The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-02-10
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in my natural voice ANY charger" and
pushed back my veil 20 sign the book.
/ heard an exclamation OF surprise. and
turning around saw my curious friends
gazing al me. with unconcealed looks OF
disappointment and chagrin. | grinned
mischieviously recognizing two or my
neighbors In the dining room that noon.s
When ! was playing I'm Madame Butter
ny' I had many amusing experiences,
but none that ! enjoyed half as much as
this one. Everyone seems TO appreciate
the humour or II but Nellie, who thinks
friends In the hotel dining room again to-
day and the lady looked 40 uncomfort-
able that hadn't the heart to smile. al
At this point Miss Bergere's little bull
dog Billy jumped up at her makeup
table. searching wildly for something and
Miss Bergere's attention was drawn to
pin" she explains. "He plays with every
one he can find and keeps me buying
them all the time. Then resuming her
talk with me, while she started to don
her makeup for o Chicka San. she said,
How do you like his japanese wife,
and then before I could respond she con-
tinued enthusiastically, II just love IL. !
am very grateful TO Japanese roles. for
Madame Butterfly first brought me into
prominence and the theatre going public,
when they are kind enough TO remember
me al all. think or me as Identified with
that and when | first went into vaude-
Vile | wanted 10 play some thing Japan
ese. But the trouble | had In getting
suitable Japanese sketch japanese
sketches are not common. and the few
that were submitted to me we're not prac-
tical for vaudeville or else hopeless.y bad
for any purpose. SO ] to)S the ether
sketches, and while / met with very
pleasing success in them j wasn't salts
ned and never gave up the idea of,hay-
ing a Japanese sketch.
Then the plot OF His Japanese Wife
came 10 me. and | Immediately hurried
with IL 10 the author. and together we
developed IT, / had no intention of play.
ing il this season, but few weeks ago
was taken I'll on the train from Den
yer 20 New York. | was TO open in
Brooklyn the following Monday and was
trying TO get well and strong enough TO
open In three days. When 1 arrived the
japanese sketch. ] was aghast. Even
a half-hour vaudeville sketch couldn't be
gotten ready in three days, but he begged
me so much that ! finally consented.
I'm all of my vaudeville acts have al
ways been most careful as TO detail In
producing them, doing all my own stage
directing. My maid and hunted through
every Chinese and Japanese store in New
York, and spent hours in Chinatown.
looking for curios, and at the same time
getting points. When 1 talked To them
In the Japanese dialect It pleased them
immensely. and they put themselves out
10 be nice to me. / found the Quaintest,
and absolutely fireproof. incense burner
on one OF my trips. and discovered the
dear little Chinese pipe in tiny, little
store, and I'm between my expeditions
hunting for these things dug down into
my trunks and brought out several OF my
kimonas I had worn In Madame Butter
fly particularly one that Is a favorite
of mine. that took the prize at Yokohama,
all embroidered in orchids and Of peculiar
shades.
Then we rehearsed. and how we did
work 20 get the act In good shape for
Monday, for | had vowed that L shouldn't
play Il unless IL was thoroughly prepared.
But the next week the critics were kind
enough 10 say OF II that IL deserved TO
be rated with Madame Butterfly i just
love the role and I feel that IL is one OF
the best things / have yet done-certain-
ly the best | have done i'm vaudeville.
Experiment is a dear. but l just revel
In His japanese Wife.
When | contracted 10 appear in Provi
dence I originally intended To play Jim
my's Experiment, but ! decided that the
Providence people who might remember
me were entitled TO the best I could give
them OF course, His Japanese Wife is
more expensive. as | carry a larger com
pany, but Manager Lovenberg agreed
with me that nothing is too good for
Keith patrons, 50 he paid and here j
am"
At this moment the call boy announced
on, and | rose to take my leave OF tie
fascinating o Chicka San, as she had now
become, carrying away with me the mem
ory Of a delightful half hour and "A mum
ber OF very pretty flowers gracously
given me by Providence's favorite act
ress.
THE MATINEE GIRL.