The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-10
FACING AN AUDIENCE.
The Debut ozone Girl who wanted 20
he An Actress.

given trial performances IN tue Naude-
vile theaters to test their ability 10 suit
the patrons. Sometimes these are given
In public without previous notice on the
programmes, but generally for the man
ayers eye alone.
A very pretty and ambitious young girl
had quite an experience in this way last
summer.
"You know how poor we were,' she
said to me when had coaxed her to tell
Of her debut, "and how large every dollar
looked. All my friends had praised my
parlor Rotations as being very fine, and
SO | thought | might as well see IL ]
couldn't turn my talent to some account.
81 applied to six vaudeville agents.
None OF them cared for what | did, but
they all offered to have a sketch written
for me by different men whom they
recommended--in their employ, after
ward learned.
"This would require from $25 to $50 as
q starter, and as this was out of the
question they all dropped me like hot
potato. Thus / never got near the prom
inent vaudeville managers at all.
But kept at 1t, and at length met
manager who, after hearing me,
agreed to let me go on that night I'M
announced. except by the sign Extra
Turn which was pushed out for the
audience TO see.
"If suited, was to have sos week.
TWENTY-FIVE dollars a month would
have seemed splendid. and in a great
state OF excitement I rehearsed my music
with the pianist, who tried to fiirt with
me. and rushed home TO carry the good
news and fix up wardrobe for my three
Rotations.
II was to make my appearance at
o'clock, but I got behind the scenes as
early as Z. with my sister as dresser.
oh, what a state of excitement we were
inv'
"The tip seemed TO have gone around
that was an experiment, for l received
many quizzical glances from the perform
ers, who were made up and attired as
negroes, hod carriers, acrobats. SOU
| brettes, clowns, dancers and the like.
AT $50 the manager tapped at my
dressing room door and then entered. He
sat down without removing his hat and
sized me up rather sourly.
"'You're never going to wear that
skirt, are your he asked.
eyes, sir. Why mott"
"'Oh, it's too longl You've got to hit
| 'em when you first come on. Cut about
three inches off that skirt. and you'll
have it right
1--WE were both distressed and indig-
nant.
az shouldn't like to do that falter-
ed.
You'll have to do a good many things
| you don't like IL you're going to stay In
| this business he said shortly as he rose
to go. Il know my audiences
"Then he went out.
"Iet's go home said my sister, whose
| face was now very pale. This Is no
| place for you
"'What could earn here In a week
would pay our rent for month, ! SAID
| firmly. "Get the scissors, needle and
| thread Then, despite her remonstrances,
| I turned up two inches of the skirt,
| stitched it and put 1t on. Then I looked
| at myself in long mirror.
| "'You look lovely sighed my sister,
but. oh, I'm so ashamed
$50 was l, but | felt that I'd rather
| face a friendly audience than an un-
friendly landlord. so up stairs l went ana
| stood at the wings waiting my turn IN
| an agony Of nervousness. :,
"A tall, pretty contortion dancer had
just come off the stage and lay painting
| for breath on a mass of old carpet she
smiled family and asked between her
gasps:
"DancerT
"sYou can thank God for that she
| whispered. 'for 1t means death. I've got
consumption
| Here the stage manager came up.
"'Your turn next he said, when those
"knockouts" get through. They take
| two encores This is their last
| "Oh, the agony OF waiting for those
| men TO finish and the fear that they
| would! How they worked! They knock
ed each other down with barrels. pulled
| noses, cracked each other over the head
| with tin trays, tripped and fell over each
other and staggered off past me In a
| state of wreckage and perspiration that
| was dire to see.
| Then / saw the page draw out two
signs and put in two others. Then my
| music sounded-it seemed miles away
| and the stage manager gave me a gentle
push.
THAT'S you,' he said. 60 on. and
| don't be afraid. Throw it at 'em hard
mo criminal going to execution ever
felt as / did when 1 walked out among
those people.
| ~There was smart round Of applause.
| "srhat's for the short skirt thought
L
reached the center Of the stage In some
way-oh, how can actors and actresses
fight for such an uncomfortable posi-
tion-and, fixing my eyes in self defense
on the pianist, began my recitation.
81 was vaguely conscious that the man
Of music was accompanying me and nod
ding and winking announcement at the
same time. My voice sounded faint and
far away, and l felt myself wondering II
/ should ever recover from this horrible
experience Then the futter of pro-
gramme distracted my attention, and my
eyes fell upon the front row.
"There sat four people whom l knew
very well indeed-people who had fire.
auently called upon us in better days
They were looking at me and my legs in
amazement and horror, then disputing
with each other and referring to the pro-
gramme. :,
1.-THE words died on my lips, and l
| from, tho seized