The San Francisco call., 1908-03-15
By Walter Ar,tto-

leave his wife They should be to-
gether. Separat tion in different shows
means the beginning Of trouble; it can
not be otherwise. / am sure of that,
and If 1 knew when 1 was Is years
old-that was when 1 was married
what I know now, things would have
been different with me. L am certain
of that Many things could have been
settled then once and for all. which.
left unsettled, have caused only heart
aches and pain. That is the real trag-
edy of the stage. and as yet there is
no play exploiting the theme.
When 1 hear Of two people on the
stage marrying I feel like shouting in
their faces, Whatever happens, stick
together But there gre SO many
things which must be settled first. For
instance. it must be agreed which of
the two is the greater stage artist;
which of the two is the most valued
name to head the bills and appear In
the larger type. That seems like q
little matter, but it is far from being
so. One or the other must be willing
TO submit to a subordinate position; in
line with the old French adage which
has it that in all love affairs there is
one who is loved and another that ac-
cepts the homage, so in matrimony on
the stage there must be one who
is willing, in advance and for all
time, to accept the humber place.
- 1,A ~
ing to reflect the glory of an
others light. These are very vital
questions, easily settled before mar
riage but not after. Upon their perfect
adjustment to the conditions that OBJ
tain will depend the happiness of the
couple in after life, when work and
study begin to bring their reward and
fame beckons to one or the other. But
suppose they are not definitely settled.
Suppose each harbors ambitions to be
great-greater than the great, in fact
then what2 There will be straining
of the heartstrings, ripping of the
ties that bind and certain sorrow for
which no amount of material success
Will ever make complete compensation.
With just a little common sense,
just little frank discussion and just
little faith all such separations might
be easily avoided, and domesticity
might flourish, as it does, sometimes,
on the stage. in spite of one night
stands quite/the same as in the home
across the bay or out in the Mission,
or wherever 6 vo1, live
There is a little girl in the Hackett
home. Mary Mannering is wonderfully
proud of her, and apologized, as if 1t
were my business, for not having the 3
year old along with her.
II always have her with me-" she ex-
planned, only now she is sick and
cannot travel. She has been operated
on for an affection of the ears She is
in New York, and I was with her when
the surgeon was there with his knife
Nothing in the world could have kept
me away then. After that 1 had to
take her daily to the Office for treat
ment, and she was so brave. You do
not know how very brave she was. One
day the doctor was cauterizins the
wound his work had made.
"'Win it hurt me?' my little Elice
asked.
" No, don't think So" said the doc
tor, who thereupon went to work. Elice
stood the pain as long as she could
She is only little past years old
mind you. Her face twitched and she
shrunk away from the mercifuI work.
but the only tears that were shed were
from my eyes. By and by she said: T
guess dat will do today. doctor That
was all either she or I or the surgeon
could stand.
''She is a fine little chum, and a little
hero already. Wouldn't it break your
heart to have to leave little girl like
that, even in the very best of hands?
wouldn't you want her right near your
heart?
That's one good reason why it is
easier to play tragedy than comedy.
You are never in too fine spirits to do
the tragic: and you are never too de-
pressed to be beyond the reaches of
your works demands. But how can
you be a comedienne when your heart
is breaking?"