The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-18
Jane Oaker
MilIionaire's Child Seeks Fame
With 100000 as Good Measure.

The New york Journal says:

III - AAACu as the SATISFACTION OF Know
ing. that I am doing my work we'll"
Miss Jane Oaker was the speaker It
was a new name and it sat rather awk-
wardly upon her, as yet, for she has JUST
donned it and it has something of the
stiffness of q new gown Until the day
before she had been merely Miss Dorothy
Pepper, daughter Of multi-millionaire.
She had been known all her life simply
as her fathers daughter Now she has
a new individuality, and it was attractive
to her because 1t was her own. It was
the night after her stage debut. when she
! had christened herself plain Jane Oaker.
Not pretty name" she said put a
Isrong one, don't 70 uthink? Ooker is
a family name. That is the reason I
choose it. And Jane is short name
and one with a good deal Of strength.
/ wanted a short plain name. II L had
chosen something Ike Evelyn Mortimer
or Lillian Montmorenci I should have de-
served to fail, think.
She is a slim. straight, graceful girl,
with grave brown eyes and delicate,
oval face. There isn't a bit Of affection
about her. She Is honest and earnest
and has set her mouth hard to lead one
so much about lately.
You see, success means so much to her
just now. It means S100. 900. It means
the appreciation Of her parents. It means
an artists satisfaction wit hher own
work And the letast Of these to her is
the 100000. She isn't old enough to be
mercenary.
! Miss ePpper is glad to be forgotten in
Miss Oaker. She wants to escape the all
/ enveloping shadow Of her fathers name.
/ It ms not a name to be ashamed of either
for 1t has been an honorable one always
And it stands for 100000 made in to-
baccO. The name of PEPPER is as big and
commanding in the tobacco world as
that Of Havemyer in the realm of SUI
/ gar. But Dorothy PEPPER is an eager, ear
+ nest young creature who wants "to do
things herself" She wants 10 Give
down" her multi-millionaire papa and
prove to the world that she can succeed.
alone and unaided, in spite of her mill
lions.
Her rich papa has handicapped her al
ready. He has said to her: go in and
win, and when you succeed III make you
a present III give you 100000 for pin
money"
1t is not easy to say when an actress
succeeds. When the papers "boom" her?
When captious critics praise her? When
her photographs are added to collections
of celebrities? Miss Dorothy PEPPER. or
Miss Jane Oaker, as she prefers to be
called. has not decided about this criter-
ion of success in general She knows
that success to her viii mean her father
viewing he rer-for-,oro.
chestra chair, and her father saving.
Dorothy, you have done we'll" It is
then Miss ePper-her pardon begged
MISS Jane Oaker, will know that she has
succeeded. Then will the check for $780,
600 be forthcoming.
Miss Jane Oaker made her debut with
the James-Kidder company as Hernia in
"A Midsummer Nights Dream" at
Orange n. J., Oct T. Last week she
played the same role at the Grand opera
house, New York. She has gone on
tour with her company will visit the
principal cities Of the south and Of the
middle and far west
Miss Oaker tells in a simple wav the
story Of how she came to 90 upon the
stage.
I have always wanted to be an ac-
tress. cannot remember the time when
1t was not my aim. NY earliest recolIec- /
ton is Of the time when I was two years
OLD and was trying to initiate some ac- /
tresses I had seen.
Il did not tell my parents what 7
wished. I knew it would trouble them
But I knew a certain kind. Of education
was the thing. and set about getting
It,
I was quite satisfied with a. routine |
education when I was graduated from
the high school in St Louis. believed /
IN cultivating sDecialties, so I persuaded /
my father to engage tutors for me in
the branches that interested me.
studied instrumental music because
I believe every one should have know
ledge Of it and because IL quickens. ones
perception of the other fine arts. took
vocal lessons because wanted tn
strengthen and round my speaking voice
Shakespeare I studied because 7 have
always loved it, and Greek because. T
loved its rhythm.
II verything-because 7 wanted
to understand everything.
told my parents I wanted IN come
to the Sargent School to take elocu-9ir.
That was part of the truth. and wrote
them the rest after came here. II is
easier TO do unpleasant things at a dis
lance. and could say more about nv DE-
termination in a letter than I could face
to face I told them that I had always
wanted TO 60 on the stage and that had
tried society and found il uusatlsfvine.
that I believed girl whether she be
rich or poor. should fl herself to earn
her living in the way TO which she was
adapted.
Ny father was more easily won over
han my mother. She is a little unwilling
yet But papa wrote: IF Won are deter
mined TO go on the stage. be sure to
make a success Of it. and when you do
IN make YOU a present 81 $4,000"
Miss PEPPER is quite willing 20 I've on
he salary Of a beginner in the profess
.ion.
Il could manage ii yer yeasiIy myself.
Ny tastes are simple enough for that.
md I can endure a great many har5ships
y privations, because I am young and
troug. But my aunt is travelling with
ne as q chaperon. and that means ad5i-
ional expense. Of course"
Miss Oaker is serious minded Young
'erson. She smiles rarely and laughs not
L ALI She IS simple and natural and
,has no desire 70 pose OF n take on
taElness-
II is q significant fact thar the young
voman did not begin her career untu
he had passed her twenty-tirst hirth-
ay. Perhaps II am twenty-one and my
wn mistress" was one ~ the things If
vas easier TO write % her parents than
o. say face Il face"
Early in June came her birthday. and
etore June was past she had interviewed