The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-07

the wretched adventuressa Well, I want
those tears cut out-theres too many in
the play without them"
Then you will have to cut out the
speech that causes them. Now, listen to
me, please. No one else can study that
part for tonight. This girl is sensitive
hysterical If you like. A play moves her
feelings, and she sheds real tears-she
can't help that-so if you won't cut out
the speech l can't cut out the tears" and
Mr.. Eilser left the stage.
l met Miss Reynolds often afterward,
and always found her pleasant and court
eous to work with. Looking back to that
episode, / now believe she must have
been in receipt of some particularly bright
and reassuring letter that day, and was,
therefore, extra full of tears for the well
fare of her people, who must needs have
loved her with absolute devotion to reach
a tenth part of the adoring love she law
ished upon them.
When Mr.. Joseph jefferson came to US
found his acting nothing less than a
revelation Here, in full perfection, was
the style 1 had feebly. almost bindly
been reaching for. This man-this poet
of comedy as he seemed to me, had so
perfectly welded nature to art that they
were indeed one. Here again found the
immense value of business" the most
minute, the worth of restraint, if you had
power to restrain, and learned that his
perfect naturalness was the result of his
exquisite art in cutting back and train
ing natures too great exuberance.
l was allowed to play "Meenie,' his
daughter, in the play of RIP Van Will
kle," and my delight knew no BOUNDS.
He was very gentle and kind--he gave
me pleasant words of praise for my
work-he was very great, and-and his
| eyes were fine, and approved of his chin,
too, and l was in fact rapidly blending
the actor and the man in one personality.
In the last act, when kneeling at his feet
during our long wait up stage, knelt and
adoredi and he-oh, Mr.. Jefferson-Mr.
jefferson, that l should say it-but you
did hold my fingers unnecessarily close,
| and you made some mild little remarks
that were not in the play, but which NIL
ed my breast with quite outrageous JOY
and pride; indeed, my crop of young at-
fections, always rather a sparse growth,
came very near being gathered into a
small sheaf and laid al your feet.
Fortunately, ! learned in time that there
was an almost brand new wife in the no
tel next door, and 1 looked at him with
big, reproachful. eyes and kept my fingers
to myself, and wisely put off the harvest
| ing of my affections until some distant
| day.
| Mind you, was well within my rights
| in this matter. Girls always fall in love
| with stars-some fall in love with ali OF
| them-but that must be fatiguing; besides,
as said before, my affections were II
such sparse growth they could not &c
round. Yet since 1 could honor thus but
one star, must say that l look back with
| complete approval upon my choice, and
| the shock to my heart did not prevent me
| from treasuring up some kindly words OF
advice from the artist-actor, anent the
making UP of eyes for the stage.
Said he to me one evening: my girl,
I want to speak to you about that make
up you have on your eyes"
Eyes, sir?" 1 answered, interrogatively,
feeling very hot and uncomfortable.
| Have too much on?'
We'll yes" he said; 81 think you have
although you have much less than most
| women wear"
"Oh, yes,' hurriedly interposed.
There was French dancer here who
covered nearly third of her eyelid with
| broad, bhle-blaok band Of pomatum, and
| she said"
"Ohr he protested, IT know, she said
1t made the eye large and lustrous, and
as you see yourself in the glass it does
seem to have that effect; but, by the
way, what do you think of my eyes?"
And with truth and promptness made
answer: II think they're lovely"
My unexpected candor proved rather
| confusing, for, for a moment, he "er-er-
| erd," and finally said: II meant as a fea-
ture of acting. They are good acting eyes
aren't they? Well you don't find them
made-up, do you? Now, listen to me, child
always be guided as far as possible by
nature. When you makeup your face you
get powder on your eyelashes. Nature
made them dark. so you are free to touch
the lashes themselves with ink or po-
made, but you should not paint a great
band about your eye, with a long line add
ed at the cornor to rob II Of every bit OF
expression. And now, as to the beauty
this lining is supposed to bring, some
night when you have time, / want you
to dry little experiment. Make up your
face carefully. darken your brows and the
ashes OF one eye; as to the other eye,you
must load the lashes with black pomade.
then draw a black line beneath the eye,
a broad line on its upper lid and final
line out from the corner. The result will
be an added luster to the makeup eye, a
seeming gain IN brilliancy; but now,
watching your reflection all the time,
move slowly backward from the glass,
and an odd thing will happen. That made
IN eve will gradually grow smaller and
smaller until at a distance much less
than that OF the auditorium. II will really
look more like a round. black hole than
anything else. aud II will be absolutely
without expression. You have an admlra-
bic stage eye; an actors eye, sensitive.
expressive, well opened. It's a pity 20
spoli II with a load OF blacking"
And I said. gratefully: "rll never DO
II again, sir" and ! never have; FIRST.
from respect 10 a great actors opinion
and gratitude for his kindly interest; lat
an. having tried his experiment, from
The conviction that he was right ;and,
anally because my eyes would have sent
lrky rivulets down my cheeks ha1 IN
dulrea 10 black-banded eyes. 70, IN al
tfsss years o. work, Just once IN piaying
a srlclfy. treacheTous, plotting fenele,fhat