The San Francisco call., 1904-07-10

she insisted that 1 should
What did she think about the other
thing?" I asked.
oh, mammals real sensible" re-
marked her daughter "She said: If
YOU want TO study for the stage 1 sup
pose you'll not be content until you
do. so go ahead'-only mamma doesn't
say go ahead she laughed. I studied
for three years at the Chicago Musical
College"
-Ah. that accounts for it," 1 said.
Accounts for what?" Miss Rawson
inquired Then she laughed, '-Oh. my
accent Yes, know. It's better than
it was, though"
But why didn't they tell you about
il at college?"
I suppose they didn't notice it
they're Middle West themselves, you
know she slyIy explained. But.
really. it is better than it was. Mr..
Reeves Smith. with whom I played a
good deal. was tremendously particular
about those things. He himself is
English-and so English"
Now the whole mystery's out"
cried. Mixed with the broad burr of
again a peculiar purity that had puz-
zled me at her debut here on Monday
last. and again a fieeting over-the-seas'
eXaggeration.
Yes" she nodded brightly. 4 learn
ed a good deal from Reeves Smith Do
you know. 1 couldn't even hear that 1
was different from the others? l can
hear n0w-there's a word. Such fun
and trouble I used TO have with it
here Heah' is something like, but
what 'heerrre' used to give it,
Did Mr. Reeves-Smith teach you
how TO use your voice may 1 say it is
very charming one?"
DO you think so? 1 am so glad
the girl cried, laughing and blushing
with pleasure. She is as admirably ma
tural of the stage as on. Miss Raw
son tucked her hands around her knees
again then to explain: That's my
hobby. I'm crazy about voices. That
is what I notice first, last and ali the
time with actors. I used to study with
a singing teacher in Chicago-just for
the speaking voice"
They're the same" interjected.
And every time we heard of any
thing new in the use Of a voice we used
10 discuss ii, try it. Reeves Smith has
a fine voice-an English people seem to
have. He says it is the climate. 1
think ii must be. remember going to
see Mrs. Campbell-isn't she beauti-
ful?"
Beautiful" the chorus at the other
end OF the lounge agreed.
Her voice-ah, there's a voice." the
young woman cried. But it was not
Mrs. Campbell's voice that so amazed
me. There was a tiny, frail girl play
ing with her-looked as though
breeze would blow her away But
when she came TO speak, There was
the same great, beautiful voice, and
they all had it. I said 10 myself in de-
spair, It's English, but 1 went back
just the same TO my studies, deep
breathing and the rest"
'BravO." 1 said. and after asked how
long she had been on the stage.
-Four years" she confessed. and
then with a sly gleam in her soft blue
eyes repeated: -Four years, and not
a star yet"
And what do we want to do?" 1
queried, after telling her that 1 saw
no reason why she should not be a
star some day
Miss Rawson's eyes twinkled more
decidedly then as she said: Il want
to do parts like Miss Crosman, romp-
ing, buoyant comedy parts-now isn't
that ridiculous for a tall thing like
me?"
Nell Gwynnes and things?"
Nell Gwynnes and such"
We'll, wonder" 1 said From Miss
Rawson's work at the Alcazar this
week I should set her down as some
thing approaching the Annie Russell
type. But then one never knows.
And about Shakespeare"
Miss Rawson looked at me out the
corner Of her eye, hesitated and then
flung at me: L don't want TO act Ju-
liet. 1 don't even like to see the play.
1t seems strained to me, unnatural"
Perhaps you have never seen it
greatly acted?'
Perhaps not-I have not in fact"
But about the rest-now that we
have confessed our sins?" I laughed
What about Beatrice?"
Slowly she owned then that she
would like to try at Beatrice, Katherine
perhaps. and Rosalind.
But / so like strength in a part"
the actress decided, Il think of all the
things L have seen, certainly all that
Mrs. Fiske has done, I should prefer
to see her Tess Of the D'UrbervilIeS
again. There is a tremendous strength.
And don't you think that it is splen-
didly emphasized by the apparent
weakness Of the character at the begin
ming Of the play?"
Surely"
What an actress Mrs. Fiske isl 1
admire her So" she said. Il think that
she knows more about the art than any
woman on the American stage"
No doubt of it," from the chorus.
1t seems, seeing her. that one should
Immediately know all about it, doesn't
it?" she asked, a thoughtful chin in
her hand. But one has to learn for
ones self. You see, you hear. things
are drummed into you. and suddenly