The San Francisco call., 1908-03-01

her father and mother have
J. l. cleared before. her reluctant
feet2 To what extent should
permit the pre3udices of others a
place in my life? # I. choose TO work
and accomplish something. in however
humble q field. should I be .dissuaded
by the parental voice?e
It was Miss Zoe Barnett of the
Princess company who asked those
questions We had been chatting in
The business Office OF. the light opera
home. and she had waved before my
admiriRg eyes a temper as. vividly tri-
colored as the banner. Of the .Is original
states. Do you know Zoe Barnett? If
you 90 not. permit me to boast OF an
advantage; for I do. and esteem the
privilege Of the acquaintance frankly
as q married man should
She had been telling me about the
difficulty she had encountered in get
ting the consent Of her. father. and
mother TO take up a life of mimetic
toll Just now Miss Barnett is q
member Of the Princess cast. She may
later join the ranks Of those who have
found the favor Of san Francisco a fine
foundation for large fame abroad. In
deed. I think she viii. She; is p years
old, glutton for work. surcharged
with western pluck and enthusiasm,
serenely happy in present achieve
ments. ambitious for greater. and she
Is her own most active and relentless
critic Yet the career which she has
chosen is sad contrast TO the life Of
comfort her father and her mother
planned in their southern California
home
Those are awkward questions TO put
to a man Of family" 1 said in tardy re-
ply 10 the Ibsen questions first quoted.
"of course. you should have obeyed
your parents and remained at home.
You might this minute be ,curIed up on
a great easy chair. reading Three
Weeks" or otherwise improving your
mind, instead. OF worrying about a
stage career and your songs in San
Toy However. II were your father,
after seeing your work and associates.
think I would say: Bless you, my
girl; since your happiness is in hard
work, nerve wear and worry, be happy
That's just what ne finally brought
himself TO say" the Princess soubrette
replied. as Manager Loverich stepped
from the Inner sanctum where the
salaries are paid.
Downstairs Harry James was pulling
order out of the chaos of a wilderness
OF san Toy notes, and Arthur Cuz-
'ningham's big barytone punctured the
vacuum Of the empty house. Miss Bar
nett had been granted leave Of alb
sence from the rehearsal, for which
furlough I would like to think she was
Is grateful as L Said Loverich:
Whatever you say about this little
girl that is good Will be true You
can't say anything personally or pro-
fessionslTy about her that is true with
out it's good She's our little friend.
There isa't anything too difficult for
her TO undertake, or so small that she
win slight It She doesn't raise an
eyebrow at a bit of part and when
she is cast WHO'RE she belongs at the
top Of the list, she doesn't DO anything
but work She is a little artist wher-
ever she is placed and one Of the hn-
est IN the Princess family You saw
her Fif in The Belle Of New York;
Was It ever done with more grace and
sincerity and womanliness2 And in
Florodors though her role was not
as large as she, wasn't she good? She
IS q favorite all over the house and"-
Your good opinion may cost you
money" I interrupted. thinking of
Stage Manager Lask downstairs who
might momentarily issue an edict and
scstter the interview.
Let st." said Loverich. = don't care.
What 1 said. goes"
IT is & pleasure 70 work here" said
Miss Barnett. simply.
How did come TO go on the stage?
That event took place eleven years ago.
I was II years old at the time. and as
Little Zoe was a familiar enough fig
ure al entertainments in Southern
towns. I used to do a
little song and dance turn. Bot my
folks didn't like It and so took vocal