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Show I r 1 i cJ8 I ecretrBehind theicener I II- .--J I'M W i-SL j 1 Rveafed tv anActreT . I 1 ;aI T?lHfc ' K 1 ' A Sad Picture of Stage Life as Told in 1 HES "V--? f3V' gives n outline of the writer's progress as an ' gsf ' actor's wife, nd tells some' of her ieTelat;ont of - JSL 'M "Kit m good-night and good-by,' she half whispered. 'This Is the last one,' he answered, 'the last, remember.' There was a stifled cry." " " iBl TILL and I felt that to the enforced separation ' of married persons the husband In one company, com-pany, the wife In another was due the great number of divorces In the theatrical profession. We fy 1 agreed that a man and wife who permitted themselves M I to become estranged because of temporary separa- i tioas knew nothing of real love such love as ours. Will was reluctant to have me take an engagement alone; however. It was expedient that I should work. HOfiM morning, while waiting In the office of an agent to whom Will had Introduced me, I was drawn into I conversation with an actress whoso photographs adorned the walls of the room Miss Burton. She assured as-sured me she would not let me miss the agent, and MB JM that having sent for ber he was bound to wait. "It tnakeB all the difference in the world whether 1684, I they send for you, or whether you go to them for an engagement," she told me. The agent received her M In his private office, and when she came out she was In high tplrits. She put me on a friendly footing with the agent who sent me with a note to a manager. g gM A walk along that part of Broadway known as the Rlalto during the early months of the heated term I i leaves the imprepslon that there has been a lockout of the whole theatrical profession. Actors block the corners and hem the sidewalks. The tWf-m supply far exceeds the demand. Year after year they make the weary rounds of the agencies. Season follows season with but a few weeks' employment for many of ilt lJB them. One wonders that the lmpermanency of his profession pro-fession does not drive the actor to other vocations .yJJiaiB perhaps "trades" were the better word, since the rank nd file are better adapted to plumbing than to acting ! The microbe which Infects the actor is as deadly In its effects as the tse-tse fly. It produces an exaggerated ego from which the victim never recovers. The only palliative li the limelight Retirement from the stage Is never per-manenL per-manenL Farewell tours of prominent players, like the f TTTA tv brook, go on forever. It is the ! gUiftV 1 WNh -e ? spirit of make-believe with mJjJB - ' which the actor Is saturated txWtmfC which leads him to make a f '3 IfKmWr front even to his confreres ceBHK -L- "Signed for next season?" one rwT ) orerhears, edging one's way ll,SgHflj$' r' through the rrowd I H jHT "N'0' not yet 1 ve had sevGr:i! ..HAY food offers, but not just what I riVLm want. rm in no hurr'-" And exfJMW he twSrlBhlscaoewlthanonchap l mflP "ant air, though he may not have k the price cf next week's board 'fSRL.- . bill And so I goes, ad Infinitum S.?t W"btB Hli Is the kingdom of blufT (Theresa en unpleasant ecene In the manager a office. , Ta "actreei wife" continues): I never knew how I found my way down the utairs to the street I did not wait for the elevator I saw that people looked at me as I hurried along UUH rtt . J -whither. I did not ask myself. Only when I oo Uidcd PgYrp with some one on the stairs did I realize that 1 had JmW lone straight to the agent's office. f "Hello, little lady!" 1 recognized Miss Burton y J voloe. "For goodness sake, child, what has happened ISH to you? Here let's go to a drug store-" P After a dose of eal volatile. Miss Burton called a hansom and InslBted on taking mo home. Then, when I was calmer. I told her what had happened, "The blackguard! I've heard about him before Why didn't you Bmack his face?" 'Til leave that to my husband," I replied, with tear fill dignity, A Mist Burton contemplated me between violent pun's ; of her cigarette. Then she shook her head. "Um-um, tlrlle, no, sir you mustn't tell your husband." r "Why not?" I demanded. L "Well, If you tell your husband, and he's the man I think he is, he'll go straight up and knock the old beast down. That will get him In bad." iLgfj i Miss Burton paused to allow the Ides to percolate I Jm. into my brain. "Girlie, you'll never get on in the show business, unless look here, I'm going to open your eyes to a few things that may come handy to you. I've been on the stage Blnce I was a kiddle: I was born in It. 1 had to make my own living, and the etsge ofTers a Pretty good living if you're willing to play the game." Miss Burton looked st me significantly. ''Way the game?" I aBkcd. , 'Yog, that's Just what I mean. Virtue and ohastltv hv just about as much chance In the show business -s that famous little snowball of purgatorial fame. if - H don't know of any other profession where immoral ft 'S a virtue. 50 en 'Mir mothers recognize the truth I I the statement and wink at It. Let any star or man I cast covetous eyes upon her daughter, let her but cent leading lady or stardom and she will not only I v J, berejf to Intrigue, but encourage It, She knows Afterwards on this same subject, 1 had a conversation conversa-tion with a physician whose large practice included celebrities both of the stage and of fashionable society. Said he: "The stage Is the mart for the prettiest and most magnetic of women. A pretty woman may be moral, but the chances are against it Every man looks upon her aa go much legitimate loot They differ only In their methods of getting away with It Sometimes they affect a legitimate sale! this is what ous social system calls marriage. More often the rate of exchange is usurious on the part of the man. It varies from a bottle of wine and a few pretty clothes to a diamond necklace and equally brilliant promises. .. .Now, here's where our lines converge. The stage is a good place to show goods. Our eternal chase bids us go in and look 'era over and if you are in a mood to trade to say nothing noth-ing of having the price you'll find a bevy of ambitious beauties with a keen eye to business." "You infer, then, that the society lady sins for love only, and that the actress bestows her affection for purely mercenary motives?" "I don't make any such broad distinction as that but I believe the actress has always an eye on the main chance and that she wouldn't let a little thing like love interfere with business." I had not thought It possible that. I should ever "make a scene" with jealousy as the motive. I was undeceived unde-ceived on that point while on tour as a member ot Will's company Suddenly or gradually, I never real ized how It camo about it became obvious to all that ihe leading lady was "making a play" for Will. We had had some racking railroad jumps, and a constant con-stant loss of sleep; the leading lady was stimulating on ..'umnae-ne One nis;ht, under the influence of the wine, rbecame more brazen in her advances to Will. She took ilbertlQs which made even her mother, watching in the wings, gasp with amazement When the action required re-quired her to throw herself in Will's arms, she gs- X flung me a look Jfr of laughing de- vVJ MK ' Ilance. colnci- rVvS 1 dent with a broad r H V wink to her moth- Fr 1 er then fed up- bV on his Hps like a V vampire sucking STn t r am not sure SSi i that I responded ji .'(';' ' rV to the cue which I Cbf. L J eome seconds lat- XVrv j e. - brought her in- tsvf 7 ;.o my arms (We jik,vM' were fellow Nihil- Agists Ag-ists under ar- I iv rest) The con- W tact of her band fT against mine cth f yvv Will told me af- j v ferwnrd he would ' Vv jUi never have be- fy A xOv. iHU lleved me pos- vOv yyK sessed of such j -d'.'iL' $ x V -Jvy 1 strength physl- A -aiiy. i choked mmm ) y V iier. I drovo my ' jKKF V3 nails into her 'Wyv ( flesh. I dragged K .yA V) 4 A her to the wings 8 K AM 7l and beat her with K . Va f ft fSOU my flste. I vent- VVV A V, I ed upon her the w.fA ! long pent-up fury. VvAnY L I t)h, the shame, Vv-XVIA, the ignominy of Ki zq& rVt 3W The q u e 1 tlon vjs, :tj-il- 1 itm of children had :;V2l2E: given me many a j - -rr.- lad hour. Our cf - UA iSafe5 hoy was born at cZlL- f. ....1116 JVhen -Let .nj afar or mnaafcr cast coveton WiU was absent Wi DO only lad hnraclt to mi Baby was six weeks old when his father first saw him. I laughed when he held the boy In his arms he appeared so awkward. After a successful New York opening the play settled down for a run. With the coming of the child, and the "front" Will's new position posi-tion demanded, it was hard to make both ends meet The critics hailed him as a young man with s groat tutor. He Joined sn actors' club, where he dined on ri.atinee days. It was at a matineo that I first saw him in his now part His entrance was greeted vita a burst of gloved applause, accompanied with such ex clsmstlonB as: "Isn't he s love?" "Just wait till you see how he can make love!" , After the performance I went back to Will's dress-Jrtg dress-Jrtg rpoxji ThfiTfi jyrV- some, letteiB lying on bis table "Read them." he said. Youil be amused. They are lr:7attae Tetters were Innocent enough, written l in S?M.h hand with requests for autographs. There was" oneSioleTiccnted note on fine linen, written iTthe mTge. loose, vertical scrawl much affected by smart women. I read: "Where did you learn to make love? I have occupied occu-pied the right hand proscenium box every Saturday matinee since the opening. Isn't that proor of my devotion' de-votion' Do I flatter myself that I have caught your eye once or twice as the curtain falls? I invariably dress in black and wear gardenias. If you are interested inter-ested you will have no difficulty In identifying me." As I folded the letter and replaced it in its cover, I recalled that Will had glanced toward the right hand proscenium box several times. Miss Burton was now a frequent visitor at our home- She adored the boy and never failed to bring him a present She took It upon herself to lecture me for not going out with Will, declaring I was spoiling him. I thought over what she said, and resolved that I would go with Will when next he asked me. It was an Invitation to a Sunday night dinner. We were a little late arriving, and when I came down from the bedroom, where I had left my wraps. Will was standing at the foot of the stairs talking with his hostess. "You handsome dog!" I heard her Bay. "What have you been doing to Alice? She's gone clean off her head threatens to leave her husband, and Is drinking like a fish!" 'I haven't don anything," WM11 began, but at that moment our hostess aaw me and nudged him. The time we lingered at the table seemed mtermln-able. mtermln-able. A guest told me that I should take a drink of brandy, for I was growing quite pale. He could not of course, realize that at that moment I had suddenly noticed that Will's companion was dressed all in black and wore gardenias A moment later the hostess called her "Alice." She leered at Will with wine-shot eyes, her breath coming in short, quick gasps, and I noticed that his ;' right hand and her left hand were under the table It was my habit to awaken mv boy at half after nine every night to give him nourishment I wanted 4 ryX t0 ask m' maid whether t jpa ri se had remembered my instructions. The tele--ffl - Phone was In a kind of A BiiT5PfcivX closet off the hostess 3 jfra - HJHjj bedroom; beyond the bed- sapgV reached by a door from f 6y Sl! ished my message w hen I Y ' laDX Uoarri some one enter the .. .- voffiSa Vl boudoir. A moment later jT Vs. V JdSfTkn J Vl11 entered the room r LyTOfflyL. j1! J II 1u!ck'17 anct began to J Ji "thIs thlncr 8 &FFly -&Fft on- "ou are making a Ejhffijr Jffff$J2 7 '00 Z2? anc yourself fl?Sl iaKfcSflS! '1e flrst k'nS you know HMtml your husband will get on dWffi There was a pause be- 5Sb5SL for spoke again, fi Stfl?HffiTO. "Come, now, don t po tffi? 1' rfflfiS on like that, everybody fpf lffftSitn know what's hap- vJ!V. Ll v. Another pause. I think J-ff 777w these Bllences were bard- ' You had no right to let it go this far if you Z didn't care," the woman went on. resentfully. 1 suppose you wouldn't . mind telling your wife ry.m spun her dantihler Q t had held me jn rleiif, bat tnooariiico It," LU . , your arms ana kissed my eyes and my nair "Powder your nose and lot's go down. Somebody will notice our absence." Evidently she obeyed, for there was another psnse. , After that memorable dinner party things were P never quite the same between Will and me. At this Juncture Boy came down with scarlet fever. The enforced en-forced quarantine acted as a bar to any intimacy between be-tween my husband and me. I welcomeJ the Isolation. In the night Boy was seized with a convulsion. It n aa with almost superhuman effort I framed the words, "Shall I send for his father 1" The doctor nodded. Tn a driving rain, under s weeping eky. we followed the little white casket to the grave. Well, be bad not 4 ul choked her. I drove my nails into her flesh. ! dragged her to the wings and beat her with my fists.!' tarried long. .. .Boy. ., .Boy. . .. , We came to Bee a great deal of John Gatlbraltta. Indeed, he became a part of our daily life. A genuineness genuine-ness which made Itself felt, a cleanliness of mind and speech, a gift of sympathetic understanding, endeared S i lf lB 'r,end3- Will shared my feeling, else he xfh thrown us so continuously together. ,'Dand cot only encouraged my working under tne guiding band of the sculptor, but developed an lmL enthusiasm which quite took sway my V breath. He rented a studio, and there I w jC worked, and studied under John's guidance A J and the time came when I was to begin f MEaS tbe nude ot Bov lQ marble, -aj 9H ) Sometimes Will would ewoop down In n 1 " I " with a noisy party In tow. On one occa-I occa-I IV Bin he brought his star. Posing .as a con- r rt l - nolsseur, the lady had expressed a wish to f t a'n 6ee Jonn's work. I think I hated her at first r 4 I glance. There was something snakelike even I f ' In the movement of her body and in the ysiL craning of her long, thin neck, from which V77 Jr' a sharp jaw projected. h'S "And so you aro Meesus Hartley?" she "id to me on taking her leave. "What fine p - ? eyes you have. If I were a man I should T J..:;.'. make love to Meesus Hartley" she shot a J ft3 glance at John Gallbraith. then dropped ths g $; ' lids over her eyes. Suggestion is insidiously effective. From the moment my husband's star had dropped the seed, the old camaraderie between John n-V Gallbraith and me gave way to self-con jf iiy a6J sciousness on my elde. S5 It had become my custom to carry my " aiaaV perturbation of heart and mind to my boy's Tije actress la eraVe. Upon such a mission I set oat i7"f Walk" ono da'' ,ate !n September. Soothed by the tae plank." tryst with my loved one I returned to town prepared to take up the battle. Arriving at tbe Grand Central Station I glanced listlessly around the waiting room. A familiar figure caused me to start forward , and then draw back. There, coming through the station, sta-tion, was my husband and bis "star." From the handbags hand-bags he carried one of which 1 recognized as his II was evident that they had come direct from the train. I recalled that Will had mentioned that the star haJ recently bought a country residence. Sun- day and Monday bad passed with no word 2 from him. I now understood where he had C2s been I watched them drlvs away in a hansom. jMlflWl Vr wrPliffiiSiB A hand closed over mine. . I knew the ylfSir hand.... In my complete immersion of rffj -wjsy thought I had not heard him cjino in wjsS&r I bent and pressed my Hps upon his hand. '( !'-; Infy "Margaret ... Margaret," he said, anj I. -t' viflHFw all unyloldlng, sought the so'.ace of his '7 llsKW arms. li'm M I bade him good-by and had lingered lij wRa 1 His Btrong hands clasped mine once mora I And thus my husband found us. 32) " "Drop my wife's hand, drop it I say!" sgSj Will raised his cane to strike. I heard it "Makea froB soap and saw the bits in tha other's hand. t him eaaja His cheap grief was revolting. tmmm "Stop thatl Stop your acUng! ra alck, Blck onto death of the theatre! The trouble Is, you're so Impregnated Im-pregnated with the rottenness about you that you judge all by your own standard- Good-by," l said. nd left them together. It was dark when Will returned. "Girlie, I have something to say to you. Gallbraith and I have talked it over, and the kindest thing I can do is to give you a divorce. I guess that's all for the present I'll be at the club any time you want ma Good night. Girlie, and God bless you." plVORC DECREE . ? |
