The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-09
oNE RECRUIT THE DRAMA LOST
.rALE or STAGE DREAMS AND 4
LITTLE GIRLS AWAKENING.

LITTLE ulnLS hWAnENsNU.
s,. was Fifteen ard Il lid Seem Easy ~
in Itica 10 He Praised and Pictured
Ike the Poster Maids-So she Camo
r. tn, but she's Glad 70 Go Home.
Small towns and small heads may house
rr.st ambitions. Utica Ia not among the
largest OF the Empire States cities, and
N,,Ie 0olde Thompson. Utica born and
hred il only is years old. She is just 4
.cbool girl and looks it-slightly overgrown,
angular. yet with . promise Of gracefulness;
nth black hair. deep dark eyes, and eye
hrovs clear cut and black as II drawn
9TH A pencil. And ambitions she had,
like greater folk.
R,t she doesn't care to hear anything
.hou, her ambitions just now Whatever
others may think Of them. they seem foolish
and futile to her in view OF experience.
And Ave short days wrought the change.
This is Goldie's story:
Her mother died years ago, and she lived
all her life with her father. the blacksmith,
her wrinkle-faced old grandmother and
her little brot her. 1t was SO good homo
10 build up an ambition
1t began probably with an amateur
theatrical ertainment or church fair
or other event in Utica at which abe cav
Young woman talking and behaving
yerv strangely, with her hair falling free
over her shoulders and her large eyes
staring into empty space. The young
woman was acting, and the programme
said she was 0phela.
After that there were posters. They
offered plenty OF food for dreams, though
thew were haring and coarse and intru-
sive. Remembrance Of the stage Ophetia
10 on the stage it wasn't the usual poster
kind OF an actress she wanted to be.
Frederick Thompson, the blacksmith
of "a Hickory street, Utica knew nothing
Of what was going on In his daughters
mind. The old grandmother was plagued
at times by questions that she hardly under
stood and to which she could give no salts
factory answers. So for whilo, Goldie's
ambition remained q smoldering fire.
What made it break into flame was
an acquaintance she formed with a Mrs
Morris, who settled down in Utica with
her two children. One of these, a girl
of the same age, became Goldie's dearest
friend The other was baby.
Now, Mrs. Morris knew all about the stage
and acting and Ophelia. She had an ambi-
qualification in order that her daughters
chances might not be spoiled. And abe
told Goldie that she thought her almost as
we'll fitted for triumph on the stage as her
own child
That settled it. From that time Goldie
thought OF nothing but acting and beauti-
full costumes and applause-for Mr. Morris
that come to those who win the public
praise, T.
When Mrs. Morris announced last week
that she was coming to New York to put
her own daughter on tho Stage, it was
clear to Goldie that she rust 60 along or
die Of disappointment, She had saved up
enough money to pey her fare and she be-
sieged her friend With prayers to take her
along. The cider woman. more kind than
wise, finally consented.
They reached New York last Friday even
ing-Mn Morris, her two children and Col
dle-and went straight to the Abingdon
lHotel, where they took a room for the night
rtion. Early next morning the three eldest
started out to find tho opportunity which
they were sure was waiting for them.
Mrs. Morris knew all about it. They had
sn0reLY to see q theatrical agent. IL was
only a question: Of a place In the chorus to
bea;n WIN. hut what might It not lead TO in
The end?
They called ON one agent. on manv-on
every one in town. 40 il seemed to Goldie,
as the day wore on and she grew limp with
the fatiu,ie OF much walking. And nothing
came ont Of IL all At night they returned
10 the hotel tired out. Then Mrs. Morris
confessed that she had not the money to
stay another day unless she wanted to Use
what she had reserved for her fare back to
JTtica That she did not dare do And
she had no money for Golciie's fare.
So that same night Mrs. Morris and her
children took a train for Utica Goldie went
70 the station with them and saw them
az She did not cry. She returned to
the hotel with dry ewes and bra We manner.
But when abe reached her room
Mrs, Morris had told her that all she had
to do was 70 stay in the hotel until money
came. saving to the people there that her
mother-that is Mrs Morris-would be
back in a few days. Godie stayed, but
she did not dare leave her room. She did
not dare even to ask for food
All Sunday she cried. She was hungry,
she was afraid And her ambition had been
broken and crushed. In one day she had
learned more than was good for her peace
of mind. The people in the hotel grew
anxious on her behalf and sent up mes
sen gers to ask if she were sick or needed
ANYTHING.
n
It,t,n oil rtfy and mot ia