Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-12-13

Young Theatre-GOers Corrupted
by Them.

Gently confronted with half a dozen
small-boy offenders, took the opportun-
ity of deliberately a scribing thedeprav-
ity of the young idea to the influence of
trashy and pernicious theatres. This
was rather daring and original thing
to do. 1t is not likely that any Judge in
these enlightened Eastern parts would
commit himself so boldly.
In these cheap plays the young idea
sees nothing but monstrosities of virtue
and monstrosities of vice, both ignobly
repellent. 1t often happens that boys
and girls get more ''fun' out of the
heavy villain, who simply exudes crime
and infamy from every pore of his hide,
than they do from the hero, who is al
ways spouting monotonous Trades, or
from the heroine, who goes about the
world trying to be ruined, and then
howls when she Is ruined. If you have
ever seen such joyous offerings as
Nellie, the Beautiful Cloak Model. -
Edna, the Pretty Typewriter, -
Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl, -
mo Mother to Guide Her," etc., etc.
land, of course, you haven't), you will
be able to realize the particular brand
OF mental pabulum that is offered to un-
iedged boys and girls anxious to spend
an evening out.
Ihave probably covered" more than
hundred of these shows, and unhesitat-
ingly assert that have eryet found
one that had single meritorious at
tribute. have been lured to the thea
tres by the titles of the pieces, but
there's nothing in a name. They're all
alike. Sometimes the atrocity of virtue
and the malevolence of crime are inter-
larded with "specialties.
But it is the lovely heroine who. to
my mind, justifies most poignantly the
structures of the Western Daniel. She
appeals to all the poor girls in the audi
ence, or tries TO do so, because she is
so aggressively good, and makes such a
terrible fuss about being good. The
object of all these plays is to prove that
if you happen to be born girl you are
up against all sorts civilians, betrayers
and desperadoes. OF course, you must
be poor. The female villain is always
rich, and gorgeously gowned, and con-
spring with the male malefactors. The
better her clothes, the more infamous
her behavior.
The heroine wears simple gown, gets
a position to keep and support mother
and the children. and then begins the
fight with masculine evil. Her employers
always kiss her and take her out to
"'wine suppers," and threaten to dis
charge her if she kicks. She is so
beautiful! She is plump, and good, but
such an internal bore. Sometimes YOU
feel quite sorry for all those employers
who have nothing better to do than
cart around such bump-on-a-log.
But this is not the view taken by the
sixteen-and seveenteen-year-old girls
who inspect these Incidents. Most of
them are working girls. EIf they happen
to be as homely as hedge-fences, they
will assuredly look at their employers
next day in the light Of possible runners.
They regard themselves as Nellies and
Ednas, and Berthas tit is the mission OF
these rank plays to induce such senti-
ments), and they will look for trouble
until they find it. These cheap plays
never inculcate the doctrine that if a
girl attends to her business she will, in
ninety-nine cases out of hundred, dis.
cover that employers are appreciative,
sympathetic and purely platonic.
A platonic employer does not exist ir
the cheap theatres. He is wretch
first. because he is rich, and, secondly
because he is willing to pay salary t.
a girl. Most of these "heroines" seen
to work so hard to be ruined that they
have ne time to do any typewriting
They are skirmishing around for trouble
and deliciously miserable. The type
writer, in the cheap theatre and tn
comic papers, clicks out the swanson,
of feminine virtue. You never hear O
heroine typing without feeling pei
fectly convinced that she is gettin
kissed on the sly. 1t is most extra
ordinary thing. No heroine on tn
stage is allowed for one moment 10 ear
a living by typewriting. Sometime
thepoor thing tries to write few wore