The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-12-27
ACTRESS WINS
CONFIDENCES

New York. Dec. 19.-Usually one as
the thought of some close friends to
whom one can go with the assurance
of ready symathy when ones heart
burdens become so overwhelmingly
crushing that they must have vent.
And yet there is just now in New
York a young girl scarce out of her
teens to whom hundreds of utter
strangers are bringing their sorrows
and restraint. with the utmost freedom
from restraint.
Room Full Of Letters.
This young woman confessor, be it
known, is that delightful young actress
Miss Patricia Collinge ("Pat' for
short), who is embodying the character
of "Pollyanna," the "Glad Girl" in the
play Of that name now current at the
Hudson. AS those who have read the
"Pollyanna" books know. the stories
upon which the play is based preach
gospel Of perpetual optimism, a gospel
that is tremendously irritating to
majority Of the professional critics, but
to a minority Of piaygoers, for 1t is one
which would seem to be full OF comfort
and cheer for q large percentage OF
mankind.
A reporter who had heard that Miss
Collinge's dressing room at the Hudson
had become q sort Of clearing house for
the heart weary and sorrowful who are
interested in "Pollyanna's glad game"
sought her out between the acts and
found her curled up in big arm chair
almost entirely surrounded by letters.
They were scattered over her dress
ing table, they were spread out on top
of big trunk and they were strewn
on the floor
Really, you know" Miss Collinge
said, I'm quite sure I'm the busiest
actress In New York. / Just can't get
away from this play. I've had a
stenographer in for the last three aft
ernoons answering these letters. and II
it keeps up I'll have to have a secre-
tary just as II | were a grand opera
prima donna. I've had to curtail most
Of my social engagements, but I'm just
as glad as "Pollyanna" herself ever
was that have the chance to do what
/ am doing.
Hunt the Silver lininas.
"Who are the letters from? Well,
they're from all sorts of men and wom-
en-. Most Of them have seen the play,
have carried away something of its
message Of good cheer and want me to
know that it has really helped them to
er faces. Most of these tell me in the
freeest and frankest manner imagin-
able the story OF their troubles and ask
me to send them some little personal
word OF, comfort to supplement the
message / have given them through the
mouth Of Pollyanna on the stage. 9th
ers who haven't been able to play Pol
lyanna's game Of finding something in
every situation to be glad about ask me
In the T1nst nafhofip rnannAr tina gin
able to suggest some silver lining to the
dark clouds that hang over their lives.
Here's letter. for instance. from a
girl who says she came TO New York
six months ago from little town in
Pennsylvania with chum. Their
mothers had died at about the same
time and they came to this city in
search of employment They found it.
she tells me, in a department store
where they got IS a week apiece. They
rented little room in East Sixty-sec-
ond street, pooled their small incomes
and managed to make existence at
least bearable, though not exactly
pleasant, because their friendship for
each other and the opportunity they
had for that close intimacy for which
girls have such an instinct.
They cooked most of their meals
she writes me, on a little gas stove
which they hid from the 1andlady In
the bottom of the one trunk they had
brought with them. Every Sunday
night they had their weekly treat--a
Accent dinner. They tried to be happy
and they were, after fashion. Then
the other girl met man. met him by
a Filtration on the elevated. There's no
use in going into all the pitiful details
in the letter--you see it's long one.
The other girl went off with the man
without benefit of clergy and left her
chum to the loneliness OF the little room
after her days round OF cheerless
ldrudgery.'
Children Write to Her.
Miss Collinge turned to the last page
| of the letter in her hand and asked
l"Could anything be more pathetic than
| this last paragraph? I'll read 1t to you:
Since saw you in Polyyanna from
the family circle the other night i've
tried hard to be glad about something,
lbut IL isn't possible. Now that Mollie
has gone off like that and left me here
all alcne there isn't anything to be glad
labout. i thought I'd write TO you and