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Show LILLIAN BUSSELL'S DEBUT. "Now, when I am drawing the largest salary I have ever had. It seems odd to remember that for my first appearance appear-ance I drew fifty dollars a week. It was Tony Pastor who met me at a friend's house and to whom I confided my desire de-sire to go on the stage. He said he'd give me a position at once. Then I thought of trur mother's disapproval; but Mr. Pastor suggested that I come down In my ordinary attire, sing a few ballads, and even then I could get back home before anyone missed me. It was a great temptation, and I agreed. In order to keep it a secret, I took the stage name of Lillian Russell by own was Helen Louise Leonard; but there was mother to be considered. For two weeks I went unsuspected, and then a newspaper man said pleasantly to my mother: 'You ought to see Lillian Russell, Rus-sell, that English girl down at Pastor s.' Can you see me in a cold sweat? My mother went down to the performance; I hurried home, and reached there before be-fore she did: then I waited in terror until she arrived. She came In. looked' me over, and said: 'Well, I think you can afford to pay for your own music lessons' and after that I had to. I got fifty dollars a week, and my first week's wages was advanced to get me the gown I wanted: and I paid It back, ten dollars each week. Now, when my salary sal-ary is forty times as much, I haven't any more left." Lillian Russell in National Na-tional Magazine for February. |