Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
GOSSIP About Plays Players and PldyhOuses

discovered and her place is equally quickly
taken by another From my personal en-
peflence believe the stage is as free from
temptations as any other profession a
young woman might follow. l am so thor
ouehly satisfied with stage life that shall
continue to appear behind the footlights
aurlng the coming season and ] assure you
that " the life was as horrible as Ii Is
GAINED BY some people, 1 would have given
~ UP AT the end OF my first weeks ex-
perience.
Helen Hines, sister Of Elsie, knows Il
is hard work and good behavior that wins
success on the stage. Speaking Of her
own experience, she says:
began my stage career at very tender
age, 1 took up dancing as an art and
round II most fascinating. / learned little
OF the darker side OF the profession, be-
cause, presume, have always had a
member Of my family to chaperone me.
When young women are susceptible TO the
Establishments of the "chapples" l have
discovered that IL a young woman wishes
70 maintain her dignity she has only to
assert 1t. OF course, II you encourage the
attentions Of men they will not be slow
hand, II you behave yourself as a woman
should there Is little or no danger TO be
encountered. I have been on the stage over
first Insult from a man. believe that a
girl can be as much of a woman on the
stage as she can in promenading the prIn-
city. II all depends with herself. In my
have found the vast majority Of Them
earnest and hard working people, ever
ready for a harmless bit of fun but always
quick to discern the line of propriety. l
Believe that managers, as rule, are be-
necessity of having real men and women
In their organizations aud that the time is
rot far distant when the immoral ones
will be relegated to other walks In life.
-
Mrs. Barney Gilmore, herself fine ex-
ample of woman on the stage, talks very
sensibly on the topic. She says:
AS far as / can see there seems to be a
out OF the chief cause OF the Thaw tragedy
But by just what process Of strablsmic
reasoning this is to be accomplished l am
waiting somewhat amusedly TO see, Tor
II ever there was plain and straightfor-
ward case of moral laXity, 1t Is here to be
found. The thing that offends most OF us
who follow the theatrical career Is the
idiotic atetmpt on the part OF a parcel OF
narrow minded and bigoted individuals TO
place the initial blame upon the theatrical
professional life. only those who know
nothing OF the stage could write such
twaddle. No young woman who cares 10
preserve herself need fall victim 50 TO
the wiles of the men who pursue 90 the
women of the fOotlightS. l have seen con-
siderable Of theatrical life and l have yet
to find a greater percentage Of bad women
than any other profession. If the wife OF
the murderer in this case traces her
troubles to the stage, she IS merely stIlV-
ing for the sympathy of those who look
upon the theater as the place of all evil.
Unfortunately, It is true that the major
ity of young and foolish men with more
money than Intelligence will strive to form
an acquaintance with a girl whom they
would not look at II she were not upon the
stage, but this is hardly to be charged to
the stage itself, but more properly TO the
foolishness Of men. If Miss Nesbit, VINO
was, is content to shelter herself behind
the erroneous opinion of the public and the
hysteria of the mawkish sentimentaltsts, II
is perhaps, her own business, but just
why the mental shortcomings of the &C
cused man should be traced back to the
footlights seems hard of comprehension
1t is a safe rule to make that good
woman will remain good in spite of the
Establishments of the idle rich young men,
and the woman who is lacking in moral
stiffness will become lax whether she car
ries a spear in the chorus or rolls cigarettes
in a tobacco factory. Probably when the
truth becomes known 1t will be seen that
the whole regrettable affair may be traced
TO the workings of a small feminine mind
that sought to arouse unwarrantable Jeal-
ousy in the mind of none too Intelligent
husband, who was regretting his choice OF
q helpmeet.
Fannie Farron is another woman who
has seen much of life on the stage and
knows what she is talking about when
she says: sHt.1. "el
Having been practically born of the
stage, l feel that am quite well qualhed
TO express an opinion. Since my early
childhood L have followed the profession