Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-27
Stella Mayhew's
Successful disappointment

Stella Mayhem sometimes gets bit
sore. she admitted this yesterday in the
dining room Of the Walton. People al
ways laugh at her. or course. this ia
Miss Mayehw's asset as a comedienne.
You might think she should be glad.
Usually she In, but sometimes
Whenever appear on the stage" en-
phatically declared the joyously engag-
ing star OF High Jinks," playing at the
Lyric, people laugh. II 1 get a crack
in my voice. howls rend the house. II
my slipper flies off-fits of laughter Now
a slim chorus girl can go out on the
stage and have her slipper fly off and a
solemn silence continues. Buf II my slip
per flies OFF,
Miss Mayhem sighed. ''You see I can't
take myself seriously any more"
"But whyT'
"why? Nobody will take me seriously"
There, you see the tragedy of come
dienne's life.
when 1 started to play, some 20
years ago, I had ambitions. Ambtlonsl
I started playing mothers parts and
grandmothers parts and all sorts of
middle-aged burlesque parts. Now, as
/ am getting older, I'm getting younger
--on the stage. I expect to play an In
genue in my next play. Yes child,
suppose when I'm 20 shall be comic
little glrl-a Juvenile.
"Of course, 1 do make people laugh.
But why? A friend of mine once said
to me, Stella, IL a thin man went across
the street and an automobile ran over
him people would stop, shocked, horri-
fed. and exclaim, Good heavens! the
poor man. But II fat man crossed
the street and were run over they'd say,
The boob, he ought to have sense enough
not TO collide with an automobile Yet
I'm not what you'd call stout-am II"
Miss Mayhem is a real fireman, being
third chief assistant OF the fire depart
ment of New Rochelle, N. Y, where she
has her home. Being public spirited, she
Joined the fire force when IL was vol
unteer organization, and when 1t be-
came a municipal affair continued.
i've gone to two fires" said Miss
Mayhem. ''The first one I went to in n
white silk dress. TIL go to that fire.
said to myself, and I'll get in the burn
ing building. At the proper time I'll faint
and the hremen win carry me from the
house. Stories In all the New York news
papers I got there, but the tremen were
more zealous In keeping me away from
the burning building than in putting the
IRE out.
There's moving picture concern in
New Rochelle. Whenever there's a fire,
moving picture operators go there. And
the moving actors push away the firmeen
with their hoses--or hosiery-and say;
Get OUT We want 10 get on thlS ladder.
They were mighty busy at the second
fire attended. When I went to that I
had on pink silk stockings. a blue silk
dress and a gray sweater. Wen, what a
chaneol Yet. when I saw the moving pic
ture operators turning their cranks.
Just got bashful and moved away. Yes
got back In the crowd when could have
got in a film as the only woman fireman
or hrewomRn--in America Gee, but
you're a dub said to myself afterward
Next time I'm In New Rochelle and a
IRE breaks out TIL get in the movies.
think III arrange fire. I've got a house
In New Rochelle I want to burn down
anyway. The tenants are always In ar
rears or wanting the house painted or
papered. so think a conhagration is the
best thing. One all OF my own, you
known