The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-08-18
ONE ORDEAL OF The ACTRESS.
CLARA NORRIS TELLS OF INSULTS
sHE MUST ENDURE.
Terrsr and Humiliation ss the walk ~
Nsht From Theatre to Home
Men Drunk ~ and seoer-A Gallant.
Tspsy Trio An Otd Wenian's hebuke-

fcsfvrfyn. 1901. ~ = = Mcclure csrspsst
Since tho publication OF my sutobiog-
raphy a veritable cloud Of letters has de-
scepded upon me-snch friendly. kindly.
senerous letters they are, too. and when
the writers are young they ask ques-
tions, several Of which are put with such
pcruistency. such frequency that thcy
secm 10 indicate a general curiosity about
certain features Of theatrical life. In
difference TO that feeling ! make honest
though possibly inadequate answer TO
them.
BEGINNING Of the nnf ono then: What
n the most unpleasant experience In the
daily life Of . young actress' without
pause for thought and most emphstioally.
too, I answer: Her passage unattended
through city streets at night h made un-
alloyed misery through terror and hu
Mutations. The backwoods girl makes
her lonely way through the forest by blazed
tres, but the way Of the lonely girl through
the city streets IL marked by blazing bushes
II N an infamy that a girls honesty
should not protect her by night a. well
a. by day. Those hideous hyenss OF the
midnight streets are never deceived Nv
enc glance they can distinguish between
q sood woman and those poor. wandering
shosss Of dead modcsty and honor. who
6it re~tle~@ly Jack and forth from dark
alley to bright gas glare But bring one
Of these men TO hook and he will declare
chat Decent women have no right To be
IN the street after nightfall. as though
citizens were to maintain public highways
for the sole use one half the time Of all
the evil things that hide from light to creep
out at dark and meet those companions
Who are fair by day and foul by night.
Some girls never learn TO face the home
ward walk with steady nerves. others
grow used TO the swift approach, the rap
idly spoken word and receive them with
est, stony face and deaf ears-but oh,
the terror and the shame OF u at hrst! And
this horror Of the night takes % many
forms that " IL hard TO say which one 10
the most revolving hard 20 choose be-
tween the vile innuendo whispered by .
sober brute OF the roared ribaldry OF .
drunken beast
In one respect I differ from most Of INV
companions in misery. since they almosi
Invariably fear most the drunken. while
I ground my greater fear OF the sober man
upon the simple fact that ! cannot outrln
him a. | can a drunken one AT a pinch,
One night In %returning home from a per
formance Of Divorce. a very lOnR play
that brought me into the street extra late,
q shrieking man flew across my path, and
rs n second rushed after him with knife
uplifted for a deadly blow. hls foot caught
IN mine. He pitched forward. the knife
sank into his victims arm instead OF hi-
hack. NJ he had intended. and with the
cries OF Murder -Police!- ringing in
my ears. 1 ran a. II were a murder.ss'
The-~ things are in themselves a high price
to pay for being an actress.
Had a friend. an elderly relative Of one
of our greatest actors. who for indepen-
denc.'s sake taught music. One night she
n played at a concert and was return
inr home. Taii and slight and heavily
yei,ed she walked alone. There suddenly
.npear.d a Withholding Young son Of
Reiial. undoubtedly a gentleman by day
iisht He timed his hat and twirled His
mustsche; she turned away her head.
He cleared his throat. she seemed quite
daaf He smoke: he called her grille
She walked faster. so did h He pro-
,es,.d ale should not walk alone. She
ston,..d
Mil Won plea~p allow me 20 walk home
In peaceS-
do. and suddenly sh. answered: Very
~.n than 4 acrep, YOUR e.cort. though
vnde, nro,es, :
Surpr,~ed. he walked NJ her side. The
xav Was long. the silence. grew painful
Ne ventured 10 suxges, supper. as they
na~.ed A restaurant, but she gently declined
a, las, she stopped directly beneath n gas
i.mp and from her facs, with .orrow-
hoiloxed ewes and temples. where every
one 81 ,hc seven, y-six wears had been
etAlnptu IN Nfntl lHff hUu frtar'a ~ NfhihF.
ehe lifted up the veil and raised her sad
old eycs reproachfuIly TO his. lie staggered
bsck turned red. turned white. stammered.
go ~ his hat ATTEMPTED Ia apologize.
then turned and fed
and what asked. did YOU saw to
h,mss
say sayY- she r,pea,ed. Justice need
mn, .Ie cruel. WHY add ANYTHING TO the
sisb, Of ,Li.,- And sha drew a finger
dewn her withered cheek
T, was said with laughing bitterness
Tor .he had hsen very fair AMI w~ell-guarded.
Too. In The distant past. while then could
I'm, catch her tired hands and kis. them
a. n bnrs, ~ pity. tnat this elderly gentle
wor,an uiyh, moi walk in peacc ,hrours
the c,,v streets. because fate had left her
Si,ho,,; a nro,.c,or.
anrsai ~ n Policeman think acme
a.vs of course m Inc In about. hut
S.c.iI ,Sa, ,,nous ola recirr of Mn Glass:
scsr., catch vour hare. and then
m,, h.liev, mo they rarely appear to-
s.,hsr your ,ormen,or OF women and
~o,,r noliccnan unless. indeed. the former
y'un p,aiv a. I,nnor And what GOOD h he
= $500 shame will prevent your
u.sar,ns ayains, him silence and srsssd
n..aI, ,ha RS, def.nsiye weapons
~ sri.h,.n.d lonelx yirl
onca ,Srn,gh night fatigue and shame
-, ali self-con,ro and turning 20 the
,..,,rn xhom \ couId no, on " 1 cried
S,,h ~ n lam 40 tired. 80 frightened
-t,H 49,