeks
ago, and, &c you remember, there is q
baby 10 "Jane" that plays no iucopspicu-
Gus part. Well on this occasion it was
wonderful baby, positively the best l
ever saw % any stage. 1t was just a
poor little wait from the slums with
Q stupid, halt starved mother, who had
q whole troup OF children and hu band
out OF work., Why such an attractive
child should have be On born into such
misery aud poverty is one OF the ugly
problems. 1t happens 30 every day
Well, she could act, this little thing oil
fourteen months. She didn't just lie
blinking in Mrs. Golfers arms as the
babies Who have played in Jane afore
time. She sat up looking delighted,
about her and kissed the leading mar
and shook hands with the comedian ane
firted with the leader Of the orchestra
and wanted to get over the footlights Il
examine bis bald head. The louder thu
applause, tho more interested she be-
came. She demanded the center o
the stage, and the brightest glare OF tn
calcium, she was touchy about her cue
and refused to have her business cut
The louder the applause, the more ami
mated this infant became. She shoo
hands with the leading man. and kisse
the leading juvenile, and made eyes q
tho conductor OF the orchestra. Wei
on one OF those fearful cold nights whe
tho weather man hung sinkers on tn
Thermometer and the mercury dippe
way below zero. Mrs. Collier discovere
that this poor little waif lived some