The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-14
Bessie Stephenson to Make First
Appearance This Fall.
BECOMES ACTRESS BY CHOICE
Has Long Thought of Going on the
Stage, and Does So With the Ap-
provai of Her ReIatives-Ex-
poets to Succeed.

IL IS possible that the ambition OF ona
pretty self-reliant girl. who Is relativs
OF the great irourna ster might have, in
d measure, Interested him in the project.
+ acts OF less Importance than this have
lnhuenced great undertakings and a
fetching lass Is a fact that cannot be
reckoned with lightly. Miss Bessie Steph-
enson. who is a cousin of the magnate,
will make her first appearance on tha
stage this season.
She is a daughter of r II Stephen
son. uncle by marriage. of Mr.. Car
negie, and who was until his death a
few years ago, one of Mr.. Carnegie.s
right-hand men in the conduct of his
great steel business.
HIS FIRST COUSIN.
Miss Stephenson is, therefore. first
cousin to the great ironmaster and has
all her life been a great favorite of his.
She received her early education at Mrs.
Hamilton's School for Girls In Allegheny.
and then went to Vassar, where sha
gradtafed with high honors in the class
of 1879 almost Immediately upon gradual
ton. she and her mother went abroad and
remained there until about five or six
weeks ago.
Now she Is to have a small ingenue
part in Augustus Thomass well-knowr1
play. ION the Quiet and she hopes to
make as great a. success of her role as
Mr. Carnegie did as an iron master.
So many girls of aristocratic lineage
and wealthy parents have gone on the
stage in the last year or two that this
announcement of one giving up social
frivoIities for the hard work behind TIA
footlights no longer causes any sensation,
but it is doubtful If any girl ever has gons
on the stage whose financial connections
were such as Miss Stephenson's.
WILL MAKE HER WAY.
But she has no intention of depend
ing upon her distinguished relatives's
fame 70 rher stage success.
Z want to make my way u on my
own abilities and the merits of my
ewn acting, she said to me the other
cay L have not gone into the thea
trical profession without a long and care
full consideration of all the advantages
and disadvantages. may not succeed
at all. l certainly have no wild hopes
OF becoming q Mrs. Leslie Carter or an
Ellen Terry in one season. In fact.
I haven't any too sanguine hope that [
shall ever se a wonderful actress. but
think I have it in me to be good one
and I am going to give myself a fair
length of time to see whether or not [
am right.
''Of course I'd like to be great and
famous and all that. and to achieve such
things is my ambition. but who wouldn't
like it? Every one would. just as natu-
IA lily as everyone breathes. but what [
mean. IS that [ am not going to con-
slider that my whole life is ruined il I
cont achieve this ambition, as so many
girls say when they start out on stage
career
WHY ON THE STAGE
How did you come to agree 10 so on
the stage?"
.sWhy. for some time I had been think
Ing about doing it and a few days after
my return from Europe I met Mr. Rey
noids, who is TO be the manager of the
I am to play with and whom
have known for a great many years. In
q talk over what 1 had been doing all tho
time I had been away and of my plans
for the future. lfr. Reynolds asked If
Fad ever thought of going on the stage
Nhen I said that l had considered it ha
made me an offer to join
HI; company. The star OF it. together
with his wife. have also been friends o,
mine and OF my mothers for many years.
and for these reasons l could never again
hope TO have an equally pleasant and pro-
ritious chance, and therefore [ accepted
the role.
What did Your relatives say when you
luroUuced your intention?'
hey euLtEeu no tpls|tlUil "HdlSNtL--l
had so often talked of going upon the
stage that they We're quite prepared for
re to do so. and Mr.. Carnegie has also
told me that he approved of my doing so
f ! wished.
DC you think your action will make
my difference in your social position?
I'm sure | can't see why it should
The education, refinement and breeding
,s the actors and actresses of to-day Ia
tu..e on a par with that existing in any
,ccial set in the world. and think the
inc has past when anyone looks down on
he members of the theatrical profes-
;ion y
AN ENTHUSIASTIC GOLFER.
Like MIR. Carnegie. STiss Stephenson is 2
most enthusiastic golfer She pays ID,
,norts we'll but she is particularly fond
n golf and bowling. and when she was
J. y-assar she was reck0ned one of the.
~. hest in the college Al these two
:ports. as we'll as much above the aver
igs ability. During her years OF travel
broad Miss Stephenson studied music un-
s,- some of the most famous masters, and
lnr technique in piano pidSi'i- 10
bic in consequence
For success on the stage. there are two
rhine reduisiteS-heauty and ability 70
III OF the first Miss Stephenson GER
4i1Tv has a full share and Judging from
,or characteristics she also has ability 70
Sna * about five feet four or five inches
nj with beautifully proportioned fig
,rs plump but not In the least to be
.t;fe3 fat. Her hair is dark brown. almost
Tack in fact. and she has a lr!xuriant
rofUsou OF it.
HER DARK RRoWS EYES
Her eyes are dark brown. like her hair
nd complexion. and while Mr.. Carnegies
r.. blue there is an expression in his
ousin's which reminds one forcibiy OF the
rcs;t irormaster- 1t is in her jaw and the
neral contour of her face that Miss
e phensou shows most clearly her resenl-
lance to Mr.. Carnegie. and it is marked
noGgiI 10 cause anyone who is at all well
c.euainted with the millionaire to imme-
lateiy see that he and the young aspi-
mt for histrionic honors are descended
-nrl the same parent tree.
The canns cautiousness of her Scotch
ncestors betrays itself in Miss Steph-
nson's conversation for she speaks slow
y aud with an evident weighing of her
words Still she is good conversations.
list and her travels abroad give her