The San Francisco call., 1910-05-29

NE Of the best things we all do
50 that hat os.12 tn :: s @sass' BE ss-ss. de.
being easy it is very pleasant.
We love to apply newly gathered prin-
ciples TO the conduct of our friends
and show them up and be superior and
esyt That's the kind OF fellow you
are IT is so comfortable and, next,
10 giving away advice, it is, without
doubt. the cheapest form Of entertain
ment INDUCED by mortals. 1t costs us
nothing, yet it yields richly TO our
seIf-complaoency. If we pick up a
truth the first thing we do is to attack
somebody else with it.
Perhaps that is one reason why I
found the interview with Melbourne
7facDowelI exhilarating. 1t was so re-
freshing to apply Barrie's sly, good
netured philosophy Of What Every
Woman Knows" TO this big, brawny
man, who admitted frankly woman's
superior strength and suffered the as
sumption to go unchallenged that he
had brought his wife TO the interview
IS q means of protection.
II nature makes q big man she rarely
bequeaths him much skill in defensive
resistance. else he would be a menace
10 the majority and much too invinci-
lie. When young Melbourne was care
fully wrapped in a blanket and strung
.nnceremonioUsly TO the pendent hook
of ole fashioned handscales. mean
while yelling, no doubt. at the indig-
nifty 10 which ne. so lately arrived in
Kew Jersey, was put, the nurse
made z note and called the doctor to
witness its verify, that the boy weighed
~I65k pounds. She might then have an
nounced also that he, being he. would
need woman TO supply that tactical
cunning and practical wisdom which
property OF woman as TO have found
expression in the significant idiomatic
phrase. mother wit"
Like John Shand in What Every
Woman knows" 'MacDowell admits his
big boyishness, and like Shand il took
him three acts TO find it out. AS sailor
he missed the truth; as leading man
for one Of Americas greatest actresses
he didn't realize it. and only after a
toppling climax in q varied life was
passed did he learn the truth Now.
he accepts without protest the asser-
tions Of certain unsentimental philoso-
pliers that man is pretty much OF a
boy. only grown up and bigger, and
. thus harder for a woman 10 do any
thing with that is very much worth
while. He admits the truth because, he
SAYS. he has found it out for himself;
end that admission. as 1 said a little
sway back, may account for a part of
e pleasure extracted in the interview
by the one who was on duty. If not by
the actor, who was demonstrating the
practical workings Of Barrie's pretty
philosophy.
He whispered something to his wife.
who nodded her head and said: "Yes,
tell him."
you write, If you please. that the
great regret Of my life is,'' said Mel
bourne BIacDowell, that did not meet
my. present wife when Fanny Daven-
port died"
There was an expression IN Mrs. Mac
powelPs face that indicated the deep
down truth Of the assertion. There had
been another story to tell Of Mcdowell
had he and Virginia Drew Trescott
elasped hands in sorrow but hope over
the bier Of MacDowells former wife.
on his dresser in their apartments is
q little silver photograph frame, such
as actors and other itinerants can
carry conveniently. 1t circles a pho
.tograph OF Virginia Drew Trescott. Be-
side Il IS another frame, which incloses
q likeness Of Fanny Davenport. Before
we reached the hotel he had told me
that but two women had come into his
life with gifts of helpful. healthful
camaraderie-Fanny Davenport and
Virginia Drew Trescott
TIT the risk Of being considered dis
"A courteous or ungallant I am bound
TO record the fact that I was sur
prised when Mrs. Mcdowell Joined the
fnterview in Manager Levy's office at
chutes. I had expected to talk to
tne big actor all alone and had figured
on q nice mess Of ancient unhappy his
tory to stir Up again.
Though he didn't say so, L am certain
that was why he had Virginia Drew
Trescott appear as guardian over the
conversation, and am in a hurry to
Say that she nourished the interview