The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-26
MAY IRWIN, IN CURTAIN SPEECH,
 AIDS BABY FUND
Actress Tells Audience of Cause and Leads Off
 With Her Dollar.

May Irwin, fat, rollicking, jolly May Irwin, joined the Dollar brigade for Bridgeport babies here last evening between the second cad third act of "Ss Washington Square, a screaming farce which is extending her everlasting popularity.
 Miss Irwin appeared before the footlights in response to a curtain call. In her hand she carried a large pla- card of the baby which is now fla mlliar to everybody in the city which has helped to make the appeal during Dollar Week for the Day Nursery and the Visiting Nurse Association. She wore the same old smile, in the same old way, and was given an ovation.
 She said, Its a good while since have been here in Bridgeport, and thought perhaps some of you might have forgotten me, so had the town placarded this week with my picture; not very recent one, to be sure, but a picture just the same"
 Then she turned the picture with the familiar baby's face to the aud fence and pointing at it, laughingly said:
 Its me, surest thing you know. Don't you recognize it? What is the matter-isn't it fat enough? I have grown some since. Look at it again. Wouldn't you give a dollar for that baby? Everybody would give a dol lar for baby like that.
 But, seriously, this is Dollar Week in Bridgeport and had not been in town ten minutes before I knew it. A gentleman. called at the hotel and asked me if I would not say a word tonight in behalf of this baby fund.
 T told him of course, I would; no effort to speak a word for the babies; everybody loves a baby. I have two of my own; some babies, too; to be sure they are pretty we'll along in years now, but they are my babies just the same.
 II want to congratulate the ladies of this town who are sufficiently in- terested to give their time to insti- tutions that have for their purpose the care of the babies. It is up to us all to give them a fair chance. If any of you have been troubled with a dollar to this cause and when you put your head on the pillow tonight you will find that the thought of it will sooth you off to sleep and you will feel better for tt.
 If there is a visiting nurse turk ing around the lobby, wont she come down here and take my dollar? am glad of the opportunity to be re- presented in the cause"
 The applause which followed Miss Irwin's graceful speech was deafen- ing and in the twinkling of an eye one of the visiting nurses, in the garh of her profession. rushed down the aisle and relieved the captivating &C., tress of her dollar. This created an- other outbhrst and while the enthusi- asm was at it's pitch, half a dozen visiting nurses made an appeal to the house and when they reached the rear and checked up, $150 had been added to the Bridgeport Babies Fund When the result of the canvass was made known to Miss Irwin in her dressing room she was very much elat- ed and said she always felt better when she a little bit to help in the great cause of humanity and said she would sleep better because of it.
 The committee in charge of the fund were very warm in an expression willingness to assist them and also to Manager Lynch, of the Park Thea tre, who showed his interest in the cause by quickly acquiescing in the plan to take up the collection.