Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1912-01-24

given lb ifer'olts slng'f WIN nm
excellent voice went home In tears
at the close of the program because
she felt that she had utterly failed
TO do herself justice on the platform,
ON account Of stage fright. I'm.
doubtcdly the audience felt differ.
emily about the matter, but II would
have been useless 10 have tried 10
tell the singer so. She was fully
convinced that she had made n total
failure Of her musical effort aud no
argument could have treasured her
Stage fright is one Of the most
painful maladies that afflicts tho
human race. II is not often fatal,
but many poor tyro on the stage
or platform has devoutly wished that
IL were There is no form of men.
tnl suffering more acute than vio
lent attack Of nervous fear, and Il
brings no relief 10 ask with brutal
bluntncss what one is afraid Of.
When reminded that the audience is
not armed with anything more ser
ious than smiles, or by the worst
possibility, groans, the panic.strickcn
novice only looks in pitiful appeal
for the mercy Of the questioner, VIII,
either knows nothing about Il, or acts
as IL he were without experience.
II every professional speaker and
actor were to confess his early ex.
pericnce, some curious things would
appear that are not usually known.
Probably the average beginner has
been afflicted with some form Of
actual physical disturbance that
could by no stretch Of the imagina.
tion be tfaced to mere physical fear.
In some cases physical collapse has
occurred of serious nature, bnt most
people who have any public work
20 do before any sort Of audience
become accustomed to the experience
and in time the presence Of the aud.
fence comes to exert n sort of fas,
cination. With men who become
great actors or speakers, the reaction
OF the audience becomes something
outside the personality of the actor
that multiplies his power and pro.
duces great effects 44r
Perhaps some one may yet invent
euro for stage fright. II would
seem that II any malsdy should be
found amenable to treatment by ,sugr
gestion II should be this II some
patent drug company should find a
mixture that would really work, Il
would not be necessary to paste any
posters on the dead walls in order to
sell the stuff. II one dose, taken
two hours before the curtain raises,
and one dose every hour tin the
show begins, would do the trick,
what blessing nervous mankind
would enjoy. To be sure, there are
some people who try some such pro.
gram, using Clutch courage" rs the
ingredient from the black bottle il
called, but universal experience
proves conclusively that the remedy
Is much worse than the disease.
After all, little self.discipline will
help matters very much. Some Of
the public men who appear most at
ease have habit Of mentally reas.
surfing themselves just before going
ON. A little plain talk to ones self
will really do lot toward quiet.
Ing down the fluttering In the breast
which is so disquieting One actor
made practice Of saying to him.
self, over and over. "There is moth.
ing TO fear; the people out there are
all my friends; from them shall
draw strength, and when / appear
before them shall be entirely at
ease. Try IL yourself next timei