The Washington times., 1916-03-30
By FLORENCE E. YoDER.

-, all came from trying to appear
at ease. An interview meant TO
be about dancing. turned out to
be one on superstition.
Miss Joan Sawyer was worried,
since Monday afternoon is always
the very worst time in which to In
terview any one. especially in vaude-
vile. And in an effort to pass few
little things OF with nonchalance.
the interviewer started the tintest
whistle Imaginable.
Miss Joan Sawyer turned around
and fairly exploded. Don't do that
In here" Then she stopped and
smiled indulgently. Don't whistle
in my dressing room. because II you
do I'll have SO much bad luck, and
might-well, don't do It,"
Several minutes passed In silence
with only the hum of the orchestra
outside. 1t allured. and the whistle
started again. Miss Sawyer did
a quick turn and fairly bristled. She
seemed to think that 1t had been
done on purpose. Then she felt as
II she had to explain more fully.
why, I've known girls who sat
outside the dressing rooms OF other
girls lust to whistle them out of the
show. You see we may be a mighty
superstitious lot. but we can't get
awav from 1t.
For instance. there doesn't seem to
be any sense in 1t, but 1 wouldn't
oh
table for anything. Not for anything.
Nor put them higher than my head"
The costume which had been in
process of going on was finally hook
ed up and Miss Sawyer had time to
sit down a moment and talk.
She seemed anxious to wipe out
the impression which che had made.
and perhaps wanted to tighten her
own conscience. Besides there was
no use in trying to make her talk
of anything else. She wanted to tell
about what she thought would bring
bad luck. and being a kind OF "sot'
person. 1t was no use to decoy her.
AS she sat there and seriously
numbered over the various super
stItions ot the stage II seemed almost
incredible that she should really be-
lieve In them, or even in one Of
them. Here was a very unusual
young woman. a top liner In vaude-
willie after but four years OF pro-
fessional stage career; one OF the
best dancers in the East today; and
a keen business woman in the bar
gain. sitting down and telling of in
Significant Nhings that she feared! /!
"Stage people are not exactly ALL
superstitious. she declared. but
most OF them have a streak OF It
some place. In fact. I think that al
most every person in the world has
some pet superstition. Just because
ours are associated with things with
which thu ordinary person may not
be familiar. Is no sign that they are
sillier than well-known customs.
Now Ill wager that most every
one knows see pin and pick II up
all the day you'll have good luck.
See a pin and let 1t lie. you'll want
that pin before you die And almost
anyone will pick up a pin that is
found point toward them.
Some women will pick UP hair
pins they lind. and throw then ss
Or throw salt which they have spill
ed, over the shoulder to prevent
quarrel.
THE superstitions we have are not
one bit more silly. Besides we have
our pet ones. ! might believe in one
thing and not in another. It's Just
the way you feel about It. For in
stance. property men won't handle
Saratoga trunks. And you'll find
very few stars wearing yellow. It's
a bad color for most of us.
Then take the other angle of the
producer Never say good luck to
anyone who is opening wtn a new
show or to any of the members of
the cast! Break your neck or any
thing of that sort fills the same re-
qulrement.
Laughing at funny lines in re-
hearsal Is supposed to be bad sign.
Some people will never twist chairs
around. Rocking an empty rocking
chair Is the bugbear of some actors
almost as we'll known as the de-
sire to have people NOT whistle In
ones dressing room Is the fear OF
peacock feathers. No actor wants
peacock feathers in connection with