The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-03-17

theatre remained closed TOT three i nights: then the actress suddenly reeoy- cred. Those on the inside maintain to this day that the star, on being pre- scented with a bill from the cab com pany for a hanson to and from the theatre. claimed that the management should have provided the cab. But this particular manager remained firm It was not So nominated in the bond, he declared, and the star could provide her cab and pay, or break her contract and pay the penalty thereof.
 The most troublesome Of stars is she who backs her own show or secures the financial backing. In this case the manager is in reality merely a figure head, receiving a salary or a certain proportion of the receipts for the use of his name and his managerial abilities. He pays high price for the financial returns, for the star. unless it be oth- erwise stipulated in the contract. is sure to interfere in the management. As the business abilities and experience of the average actress may be repre- scented by zero, her interference surely begets trouble. This was shown by the experience of new star. booked by her manager to play at one of the New York houses noted for it's dignified poli- cy Two weeks before she arrived in ! New York a zealous friend wrote to her that there were no signs of her coming appearance. She was not advertised. l Her paper was not on the walls.
 Directly on receipt of this informa- ] fio17 tho cfa ztf3ao xpac 1,IaNit1cr in RnS- ! ton, called up her manager ill New York, and the wires fairly sizzled. i What was she paying him for? Why was it not heralded upon the walls and { ash barrels and junk piles of New York city that she was coming with her great success? When the manager succeeded in getting in word he ex- plained that the conservative policy of i the house at which she had insisted upon playing would not permit of his putting up any of her paper until the Thursday before she opened. And again she walled: Why am I paying you good money if not to overthrow the stupid policy of such house?" And to this day she planes the failure of her New York engagement upon the fact that she was not properly billed.
 The social life of the actress is al- ways a source of anxiety to her mana ger While popularity in the drawing room helps the box office, it taxes the strength of the star A legitimate star was recently playing in Washington, where she is socially as well as dra- matically popular. She was showered with invitations. ranging from break lasts to cotiIions after the curtain fell. Finally the manager in charge of the show on the road wrote to his chief in l New York that the young woman was ! so tired that her acting was becoming mechanical her voice lifeless and nervous prostration was stalking at her heels. The manager in chief, a man of many affairs, took the next train for ] Washington and had an earnest confer ence with his star. She was the best paying attraction of the season, and he could take no chances on closing the show. Whatever the outcome of the conference, he appeared to be far from satisfied, and on his return to New York the bookings were altered. The young star got course in one and two night stands, instead of week stands. In this way. while she travelled almost continuously, the jumps were easily made in sleeping or drawing-room cars, and she was placed beyond the tempta- ton of afternoon teas, receptions and dances.
 Nervous prostration. dreaded or ali women in private life, is the never fail- i ing ally of the actress. Several seasons back a successful star opened her sea- son with production that was finan- eial and artistic hit, but unfortunately 1 the honors went not to the star but to the leading man. When the star found l that the calcium light was wandering from her own slender figure to that of 1 a mere man she rebelled. The mana ger flew to the city where she was 1 playing. Here was a production that would run all season, a production which had pleased press and people, and he could not afford to close for the 1 mere whim of q woman But the wo- man had mysteries and said she had not worked all these years to give the cen- ter of the stage to her leading man. | The manager did not mind mysteries. He issued his manifesto. The produc- tion would proceed, the actress could play the role or-cancel her contract and give the role to some one else. The star wasted no more time on futile hys- terics. She let the manager return to New York growing over his victory
 and then proceeded to work up fine ease of nervous prostration. The com pany closed abruptly. The actress went to a sanatorium, from which she issued later armed with brand new play in which she held the center of the stage necessarily, and in which she failed signaliy before the season was l half over
 And with such thorns is the golden pathway of the manager strewn. n.--New York Tribune.
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