The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-30
BUSY LIFE OF A STAR

julia .Marlowe in the Housekeeper.
 CUPPoSE you come with me to the theatre at about any evening. On ~> our long Shakespearean plays the curtain usually rises at &, so we get to the theatre earlier than they do who act in modern dramas whereon the cur tain does not rise until s:2O or even later.
 Thirty minutes before the play is to begin the stage manager or one of his assistants makes the rounds behind the scenes calling, Half hour. Half hour," And from each dressing room voices an- swer, to let him know that all the players are present and making ready to go on.
 But before that-15 or 20 or 30 minutes hefore, according to their earnestness in their work and their desire to make un- hurried preparation for it-they have reached the theatre. Our usual entrance is down a dark and dirty alley and through a narrow door that is hard to pull and has a high bar across the bot tom, over which 1t is the easiest thing in the world to stumble.
 Inside, and as near to the door as it can conveniently be placed and if poss- hlo where all members of the company pass it on the way to their dressing looms (some of which are down steep winding iron stairs and some of which are up the same kind of stairs; only the star rooms being on the stage leveD is the mail rack, and close beside it the calltoard.
 Usually there is also a keyboard. When an actress comes in she says good evening to the doorkeeper and some times stop a moment to ask something about laundry or if an expected parcel has come from shop or express office. Then she looks under the first letter of her last name for mail. The stars mall, however. Is sent to her dressing room.
 When she comes to work--I suppose you want to see her as she comes? She ccesnt look as you douptless expect her to- If it is a very cold winter night she probably has on a long fur coat. and il nay be sealskin, although it is quite as likely to. be a cloth coat lined with "eiectric" seal. Her hat Is small and dark and plain, and when she takes of her coat she reveals something exceed ingly simple in the way of dress. and not unlikely to be we'll worn.
 She las to make four changes of shoes end stockings. and that exhausts her pa tience for being dressed and undressed. On matinee days the number of changes is doubled Small wonder then if her Ifl- tie one piece dress of dark cloth or silk has few fastenings and can go on or off almost with a jerk.
 She may have driven to the theatre but she has probably walked; she knows the value of walking to her health ard figure. She has had what you would probably call most uninteresting din ner; quite possibly rare roast beef. spiu- aoh and a lettuce salad with French dressing. After the performance she VIII indulge in an orgy of milk toast o' cream stew or something else of the ho' milk variety which induces sleep and dc es not spoil complexions or make fo' headao he
 Now. here is her mail. Her maid hang up hat and coat and starts to unfaster the simple dress. cheap cotton kimone sack is put on (for makeup-creams roupes. blaciing and the Iike-ruins what ever is worn during that process), anc rerbaps while the star glances throug. Ter mail the maid either goes on witt her pressing of costumes. curling of wigs or cleaning of satin slippers. or. if there is need to make haste, kneels down ant begins taking off. her ladys stout stree shoes tcatch a star taking chances O pneumonia or even of sniffles with sill, shtesD and stockings.
 | Quickly the mail is sorted, home letter. are seized and devoured, friends letter. are nibb.ed at for important news ant put by for reading at leisure; letters iron