Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-18
LOvELORN THROB
At HEARTS LEVEE'
Laura Jean Libbey ExpoundS New
Soul System to New
York Women
LONE MAN. BRAVES CROWD
Four Hundred Ladies Attend the
Novel Function but Fail to
Display Enthusiasm
LONE MAN BRAVES CROWD

NEWPORT, Aug. 17.-Corse Payton
gives pink teas for matinee girls and
offers them chance to hold polite and
gentle converse with real actors on
the stage of the Academy of Music
every Friday afternoon after the mat
inee, but Miss Laura Jean Libbeys
new system at the American Music
hall is much more to the point.
When you sip tea with Mr.. Payton's
actors, you are expected to talk OF
airy nothings: if you drop in on Miss
Libbey's now Wednesday afternoon re-
captions, you get right down to the
foundation of things and discuss love.
Miss Libbey began her heart-to-
heart talks with the lovelorn and the
distressed yesterday. Since she be-
came a vaudeville entertainer she has
had plenty of trouble of her own. AS
a solemn young man who extended the
invitation at the intermission put 1t:
Miss Libbey has received so many
letters from young ladies, asking that
they be allowed to come upon the
stage to meet her and hear her ad-
vice, that she has consented to remain
and receive them al after the matinee
today. The line will please form at
entrance on the left"
A young man dressed as sailor took
up q good deal OF time Juggling oars
and twirling an anchor with his teeth,
but while he was at 1t somebody
dressed the stage behind him to re-
semble a drawing room. So when the
curtains were parted there were a sofa
and two gilt chairs in sight, with MISS
Libbey all in white sitting placidly in
one of them. Just to make the situa-
ton a little harder the orchestra
poured forth strains of Annie Laurie"
WOMEN SHY AT OFFER
AEa.A 4t,a on1Ianoo 1inparpH m
watch the reception. but if it contained
any of the lovelorn ladies who had
written that they wanted to confer
with the connoisseur of love they sud
denly became shy. Not lovelorn lady
budged and Miss Llbbey stepped down
to the footlights and held out her
hands appealing:
"If any lady would like to meet me,
I'd be only too glad to shake her hand,
but my time is limited" said the poet
ess all in white.
The silence became painful again.
Then there was a rustic in the back of
the house and everybody turned
around. 1t was only Mrs. Taylor, Miss
Libbey's sister, whom the attaches at
the American know as the General,
making the invitation personal and
direct to the people in the rear seats.
Mrs. Taylor's energy soon had its
reward. A pert looking girl with a
jaunty red feather in her hat flounced
out of her seat and hustled down the
side aisle. There was burst or ap-
plause as she emerged on the stage to
be greeted as a long lost sister. she
didn't look a bit lcvelorn, however.
A moment later a comfortable look
ing matron in black plucked up cour-
age and went to meet the poetess. II
she had love on her mind, she didn't
have time to discuss 1t, for almost i'm
a girl in the latest thing of
pink peach basket hats monopolized the
poetess' attention.
Even bets were offered all over the
audience that she had secret yearn-
ing, not only in her heart, but on her
tongues end. One word from the
poetess brought a glad smile to her
face, and she fled. Obviously Miss
Libbey had not said DON'T"
POETESs MAKES POTHER
By this time the line at the door was
out. One woman led up
child, over which the poetess made a
great pother, demonstrating for all
time that love of children goes hand in
hand with the literary life.
The next woman carried up wet
and as she Unanswered 1t to
keep it from dripping on the sofa the
crowd in the seats applauded. She said
a few hasty words, cast a scared glance
about her and disappeared. Mrs. Tay-
lor by this time was up on the stage
making everybody feel at home. 1t
was wonderful how this one cool woman
brought order out of confusion and
Last of all comes the din of applause
which startled even the composed and
cool Mrs. Taylor. 1t was caused by
lovelorn Adam who had intruded into
the Garden of Love. Hat In hand he
sided up to Miss Libbey and bowed
with Chesterfieldian grace. Then came
sounds Of unholy laughter. 1t had be-
gun to be generally observed that his
red hair exactly matched his Russia
leather shoes. If he had a secret gnaw-
ing at his soul he didn't get chance
to tell the poetess about 1t. AS he
was obout to begin someone stepped
forward and announced that the re-
ception was at an end.
About 400 women viewed the func-
ton from afar. Only fourteen had the
nerve to take a real part in it. Unless
some of Miss Libbeys hundreds of
correspondents" show a greater incli-
nation to discuss their troubles in per-
son the Wednesday afternoon recep-
lions will be called off, The manage
ment explained the lack of enthusiasm
by saying that real lovelorn ladies
are not patrons of vaudeville as rule
They are too much absorbed in their
own troubles to work up real inter-
est in a show.