The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-15

those who believe the past holds a mo-
nopoly of all good things. I have much
satisfaction in the present and strong
and abiding faith in the future, and
even in this matter of dress, which
has become such an anxiety to the
young actress, 1 would not ask to go
back to those days of primitive cos
tuning. In Shakespeare day there
appeared over a drop or curtain of
green, legend plainly stating: There
is street in Verona" and every man
with an imagination straightway saw
the Veronese street to his complete
satisfaction, but there were those who
had no imagination, and to hold their
attention and to keep their patronage
scenes had to be painted for them. One
would not like to see a woman draped
in plain gray with an attached placard
saying: This is a ball gown" or this
is coronation robe" the Imagination
would balk at it. But there is a far
cry between that and the real corona
ton robe of velvet, fur and Jewels
What I would ask for, is moderation
and above all freedom for the actress
from the burden of senseless extrava-
gance which is being bound upon her
shoulders-not by the public, not even
by the manager, but by the mischiev-
Gus small hands Of sister actresses,
who have private means outside of
would be if they could be content to
dress with grace and elegance while
omlttlng the mad extravaganza that
those who are dependent upon their
salaries alone, will surely try to emu
late, and sometimes at what a pricei-
dear Heaven, at what a pricel Let us
say an actress plays the part of a wo-
man of fashion-of rank. AS she makes
her first appearance she is supposed
to return from the opera Therefore,
though she may wear them but on mo-
ment, hood and opera cloak are needed
because they will help out the Illusion.
suppose then, she wears a long cloak
of velvet or cloth, with a lining of del
icate tinted quilted satin or fur-if the
impression of warmth, or elegance and
comfort is given, its work has been we'll
done. But suppose the actress enters
in an opera cloak of such gorgeous
material. that the elaborate embroid-
cry on 1t seems an impertinence-a
creation lined with the frailest, most
expensive fur known to commerce,
frothing with real lace, dripping with
semi-precious jewels-what happens?
The cloak pushes forward and takes
precedence of the wearer, buzz arises.
heads bob this way and that, opera
glasses are turned upon the wonder
full cloak. whose magnifcence has de-
stroyed the Illusion of the play; and
while its beauty and probable price are
whispered over. the scene is lost and
ten to one the actress is oftener
thought of as Miss So-an-So, owner of
that wonderful cloak than as Madame
Such-a- One, heroine of the dramai
Extravaganza is inartistic-so far
that reason I could wish for modera-
ton in stage dressing Heaven! what
nightmare dress used to be to me!
For months l would be paying so much
a week to my dressmaker for the
play. l thought my heart would break
in two pieces, when during the long
run of "Divorce"-just as 1 had finish
ed paying for five dresses-Mr. Daily
announced that we were all to appear
in new costumes for the Tooth night.
/ pleaded-argued, too, excitedly-that
my gowns were without spot or stain
that they had been made by the
dressmaker he had himself selected,
and he had approved of them, etc-and |
he made answer: "Yes-yes, l know |
all that, but I want to stir UP fresh |
nterest-therefore, we must have |
something to draw the people, and |
they will come to see the new dresses" |
And then in helpless wrath I burst |
out with: ooh, of course! If we are |
acting simply as dress and cloak mod |
els in the Fifth avenue show room, I |
can't object any longer. You see, I |
was under the impression people came |
here to see us act your play, not to |
study our clothes-forgive me my err
ror!" For which 1 distintly deserved |
a forfeit, but we were far past our
unfriendly days, and I received moth
ing worse than stern Il am sur
prised at you. Miss Norris" and at my
rueful response: "Yes-so am I sur
prised at Miss Norris" he laughed ont
right and pushed me toward the open
door, bidding me hurry over to the
dressmakers. l had a partial revenge.
however, for one of the plates he in
sisted on having copied for me, turn
ed out so hideously unbecoming that
the dress was retired after one nights
wear, and he made himself responsible
for the bill.
Sometimes girl loser her chance at
a small part, that 1t is known she
could do nicely, because some other girl
can outdress her-that is very bitter |
Then, again, so many plays now are
of the present day-and when the ter
ribly expensive garment is procured 1t
can only be worn for that one play,
and next season is out of date. When
the simplest fashionable gown costs
1925, what must ball gown with cloak,
gloves, fan, slippers and all, come to? |
There was time when comic artists
Joheu dDOuI he SlU.OV pest nat Tor
wives"-the shop that carried $1,000
best hats to-day, would be mobbed-
$4,000 and $4,000 are quite ordinary
prices now.
So the young actress, unless she has
some little means. aside from salary, a
father and mother to visit through the
idle months and so exc that salary
out, is bound to be tormented by the
question of clothes-for she is human
80. 30 L. l.
about her, and besides she knows the
stage manager is not likely to seek out
the poorest dresser for advancement,
when an opening occurs.
Recently some actresses, whose ac- |
knowledged ability as artists should. I |