The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

gagement the past week?
Ii so. you know you wish you had q
little girl just like her.
l do.
Maybe a half dozen.
She's the very sweetest prettiest, dar-
lingest, most adorable child that I've ever
met and her absolute lack of affectation,
and her gentility, and charm of manner,
make her doubly attractive when you
meet her as 1 did "off'' the stage.
Great blue-gray eyes, fringed, witty and
most gorgeous lashes; eyebrows so def
mite that they look like little Sits of SUBJ
dued light that have stolen into her bright
little face, long golden curls and little
rosebud mouth with skin as fair and rosy
as a California peach. and. you have a
picture of this dear little girl-sweeter
and more beautiful by far than any mere
words could describe.
Yesterday afternoon Just before the
matinee I sent my card in to ask if l
might see the youthful star.
Promptly word came back that she
would be delighted, and so [ found her
during the makeup" half hour in her
dressing room seated before a large mir
ror with the proverbial powder and rouge
and rabbits foot on her dressing table
near by, while her chubby little hands
tied a huge bow of blue ribbon about her
lovely blonde head.
PLEASED to meet you." she said as
glanced about and saw her extensive
wardrobe hanging on the pegs about the
Do 1tf frtta
seated on trunks and chairs and scattered
about the floor.
who taught you to aet?" was the first
question that popped into my head-re-
calling her wonderful performance of the
evening before, as her candid blue eyes
looked up into mine and reminded me
of my last and biggest faraway doll
while she got busy considering.
While she is considering, let me explain
how q playhouse can be in a dressing
room, while the revense is usually true.
The chief object of her attention was
playhouse within playhouse.
Playing now, she was abouL to play.
At the moment she had an audience of
only two--her grandmother, Mrs. Julia
T. Miles, the dearest, sweetest, most
charming, old fashioned grandmother
imaginable and-me.
A half hour later she would be playing
to an audience of standing room only
a. the big Jefferson theatre.
The playhouse that was attracting her
attention was high trunk which held
all her dollies, of all kinds and descrip-
tions-a wee black doll named Sally Ann,
in honor of Mamie Lincoln's Topsy-like
part in the play, and Victoria, doll that
locked almost like herself. Halloween,
a rakish looking male playfellow, and
Katherine, the disreptable looking rem
nant of what was once a doll, whose
stage name is Susan Jemima, but whose
title in private life Is Katherine-named
after a very dear friend now dead and
buried, as the youthful star expressed
it. 'in a nice little grave"
mo true artist has to be taught how
to act,r said little Miss Minter pres
emily
Grandmother interposed.
ooh, yes. dear. they must have some
instruction." she corrected.
Il beg to differ said the opinion
ated little lady. II mean they don't
have to go to dramatic schools and
rant and tear their hair and all that
sort of thing"
Certainly not" grandmother
agreed with a wink In my direction.
81 catch your meaning"
Lots of people have taught me
many things" said Little Miss Minter.
Mr.. Dustin Farnum and his brother,
Mr.. William Farnum Che used to be my
daddy in the play, but I've got a new
one now) taught me many things, but
after bit they all just let me alone
and told me to do it my own way.
"Mr Fred Fleck, my manager, has
been so good to me too. He's done an
awful lot for me, can tell you. He's
a mighty nice man."
The little lady having thus deliv-
cred her opinion picked UP large and
influential looking book and turning
the pages swiftly found dog cared
leaf and began to read.
but aren't you going to talk to
me2" 1 asked.
"Of course l am. cause like you,
but honest, I just hate to be inter-
viewed" she said.
''Have you been-many times?" I in
quired.
"As many times as I've got fingers
and toes" she said nonchalantly as
though the deadly game of interview
meant nothing whatever to her.
Il just love to read" she said, "and
this book The Man from the Moon is
just too lovely"
what are your favorite books?" I
asked. THE Elsie books or the Little
Colonel 'series?"
Neither l think they are too child
ish. love Shakespeare. Mr. Farnum
gave me a lovely set of Shakespeare
and I've read The Tempest and AS
You Like It. and I've played in the
latter My sister Margaret and my
self oh, I wish You could see my sis
ter. She's the most beautiful person
in the world"
''Is she on the stage?' I asked.
"she was" replied little Miss Minter.
but she's going to school now. You
see, we have to be educated Mama
that's grandmama-I always call her
mama--because she travels with me
and takes such good care of nne-says
that I'll soon have to stop acting and