Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21

say, the most of them have to hustle for
jobs, and they have to do this in humili-
ating sort of fashion, not very different in
Its method from the means by which but
lers and upper chambermaids get jobs. The
great majority of them have to resort to
the agencies and many of them do some
cruel waiting and suffer daily disappoint-
ments, often to be utterly and hopelessly
disappointed in the end In truth, morn
Ing spent with the head man of a general
dramatic employment agency is not Il cheer
full way of passing the time. 1t brings the
nimbus-enwrapped people of the stage
down to such dreary human level, when
one has all along nursed a sneaking idea
that the stage folk were really species of
shadowy, filmily outlined superhumans 1t
makes them, in short, seem like all the
rest. which Is a saddening sort of disilu-
sionment. although it really oughtnt to be.
Now, there walked into one of these gen.
eral dramatic employment agences-prob-
ably the largest of them-on a laundering
hot morning early in the present week,
delicate little woman who has been doing
soubrette and ingenue roles for just little
longer period of time than 1t would be fair
to set down. She used to "go OUT with the
top-notch companies in which there We're
parts befitting her line of work. but re-
Gently she has not been seen by the folks
who go only to the good theaters, because
she has been doing the smaller circuits
with popular price companies-the ten
twent-thirt outfits" as they are technical lily
known to theatrical people. The reason why
she has been working with inferior compa-
MES Is that there are quite number of
fine little lines beneath her eyes and around
her mouth. Many of these fine little lines
are attributable to the difficulty she has
eeen having of recent years to take care Of
four children, in addition to a worthless
blackguard Of husband, in tiny Harlem
fiat. She Is just clever now in her par
ticular line as she ever was which is really
| saying a good deal, but the younger wo-
men with the fresher faces and the more
agile limbs have come along, creating that
dismal yet inevitable forcing-out process
scientifically known as the survival Of the
tittest'
Well, this little woman, who has always
been known throughout the profession as a
good and a charitable woman. came into
the general dramatic employment agency
on this hot morning, and she looked pretty
well wilted by the heat, after her long ride
down from Harlem. The head man exc
cuted a nudge as she came in. and
marked soto voce, that she had been COM
ing in at the same hour nearly every week
day for the past two months He also
marked that he was afraid that, so far as
she was concerned. there would be nothing
| but that she had fallen into the ''also-ran''
class. and he hadn't an idea in life where
he could place her, even among the ten
twent-thirt outfits"
Where away, mater" said the poor little
woman. trying to be jaunty under the af-
Fiction of the heat. and the four little
mouths to feed. and the incubus in the
shape of a no-account husband. II only
called for my mail. that's ALL.
There was a pathetic little trembling
around the corners of her mouth as she
looked up into the head mans eyes ex-
pectantly.
Good morning. little girl" said the head
man, In the free. yet kindly, fashion OF
people of the stage. Warm. Ell? It's six
teen miles from Harlem to New York, too,
amt it?"
Then he pretended to search through
lot of engagement books that he had on
his desk.
''Downstage's getting up a snap outfit for
the New England one-nighters," he said to
the little woman, whose eyes Immediately
lighted up with interest, land I'm looking
for the people, but 1 guess he'll have his
wife do the soubrette work-at least he said
yesterday afternoon that he thought he
would. I'd like to have fixed you out with
Downstage, but you know how his wife
always insists on working along with him."
The little womans mouth began to twitch
a bit again, and she looked greatly disap-
pointed.
But it's only July, you know" said the
head man. in kindly tone.
Yes" said the little woman. but real
Jim''-Jim being her no-account husband
lis off on another spree. and this time he's
even broken up the childrens savings bank
and sure am right up against it for fair
I wonder If could get booked for a turn on
one Of the roofs?" and she looked up in
quiringly at the head man, to see what he
thought Of that idea
well. it's worth trying" was the reply
not given very convincdpgly. But the
states for the roofs are pretty well 3ammed,
you know, my dear. Everybody seems to
be out Of work. and broke, and yelling for
even a weeks time"
Home Again without Work.
The little woman pulled her veil up and
mopped her face with wad of a handker-
chief and then sadly turned toward the
door. As she went out there entered a ia
nous leading woman-her victoria was out
side-in all the glory of a black and white
foulard costume, trimmed with expensive
lace, and parasol to match. She had just
dropped in for her mail. She bestowed
superior little nod and a STACEY smile on the
little woman who was going out. addressed
the head man in quite q condescending man.