Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-16
BY SPRING BYINGToN,

remained with the repertoryy com
pany in Denver all that summer getting
better and better parts. Before the season
was over I was playing minor character
roles. Ny yearning to be great actress
had been nourishe6 by this experience. I
felt that all / needed was a larger op-
portunlty; within my inner conscious
ness was the surge to be a mighty WON
an Of romance. Our director, l apprect-
ate, now, was Kind and wise He kept
me in small parts, but he encouraged me
TO look farther There has been on the
stage, of course, instances where an actor
without training but INFUSED with
compelling fair Of genius has achieved
wonderful artistic triumphs.
But these occasions are AZ rare as they
are lovely. For the rest Of US the stage
Is a matter Of technique and an equip
ment of experience TO be acquired as
slowfootedly as the technique of a con-
cert yi0liuist My director understood
this then; it took me several years to
gain this knowledge. There is very little
irresponsibility in the actors approach TO
his audience.
By the end Of the summer season Mt
the Eltlch Gardens I'm Denver the com
pany disbanded The older members re-
turned to New York. Several Of Us, how
ever, organized q road company, jumping
in where angels would have shown an
intelligent caution. We got some book
ings In one nlght-stand towns through
Colorado and Kansas, acquired two or
three sets Of scenery, more or less de
jected, a girl to play the piano. and aft
ct a couple Of weeks rehearsals took 70
the road
PLAYED WITH SILK
HAT VILLAIN.
Ahe play was one Of those awful things
relating n story OF a prosecuted heroine,
n hero very nearly Immaculate, and
villain Of tho SILK hat black muStached
tyne and a snowstorm. II my memory
serves me correctly. the name Of this
masterpiece was Jim of Devils Gulch.'
IL was part Of our work 10 tear up the
snowdakes before the evening perform
ance and once in Kansas the scene was
almost spoiled because some Of the
snowy atoms cluug to the heroine's face,
refusing to melt.
Some of these performances were given
in opera houses" the first Goor Of
which were occupied by livery stables.
Finally the company went broke, but we
had money enough to get into Kansas
City. Two other young women and my
self found n room in a cheap hut clean
hotel We then began a quest FOR jobs
| resolved that l would not go home nor
would I write for money. I applied at
the ono theatrical agency IN the town
and then made the rounds Of the depart
mcnt stores. IN the cheapest Of these I
almost found a place at Sc r week. but
as this was conditioned upon my getting
references from Deyer. I did not take IL.
1t seemed to me then that | would rath-
er go into domestic service in some
bodys kitchen than let my family or
frlends in Denver know that I had failed.
There were bleak miserable days The
two girls with me. one Of whom became a
famous star both in America and LONDON.
had gone on with a burlesque company
chorus. My little store Of money under
the carpet dwindled and my clothes
grew shabby. And then one day there
came a chance to go back on the road
| was to play leads In a company booked
TO visit mining towns in Arizona and
Utah. I have since appeared in the
great Giles Of two continents. but I
shall never know again a thrill like that
which came when l wrote my name on
the dotted line for the manager Of this
tenth-rate troupe,
AT LAST SPRING
BECOMES A LEADING LADY.
Well, l was a leading lady And
was young and strong and bolstered with
an ambition to succeed so I didn't mind
so much the cheap, cold lodging houses,
the tawdry, drafty theater, and the tire
some rides In day coaches II all seemed
to me a romantic adventure and the au-
dences liked me. Once in Utah some
miners wanted to pay me n tribute.
was taking n curtain call after the sec
ond act when / saw two of them COM
ing down the single aisle carrying what
looked to me like a small PAIN tree. "A
l started to leave the stage one or them
called out:
Hey! Wait a minute" and they came
up to the footlights-which were oil
lamps-and deposited the small tub at
my feet.
l bowed again. When the floral offer
ing was carried back stage we read the
card on it. II said: