The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-03-12
Danger to Girls in False
Lure Of the Footlights
BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX

There comes an earnest appeal
from a theatrical man IN Chicago for
u systematic effort TO save stage
struck girls.
Especially does he warn girls from
beginning work in the nve-cent the
aters.
The conditions existing in these the
aters are beyond belief 50 says this
man, unless one has investigated
them.
Here is ~ extract from his letter:
In many OF these places only one
dressing room is provided for men
and women; the language used is fire.
quenuS prcfane aud indecent girls
are insulted in every way.
A Continual Struggle TOR Girls.
1T Is continual struggle against
indecCncy, unless they fall and be-
come hardened TO these things. which
often happens
We have our societies for uplil,
ing the fallen Why not have So
cieties TO prevent the falling? In a
great civilized. enlightened city like
Chicago these things exist and ne
one raises a voice against them. Ate
We better then the berbarians, or are
We becoming barbarians ,"
The man who writes this letter is
successful artist himself, who pre-
sents a unique and attractive feature
at many theaters OF various prices.
lie speaks from personal obserya-
ton, and with desire 10 nave girls
saved from the evils which he sees
existing
I Other theaters beside the ive-cent
I houses OF amusement are surrounded
with danger for the ignorant stage
struck young girl who SEEKS the
dramatic world with an idea that she
/ Is 10 become a Duse, or Bernhardt,
and after brief preparatory season,
/ ride iu her own carriage and listen
! nightly to the wild applause of an
admiring audience.
II Worked Like a Slave" She Said.
A young woman who went upon
4 the stage in road company lew
years ago retired after one season
/ Disguised Il worked ike slave.
she said IN speaking OF II 10 irleno.
I Il went To- cheap boarding houses IN
small towns, because my salary did
I not permit OF my doing otherwise,
/ ruined my digestion with horrible
food. stretched my weary body on
I Impossible beds and ! rode IN crowd
"a cars on winter DAYS and nights and
often took trains at two O'Clock a
night after playing my miserable little
/ role until eleven.
Il met with no insults, and expert
enced no emptations there We're no
rich young men waiting for any OF Us
az the stage door, and no carriages
! or champagne suppers We're Onered
/ 10 lure rs 20 ruin
All saw OF stage life was deadly
monotony. cruel hardship. and the hor.
ribly commonplace. was thoroughly
/ disillusioned and prefer the work IN
"a good kitchen with a decently kind
employer. or in factory or dry goods
I house
/ Other young women pass years in a
Esimilar lite. expecting some sudden
change OF fortune 70 lift them To the
/ front rank
Others fall by the \wayside; others
die worn out with the disappoiatments
and hardships Others work up 20
fame and success. after many years;
and still others marry good men ana
become happy wives.
BUT ont al the vast armies OF young
girls who go into stage life through
the road company or IN the tye-cent
theaters. the percentage Of the really
successful aud the happy and whole
some lives. Is pathetically small.
The stage struck girl would blush
with humiliation II she could hear men
actors OF reputation speak of them.
All such actors receive letters from