The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-10
OUT OF GERRYS POWER


clutches! That's only an echo of a senti-
ment telegraphed to me by one of several
managers who congratulated me on my
birthday, for you know l was sixteen
last Sunday, and that horrid siciety can t
get after me any more"
Mabel Taliaferro, one of the cleverest
child actresses on the American stage
glanced demurely at her first long dress
as she spoke, rearranged its flowing train
to her satisfaction, and continued TO ex-
ult over her emancipation.
You know it was really my coming
of-age party. for on the stage a girl may
be said TO have reached her majority
when she can go on nightly without being
afraid of injunction, Gerry agents and
all the other disagreeable things that so
with being under sixteen.
Il have been on the stage ever since
1 was two and half years old. My first
appearance was in Blue Jeans From
that time until I escaped its power last
Sunday the Gerry society has done every
thing il could to prevent my appearances.
you know, they have said from the
beginning that / was to delicate for the
stage. 1 suppose that 1 am not specially
robust in appearance. But my mother
has never paid a doctors bill for me in
her life. And there isn't a joke goes
with that either.
The Gerry society picked me out be-
cause 1 was we'll known as child ac-
tress and they wanted TO make an ex-
ample of me Until this year l have
never had very much color, and l re-
member once when 1 was quite a little
girl Commodore Gerry, who was then ac-
lively interested in the society. sent for
me. He gave me one look as mamma
led me into the room and exclaimed:
Why. that child is anaemici Look at
her pallor! she certainly is not strong
enough to bear the strain of a theatrical
performance
Still he did not decide definitely that
they would not give me permit. and he
told me to come back next day. Mother
and l went back, and just before we en-
tered the room she pinched my cheeks.
When Mr.. Gerry saw my high color he
said kindly:
L am afraid little girl you are not
strong enough, then 10 mamma. Your
daughter looks TO me as if she had con-
sumption See that hectic flush
Time and again the Gerry society has
refused to permit me to act. but they
have generally been overruled by the
mayor, with whom the final decision
rested. Mayor Van Nyck and Mayor
Low were both perfectly lovely TO me.
You know the Gerry agents wanted to
create the impression that / was forced
to act AS a matter of fact. 1 have always
had good comfortable home and did
not really need the money I earned. Some
times by their opposition to my appear
ance in New York. they made it neces-
sary for me TO go on the road. And that
was q real hardship. You know the So
ciety has nc jurisdiction outside OF New
York and it IS rally no strain on healthy
child 10 play in New York City.
The children who really suffer are
those who so on the road with cheap
melodramas and play oue-night stands.
This work is too hard for any child and
ought to be stopped. But they are pre-
ciseIy the ones the Gerry society cannot
touch.
Il could tell you of innumerable at
tempts the Gerry society has made %
stop me from appearing when I was per-
fectly well But I will say that MI Gerry
himself was always perfectly lovely. and
once when he refused TO allow ne to-
play an engagement offered 10 pay me
the salary / was TO get out Of hisiz55s
the salary 1 was 10 get all summer out
OF his own pocket.
Only six weeks ago, when I was play
ing in The Little Princess Louis Mann
offered me an engagement in 'Hoch der
Consul at a salary of 800 a week, The
been obliged 10 givedpcysk
Gerry society interfered and I had to re-
fuse IL just because I would have been
obliged to give four or five more per
formances a week than I was giving.
No what 1 am sixteen they can't
touch me. You viii always think Of me
as child actress aud that I will be al
lowed 70 appear only in children's parts
like Mile James, want everybody TO
know that I am grown UP. For you
know l am. Zsily,
Perhaps to prove the truth OF this de-
licious statement Miss Tsliaferro stood
up and gave the writer the fun bentfit OF
her slender length.
Don't you want 20 see my birthday
4resents You know my party was com
plete surprise TO me and received such
lot OF beautiful things. But the very
best present OF all was being sixteen and
feeling that am at last free to do as I
please
During the nineteenth century go ships.
numberless lives and over -. go were
lost in futile efforts to reach the North
Pole