New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-21
CONFESSIONS OF
A MODERN
MRS. PONCE DE LEON

the kindly, pory andady raped at
mvdoor turned 1.-THE knob and came over
10 me. Brace up. Miss Leonard she
urged "Cr,in' never did nobody a bit Of good. Go
down into the paror and play the pianny for awhile, and
You'll forget all Of your troubles. She pattcd me
on the head the dear old soul took me by the hand,
and led me down the crcahy stairs 10 the bare room
where the piano the piece de- resistance Of the mcnagc,
stood in all its imposing rcdvcvct-coycrcd majesty:
sat down and began playing Presently my soos died
away and started 10 sing.
When / was singing heard someone hesitate a mo-
rucnt in the hallway and enter. turned, and bchcd
man who was smiling from 10
Fine" he exclaimed. "Comc down 10 my thcatcr
ready 60 and render few Of those songs next Mon
day night and I'll give you fifty dollars week,
thanked him with undisguiscd and enthusiastic
gratitude.
whats your name" he asked.
Helen Leonard" / replied.
He thought moment. Lillian Russell would sound
better think Better bill yourself as Lillian Russell
~Vcry we'll | said IF YOU prefer it that way
He dvcd into a deep coat pocket. Heres my card,
Miss Lillian RUSSELL and he handed me an elaborate
piece Of pa,tcboard. The name read was the name OF
Tony Pastor.
7 STAYED up all night after my first appearance, wait
ing TO what the critics would say about me. was
so nervous | bit my fngcrnuls until they actually
shot with pain At dawn got hold aCopyot The Sun
turned rapidly to the inside theatrical page and read
young girl named Russell made her first appearance
Tony Pastors last night She Is the prcttc,t picture OF
cmninty that New York has III many, many years,
and she /, successful in retaining this glorious blessing OF
pulchritudc her fame will be assured.
read that over three times and then and there made
a VOW that | would retain the beauty the critic had at
tribucd to me- that would make capital Of my prctti-
ness and that. through it, would achieve the fame
that the newspaper man had skctchcd for me the
horizon. OF course knew pretty woman does,
that was not homcly; but had never regarded my
self possessed of beauty sufficient 10 attract the adj
miration Of the great public. The nGghbors out in
Clinton, Iowa used to tell my parents that was good
looking yOungstcr; but YOU put your trust IN
the ncighbOrs. They merely be paving the to
borrow the lawn mower the clothes wrngrr; for the
easiest way to household borrowabc articles is
through attcrng the heads Of the households children
II am to believe what people have been kind enough
to say OF me, have succeeded in finding the fountain OF
yOuthnot eternal youth to be very, very sure but
least the fountain that has kept fresh faced full Of
health and vitality. clear eyed and smiling at an age
when many Of my sisters of America pale and tired
and wan and actually, old.
trust no spirit Of undue boast is read into what say;
for 1t Is not of myself alone that wish speak rather.
IS 1t my purpose here to dvulgc the secrets by which
nave benefited the secrets of the Fountain of Youth OF
Delayed Age, that other women may possibly be the
gamers And 1t still would as if were proclaim
ing myself unlustihably a Beauty Goddess let me
hope that my critics will extend pardon when they
have read al have to say. | do not mean to pose. |
mean simply to take the public-thc woman portion Of
1t chlcly-as it has taken me, and TO tell it how have
kept myself at the side Of Youth Triumphant.
MOT a week has passed in the last fifteen years that
have not received from many quarters requests to
dyulgc what ncrrOgatOrs describe my beauty Sc
crcts. get anywhere from sixty one hundred let
tiers week from women IN every State IN the Union,