The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-11
EVENING CHAT
BY RUTH CAMERON.

I have received a much deserved re-
buke.
1t was so much deserved and so
| much worth while that am going to
print as much of it as my space Will
allow today.
This was the way of it. wrote
about the spelling of child and ended
with the prophecy that some day
maybe that son will run away and
marry a chorus girl or disgrace his
family by stealing a few hundred thou
sand from some bank.
am justly taken to task as follows:
'tIt seems incredible to me. Miss
Cameron, that woman of your edu-
cation and experience should consider
marrying a chorus girl a disgrace and
compare it in such a cold, hard way
with the stealing of money. Don't
you know that there are some chorus
girls as pure and clean as the best of
our girls? And don't you know that
we have some who are by far sWeeter,
stronger and Drawer than some of our
society girls?
Believe me, Miss Cameron, some of
those poor little girls work harder,
longer and just as honestly for their
daily bread as you and do. strangers
in almost every city they come to, they
must grope their way alone. I would
like to enlighten you if I had time on
just what these girls have to do. I've
watched them rehearsing. I've talked
with them. and I know.
1eYou might ask why girls take up
such work. For the reason that there
is no other profession in the world
which educates and pays so well at
the same time. Then if one really has
talent the rewards are very great, in
deed
It know of one girl who took up
chorus work as stepping stone to
greater things. The training in the
chorus is very essential. One of these
girls had to support her father. moth
err and two little brothers out of her
twenty dollars a week. She became Ill,
but worked on until her fran consti-
tuition was worn to the swapping point.
The manager, learning of the burden
this slight girl carried, very mercifully
allowed her a month of complete rest,
paying her salary just the same. This
is Just one. instance of the girls who,
while appearing to have such a de-
lightfuI time, are really carrying
heavy weights on their often cruelty
tired shoulders. There are many such.
Its true that We have chorus girls
of the other class. But we have girls
with immoral tendencies in every walk
of Iife-yours and mine. There may be
much immortality on the stage, but one
doesn't have to follow the crowd, you
know Those who do. find it a double
sap of strength and very soon fail by
the wayside. Those who are strong
vive and sometimes realize their fond
est dreams. The early training in the
chorus plays a faint but very sweet &C
compartment in the symphony of
memories. Mascagni says, How fiat
and uninteresting would be the retro
spect If there were no shadows to
bring out the high lights
Many. very many of our most ia
nous actresses have had their train
ing in the chorus, actresses who are
not only great actresses but great wo-
men.
Anybody that works honestly, Miss
Cameron, patiently enduring hardship
and adversely. sacrificing comforts for
the sake of the aim kept steadily in
view, that person deserves the respect
of God and man and it doesn't matter
what the occupation is. Sometimes
word goes very, very deep. How
many of us through little prejudice
condemn all, as you have done. Miss