The times., 1899-03-05
THE PASSING SHOW.

Victor Hugo once said that "the greatest
things in the world happen while people
are asleep" and during the last week or
so his rather arrogant proverb has been
proven true. While this great nation has
been working and fighting and learn
ing TO take itself seriously an Eng
lishman has been visiting the
country, and as is usual when En-
glishmen visit any country. he has discov-
cred something. But on the occasion be-
ing mentioned the foreigner was a genius
in his line and the knowledge gained was
nothing so trivial as the general traveller
eInbodes in his bOoks-it was not that
the mountainous districts around Chicago
are inhabited by big game that the
great altitude of New York makes that
city beneficial for consumptives. or any
other commonplace affair. This explorer.
who is a dramatic critic OF reputation and
who has been detailing his experiences in
a London weekly, finds that in America
there is a class of feminine chappies
known as matinee girls and that moth
ing of the sort exists in the metropolis on
the Thames.
This striking announcement seems 10
have had little weight in London. but it
should arouse the utmost solicitation on
this side of the ocean. The many people
who have come to look upon that branch
of infant industries as something neces-
sary and desirable, besides being "A decid-
edy notable stimulus to commerce. will
feel great sorrow for the unhappy mon
archy in which the gay and festive mat
tnee girl with her stringy chewing gum
and her unlimited capacity for alteration
has no place. OF course there are in the
British city plenty of ''loidies' whose di-
| whites work in the Calls maidens fair
! who treasure ideals of their special favor
| ties of the stage, and even buxom tamsels
| who have the temerity to worship at GER
| tain shrines whereon reposes some per
| sonihed Thespis buff one is to believe
| the critic aforesaid-England is without
| the recklessly desperate being who is so
much part and parcel of this country.
For bravery and independence and a gen
| eral disproportioHate idea of things The
American matinee girl" is not only dis
| tnct, but inimitable. Upon determining
| the exact parsonage most pregnable to her
affections she constitutes herself his spe-
| cial admirer, without consent or license
| on the part OF anyone else, and will argue
| his merits with her chums as men debate
as to the make of bicycles they ride The
| damsel with an 10S-gear reversible
| action, pedal brake idol to worship can
| teach unlimited things about vocal warfare
|
would apply to a wheel. She straightway
| beggars herself and bankrupts her father
| getting pictures of her hero-preferably
pictures in which that gentleman wears a
| far-away expression and romautic cos
tume-for her desk. These Photographs
are generally sold autographed by the star
or by the shopkeeper or by some press
agent, and the girl sits looking fondly at
the signature day by day and thinking OF
| the hand that Denned 1t.
| When the object of her attention ar
rives her joy knows no bounds. First
the parent and then the box office are
violently assaulted in an effort to get
seats for at least five nights in the very
| first row and on the aisle" Every ac-
quaintance from the house treasurer to
| her dearest friend is made to listen 20
| glowing accounts of the actor, most OF
which have been CLEANED from magazine
| articles accompanied by cuts with pho
| tographer's advertisements under them
The devotee sits through the play watch
ing her particular being make love or
| pretty speeches, or quarrels with success
| i've jealousy. envy and admiration. In
turn she detests the leading woman and