Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 August 1915 — SEEKS FAME ON THE STAGE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SEEKS FAME ON THE STAGE

Chinese Girl Aspires to Be the Sarah Bernhardt of the Oriental Race. For all-of her Irish name, Peggy O’Wing has never seen Ireland, nor, for that matter, have her father and mother had any Irish ancestry. Peg is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wing Bock of Newark, N. J. Of course one wonders why, if her father’s name is Book, she is called O’Wing. The Chinese do things which we Americans seem to be puzzled over. It is because Aer father and mother are Chinese that her name is O’Wing. That signifies daughter of Wing, Wing being Mr. Bock’s surname. Though she is thoroughly Americanized, some of the oriental waysiwhich she has ndt forsaken added charm to the fair Celestial

maiden who is seeking a husband. Peg is, according to the manner of Chinese reckoning, eighteen years old. but only seventeen according to the American method. Now eighteen In China is considered* an old age for an unmarried girl, and her father has endeavored in every possible way to aid Dan Cupid. Chinamen by the scores have come to the Bock home and have been captivated by the charm of the fair maid, but she’would have none of them, because she has made up her mind to have none but an Amerlean husband. Her charming features resemble those of a Spanish beauty, and that is saying something, for when a Spanish girl is a beauty she is “some pippin." Peg O’Wing has other aspirations besides securing an American husband, for sjie aspires to be the Sarah Bernhardt of her own race. It was against the wishes of her father, who is a prominent merchant, that she studied for the stage, for in China the parent of a girl frowns on any attempt of hia. child disporting herself for the admjratlon of the crowd. Consequently a stage life for the Chinese woman is never encouraged. So rare is the Chinese actress in China that men often play the roles of women. Miss O’Wing will be the only Chinese actress In the United States. Her three sisters are praying that she will meet with the success she deserves on her initial appearance in New York. She speaks Italian, Chinese, German and French as well as English, and she feels that an American of her ideal type will appreciate her more as a wife, than a Chinaman.

Would Be Bernhardt of Race.