Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-15
Says Success Is Only
Opportunity's Knock
at the Door
Goes on Stage Because She Has to
Earn a Living-Career Furnishes
Encouragement for Girls
With Ambitions
BY Bessie Beatty

production of "The Little Minister"
might almost be induced to believe she
is right.
We have seen Miss Langham in
many minor parts and have agreed
that she has ability. Once when she
was the girl in THE Girl and the
Judge" we caught a glimpse of a young
woman with undoubted talent, but it
was not until she appeared as Lady
Babbie that we really knew what a
charming personality she has.
"The Little Minister was her op-
portunity and success came with it.
1t was desire to learn more of this
little theory of hers which took me to
Miss Langham's dressing room yes
terday afternoon. Before I had seen
her as Lady Babbie l was skeptical.
Indeed I fear can hardly accept the
theory even now and yet am willing
to frankly admit that in this case she
has proved it.
That Brown Hair
When l entered Miss Langham. was
still wearing that blue brocade gown
which she wore in the last act of "The
Little Minister and her beautiful
brown hair which, by the way, is well
worth raving over, was caught loose
ly back from her face and fell in curls
over her shoulder.
She greeted me cordially and frank
ly, but / fear L answered half me-
chanically-I was still under the spell
of her Babbie and, to tell the truth,
the feeling did not vanish during the
hour / spent with her.
Babbie as she appears in the last
act, when she has changed from the
care-free child of the woods to the
beautiful, winsome woman, is not un-
like the Margaret Langham whom her
friends know off the stage. l guessed
as much long ago but never really
knew it until yesterday afternoon.
AS / looked at her L pictured her
presiding over a quaint tea table with
blue cups just matching the blue of
her dress and the numerous other little
things that one always associates with
brocade gowns and long curls.
Over the Teacups
All this L pictured and then, wonder
of wonders, the impossible happened.
My daylight dream became reality.
/ did not tell her of it. and did not
even mention tea, when out from a
tiny little cupboard hitherto unnoticed
came q quaint little teapot and some
blue cups and saucers.
/ could hardly believe my eyes. AL
most as if they were made to fit into
my picture, it seemed.
A moment later kettle, equally
diminutive, was occupying a warm
spot on q gas stove of the pocket size,
and that most inviting of all songs,
the tune of the bubbling water, was
whispering of tea.
Even the little plate of fancy cakes
was not wanting and whether it was
because it was unexpected, or for what
reason 1 know not, tea never was
quite so delicious.
Tea and conversation are not synon-
ymous but there is a wonderful con-
Meeting link between them, and in the
next hour 1 learned much of the life,
hopes and ambitions of this most am
bilious young person.
Three Treasured Photos
While she was putting the finishing
touches to the tea table L glanced
around her dressing room. 1t is an
| interesting little box of a place more
like workshop than anything else
Unlike the dressing rooms of most OF
the stage folk. it is bare of pictures
with the exception of three beautiful
photographs bearing affectionate in
scriptions one of Annie Russell, one
of Mrs. Patrick Campbell and one OF
Mrs. Gilbert.
All three women have been personal
friends of Miss Langham and these
| three photographs are among her most
| treasured possessions
The working tools of an actress, in
Guiding makeup boxes, occupied most
convenient places on neat little dress
ing table.
| | was disturbed in my survey of the
dressing room by a will you have
cream or lemon in your tea?" from
Miss Langham.
1t is supposed to be an undisputeo
, fact that actresses can talk of nothing
, but themselves and their work. l fol
one will never believe it again, for
have seldom had more difficult task
than that of trying to get Margaret
Langham to talk shop.
Why on the Stage
| We discussed books and pictures
flowers and the country, people in al
walks of life and anything and every
thing but the one thing which was tc
| give me story.
1t was all so delightful but 1 felt like
small boy playing truant from school
at really must get a story said al
last in desperation. "Tell me of youl
work Tell me how you happened tc
go OH the stage-what you expect tc
accomplish and the hundred and onf
other things that people want tc
| know"
II went on the stage because l hac
| TO earn a living" she said in the mos
frank and simple manner possible.
1t might have been much more ro'
mantle if she had said it was because
she had deep feeling that the worlc
and the stage would be better for the
touch of her young genius, but thai
would not have been like Margaret
Langham. She prefers to be frank arit
the poor old world is to be congrat'
| ulated.
Loves Her Work
"I was never stage struck and wen
on the stage with my eyes open, realiz.
| ing that it would mean years of hare
work if l was ever to achieve anything
worth while" she continued. II love
my work and every year my determine
alton to get nearer the top becomes
more fixed.
"The life of an actress is busy one
From morning until late at night there
is little time for anything but work
and especially is this true in a stock
company"
You made your beginning in New
York, did you not, Miss Langham"
asked.
"Yes. am a Chicago girl and