Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-04
The Mushroom
Hero
By BEATRICE FAIRFAX.

letter:
Il love a man to whom l have
never been introduced, and I want him
to love me. am 20 years of age, and
he is rs. I have written for his photo.
which he has sent, and, being an actor,
thought it was wanted to settle a dis
pute which 1 stated in my letter to him.
He has various admirers, but I love
him, and SOMETHING MUST BE
DONE!"
My dear girl, something will be done
and it will be overwhelming and crush
ing when it is done. if you permit your
selves to indulge in a mushroom love
like this.
The something" that will be done is
what happens when a road crusher rolls
over an obstacle in it's path. You are
deliberately throwing yourself in the
path of a road crusher that will crush
out all your life. your hope, your faith,
your future when you indulge in love
for man whom you do not know. and
one whose calling depends in a measure
for popular success in making matinee
worshipers of girls as silly as you
/ do not use that word silly" to
give offense, but because it is a true
description of you. and one you should
recognize, and change, before it is too
late.
You are silly to give this man a sec
ond thought and silly to a dangerous
degree in writing to him and asking
him for his photograph.
Undoubtedly the lines he speaks on
the stage are heroic, and you, poor
child, imagine that his life off the stage
is a counterpart
Paid For Being Hero.
You have confused the hero who gets
paid so much a week for being a hero
with the man who is hero when there
is no one to see, and none to applaud
You gaze on that noble makeup
countenance with reverence, little
knowing that the face he wears be-
fore an audience is usually the OPP
posite of that he wears to those who
know him best.
You have emptied out your poor lit
tie heart at his feet, and If acquaint-
ance with him resulted in it getting
bruised he would care no more than if
1t were a football.
He must not be too greatly con-
demned for this. 1t is the class of wom-
en- to which l beg that you will not
belong that makes him what he is.
Notes of admiration and adulation,
appeals for his photographs, homage
from women who are encouraged to
appear because their appearance swells
. ,o hox oil
a head that was never well fastened
on in the first place.
And the hero on the stage becomes
the villain in real life. and it is the
women who are to blame.
Something must be done" you say.
Ny dear girl, let this be the some
thing and see to it that 1t is done, and
done promptly.
Put thoughts OF this man out of your
mind Tear up his photograph, and if
you realize that you are not strong
enough to see him act and keep your
head, don't go near him again.
There are men in your own circle of
friends worth million of men like
him-men who are friends of your
brother, men of whom your father APP
proves. If you must love some one,
pour out your affections on an object
worthy of them.
Don't Value Love Cheaply.
Don't value your love so cheaply that
you are ready to lay it at the feet of
man who would laugh at It, You don't
want to make jest of the most sacred
of all emotions; yet l do not doubt that
this man has laughed at you many
times.
Without doubt he has boosted of his
many conquests, and taken as much
pride in showing notes from women to
his manager as clerk in store would
take in showing records of big days
sales.
They make him popular, they are his
stock in trade They enhance his value
to the management because they mean
increased attendance, and if anything
he does increases the attendance there |
is increased salary for him.
SO far as sentiment is concerned, he |
doesn't care anything more for the va
rious admirers" you speak of than for
so many pegs in the wall.
Don't cheaper yourself by becoming
one of them. Remember that every
one puts her own price tag on herself |
and that it is your fault, and your fault |
alone. If yours is low.
Just remember all the time. my dear.
and keep the thought close to you, that |
some day the right man will come
along.
And when he comes it will not add |
TO his respect for you, or to your hap
piness to learn that you have gone |
hanging around stage doors with your
heart on your sleeve.