Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-27

SlaVe," sara IN 'Stberia, Rattle hn
"Old shipmates" and Lura in 'Ro-
many Rye" She even took one short
flight in tragedy, playing the principal
female role In "Oedipus Tyrannus,'
but her limited ability in that direc-
tion checked any ambitions she may
have had, and her work was confined
to the mildly emotional plays of the
period.
A woman of Intelligence and refine
ment, her talents were versatile, and
at the worlds congress of representa-
tive women held in Chicago during
the Columbian Exposition she was
among those selected to speak for the
women of her profession. The 9TH
ers were Helena Modieska, Clara Nor
ris and Julia Marlowe. From Nine
Janauschek, who has since passed
through similar ordeal of penury
and suffering before her death, there
came telegram
In view of the catastrophe which
later overlook Miss Cayvan the ad-
dress delivered by her at the period
of her highest success is fraught with
Significance. Her closing bore unon
the morality of the stage and the wo-
men who follow 1t as profession. She
said
1.-THE question of stage morality
that is an incubus which has clung
to the drama for many years, but the
nineteenth century has luckily dissi-
pated the clouds of mystery and doubt
that surrounded the player, and the
stage has never before numbered so
many worthy women as today. The
stage itself is purer and nobler, but
the publicity of it's life is it's stumbling
block.
"It might seem pertinent to explain
some of the influences that prevent an
actress from being exactly like other
women. Does 1t seem possible for n
woman who has to simulate a varied
assortment of feelings every night to
be like the, woman whose every emo
tion is sincere and natural? A woman
of the stage must lay bare her heart
and soul before the public in order to
present in perfection some type of
woman. The artificial is always dan
gerous to character, whether 1t is the
artificial in society or the artificial on
the stage 1t Is almost menacing to
moral perception to bring the most
sacred impulses of womanhood down
to the level of the commonplace by
constant draft upon them. In every
other profession woman may keep
inviolate the holy of holies of her in
dlviduality. In this alone is the veil
rent, and a sacrificial flame upon her
altar is lighted for the entertainment
of the public. They little realize what
it costs her.
There is an old story of a dancer
who wore about her neck a precious
chain of pearls as she came before the
king; in the midst of the dance the
chain parted, and the pearls were
scattered beneath her flying feet. How
was he to step the measures so gayly
that the king should never know her
care, nor the handsome courtiers smil-
ing lightly down, nor the gentle ladies
looking on in languid grace, and yet
never crush a single snowwhite pearl,
while the cymbals clashed and the wild,
glad music sounded madder and mer-
rier, and the witchery of the dance
dulled her fear and deadened her eau
tion? The exceptional woman of ex
ceptional breeding may, when the
court pageant has passed, count her
pearl chain and find it all complete,
even as those which guarded
women wear 50 proudly. Will you re-
member what 1t costs? Will you think
of the danger-a moment of forgetful-
ness, a careless step, will you help us
by understanding us-help us with
we crush our pearls?"
your sympathy, your inf1uence-lest
When Mrs. Teall blinded by jeal-
ousy, falsely accused the woman whose
name was so dear to her she was deaf
to the appeal which lies in these
words.
ttAte
In another paragraph of the address
she said, speaking of stage women
"a serious obstacle to the develop
ment of the actress, and one which
is peculiar to America, is this: The
personality of the artist is ever made
paramount to her art. For the pub
lie is curious, and the press must per-
force satisfy their curiosity. In this
respect the press reflects the demands
of its readers, as the stage reflects the
taste of it's audiences.
Perhaps the greatest injustice of
the public toward this woman, to whom
it looks for it's happiest recreation, in
this Unsuitable curiosity concerning the
smallest detail of her private life,
which results in culpable carelessness
in circulating sensational and un-
founded rumors, and equally culpa-
BILE credence in accepting without any
investigation any extravaganza of the
penny-a-liner's fancy. The player is
accused of seeking notoriety, when it
is notoriety that seeks the player We
receive letters of Interrogation in
tended to fill out special newspaper ar
When, where and how do you
sew?' Are you afraid of mice?' What
do you want for Christmas?' What
kind of dog do you prefer?'-as if
private preference in such matters had
any bearing OH uramatlc art.
When collie" Teall. met Georgia
Cayvan she was a gracious, successful
woman, glowing with health. He was
rich and popular. He had graduated
from Yale and then gone west and
roughed it. There he organized a cat
tie and mining company, sold the
bonds in New York and so became
wealthy He was a lawyer by pro-
fession and dabbled in politics. After
his Introduction to Miss Cayvan he was
treated with the same genial, unaf-
fectedness of manner that marked her
manner toward other men. He ad-
mired her as many others did. He
was invited to her home and dined
with her family. That was all. But
though he did his utmost to defend
her from the unfair blow struck by his
wife his efforts were futile and Georgia
Cayvan is dead-done to death by
calumny.