The Washington herald., 1908-02-02
HAS HAD WIDE EXPERIENCE
Days of Being the Reigning Stage
Beauty Have Given Her a broad
knowledge OF Life - "CIeopatra,"
Helen" ''Du Barry" and ''AIme.
POmpadOuro Recalled.
Bv LILLIAN RUSSELL.


extent a believer in Christian Science.
Mrs Eddy's teachings are not new.
Much Of her argument is taken from the
Confessions Of Marcus Aurelius." she
has read Buddha and dipped into the
writings Of Confucius. Her doctrines,
badly offered, contain the best of the
teachings Of these ancient wise men. Ex-
cept for injuries. never need a doctor
and never would have one in the house.
Illness I avoid first by taking care Of
myself and, secondly, by never letting
myself think that I am not in the best
Of health.
I think the husbands of America ought
10 erect a monument % Mother Eddy
Just think Of the thousands Of ailing
wives who have made the lives OF hus-
bands miserable by their complainings
and little Illnesses which were purely the
products Of their imaginatiOns until they
heard the doctrines Of Christian Scien-
fists. They no longer whined Perfect
health gives perfect love and content
menL Doctors bills were cut down and
the menfolk had some peace Of mind.
Every woman who goes on the stage
has great need OF a religion
No girl Of sixteen ought To be allowed
To- so To New York who has not a strong
religious influence TO carry her through
temptation, especially if she is beautiful
1t may he convenient education: it may
be Christian Science. IL may be No
hammedanism, OF, anything, II she
knows the difference between right and
wrong and believes in something
should Have Mothers Care.
have faith in something and believe In
It hard. Also. she ought 70 have a moth
eF around
Mothers are good for actresses to have
near them until they are twenty-five.
and after that they are apt to be Il nuis-
ance. The mother of an actress does not
belong on the stage except as a sort Of
maternal policeman. II a woman IS not
old enough 90 leave her mother. as a
general thing she ought TO quit the
stage. The stage is not a BIT worse off
than the department store or the pro-
fessions where women are seeking to
fight their way. 7 have never yet known
of the sirl who could not be good if she
wanted 90.
My experience has been vast and 7
feel that I am entitled 20 speak with
authority. AT Weber & Fields we had
the most notorious chorus in the couu-
JTy. The girls who wanted 10 be good
managed TO do it in spite Of every temp
tatun- / shall never forget one Of the
most beautiful young creatures Of seven
teen, whose mother actually brought her
10 the theater and put her into the
chorus. The girl came 10 me almost
hysteriCal the second night. and, fling
ing herself on her knees before me in
my dressing cried:
Must show Strength.
Oh Miss Russell, is this what I shall
have TO endure here?" and then she told
Inc of having been grossly insulted. It
was an experience which comes to every
girl in musical production on Broadway.
! told her that with her beauty she
would meet with the same thing wher-
ever she went IN the world that she
would be in just dis much danger behind
the counter of a department store or at
the typeWrtter's desk as she was on the
stage
However. the girl who knows what She
wants 20 do is going to do il in spite Of
any advice that I might give. Her great
est safeguard is religion and the knowI-
edge Of right and wrong II she knows
what is right and what is wrong for her
O. do, the rest must be left to her. She
has her choice of good and evil just as
We all have. The responsibility OF the
choice must be her own: and the only
requisite is that she should know what
she is choosing. There is less excuse for
the stage woman 70 so astray than others
who are less independent
[ think that a wOman's financial indie
pendence is her great blessing. I shall
never forget the thrill 1 felt when 7
earned my first money. I had painted q
poinsettia or a black ebony pIauue and
I'm pride was showing it 10 a neigbbor
and she offered ME 50 for it, Ne for the
81 II was the greatest pleasure Of my
life. Soon after that I was earning
money singing at Tony Pastors. with
the first weeks salary $50 I bought a
little gold watch, and I have II to-day.
and prize il as one of my dearest posses
sions.
Women should BE independent.
Independence will keep many women
from saying a fatal Yes" to propossI
Of marriage when they ought TO say No
The man who proposes marriage u9vs q
great compliment 10 a woman bur he
should not be taken seriously. as "A rule
It is not that he is not sincere. or course
he Is He wants YOU so much that he is
actually suffering from temporary .aber-
ration. Now, the woman who is indie
pendent can test this affection-can wait
and determine its lasting value and her
own response. such a woman does not
feel it necessary TO say Yes and in
st8ntly collapse in a mans arms.
Marriage is not an ideal institution as
IL is. I don't want TO give the Impression
that I am a fee thinker / would not
IL.
as il now is is faulty. The idea that as
soon as a man marries you he should as
sume the airs of proprietor and tell
woman where she should 20 and whom
she should meet, and why. especially If
she is a woman of feeling, is irksome
The more mysterious a person is the
more one cares for him or her Marriage
SO often destroys these illusions.
Most Marriages Unhappy.
I think that the responsibility for most
unhappy marriages rests with the woman.
II the woman did not feel that she was
obliged 10 marry there would be no un-
happy marriages. The present condition
of affairs is deplorable 1 believe that
most marriages are unhappy. In most
instances the woman is TO blame for she
accepts a proposal TO marry because she
Is dependent and has 70 have some one
10 take care of her, not because she
loves man, I think that there are
many unhappy marriag caused by men,
who acting under the spell OF their first
physical attraction for a woman, rush
into a premature declara ton Of love |
With such men. just before they pop the