New-York tribune., 1918-11-03
Mime. Petrova's
Almost { Confessions

Anne. Olga FctxcvA has contributed
the first chapters Of book Of "Almost
Confessions" now being written by
Charles Welton, who is gathering to-
gether a series Of "Self- Revelations Of
Eminent Emotionalists." Nine. Petrova
says in one chapter: "Thxee what you
may call episodes stand out in my life.
One of the three has some difficulty in
standing out with the others, because
it is bit weak in the knees. Let me
tell Of that one first, so that it may not
have to wait around.
~ was in London, and it was winter.
To be in London and in winter at the
same time isn't at all tragic under
favorable conditions, but if one hasn't
an ermine coat or silver fox neck
piece and the entire British metropo-
lis just doesn't seem to know one is in
town, and at all the tables where the
other six millions regularly store up
the essential calories there is no knife,
fork, spoon or china for the newcomer,
it is quite different.
II was twenty years old at that time,
possessed Of an appetite suited to my
years and accustomed TO eating, hut
London didn't seem to care. Things
looked black as the chimneys. 1t is
said that opportunity at one time or an
other knocks at every door. This is not
strictly true. Opportunity would have
| fv A~s
trying to find the house where I lived,
and if it had found the house it would
have baked at climbing the stairs to
the hall room with the cool northern
exposure which shared with the faded
portrait of an ugly old chap overgrown
with whiskers and one horsehair chair.
So I had to page opportunity on the
outside, but found it. All, found It'll
"The two hundredth more or less an
nual revival Of Shakespeare was due,
and new company was forming. One
place was still vacant. The manage
ment wanted competent and reliable
understudy for all the female roles in
a repertory Of ten playa sort of
lady in waiting who would step in If
Ophelia should have tonsillitis or Juliet
were to get chill on her balcony, o,
Portia, Rosalind. Olivia or any Of the
other girls should slip on the Ice and
rip the repertory. was engaged fol
this every-woman Job.
"Considering the fact that it wa.
necessary to stow away The Merry
Wives Of Windsor with Hamlet,
Julius Cesar Two Gentlemen Of
Verona and others in my mental cham
Der, and taking my enthusiasm into 90.
count, the salary was fixed at the equiv
alent Of $3.50 week. OF ut the rate Of
rs cents role. which Is, believe
about the price Of wallpaper.
"It is somewhat popular supersti
tion that girl who goes on the stag
either goes to the dogs or starves. But
going to the dogs was cut Of the ques-
tion with Shakespeare's women always
in my company, and why starve wher
for tuppence could get fish and chips
filled in on several 75-cent roles. ant
finally one night had to play Katharine
the termagant wife in The Tanning o.
the Shrew.' have always believed tina,
o shrew cannot be made. She's either
shrew or she isn't. To believe that b,
giving shrew double portion cut OF
roast beef the virago In her would sub.
side and she would become as soft a.
butter is out Of ali reAson. 1t doesn'
happen that way. played the role il
that spirit. That was the beginning o.
better things. lost my jobl"