The New York Clipper (March 1904)

DRAMATIC. VAUDEVILLE. CIRCUS, Copyrighted. 1904. by ths Prink Que*,, Publt.hlng Company (Limited! Founded by FRANK QUEEN, 1853. NEW YORK, MABOH 19, 1904. VOLUME Ul.-No. 4. Prloe 10 Certs. Anecdotes. Personates and Comments, CONCEENING STAGE FOLK and Sometimes OTHERS BY JOSEPHINE ORO. vorlte brand. On bli way to the theatre he had engaged In conversation with the farmer, who had come to town to dispose of hli vegetables. It was past noon, and the farmer had sorrowfully explained to the charitably minded Booth that there was little chance of getting rid of his stock, and that he wonld have to take It back to the tarn or sell (t for little or Dotting. meeting a friend to whom he was under obli- gation, tendered the seats, which were thank- fully accepted. A few days later he happened to be calling for news at the office of the management that had Issued the pass. He was Indignant- ly called to account for the use he had made of It, and told that he could not Id the future t, accommodated with a like courtesy. passed through no less than four pain of hands. The friend, also finding himself unable to make use of the tickets, had given them to one of the maids at his boarding house, who In turn gave them to some masculine ac- quaintance, who promptly sold them to the men who later occupied the seats. The press agent's little lesson points to During the first rehearsals of a new play the stage manager Invariably has both hands and mind full making corrections of words mis- pronounced by members of the company, who are often better actors than scholars, A few seasons ago sn Instance occurred during a rehearsal of a play In which Rlch- srd Manafleld was the star. The pronuncia- tion of one of' the small part actors deeply rained the star, who corrected him with far more patience than the latter deserved. One of the lines of this unimportant part con- tained the words, "an Incorrigible roue," which the actor garbled Into something that sounded like "an Incorlklbble row." "What's that—what's that?" was Mans- field's exclamation that brought upon his pained hearing a repetition of both the En- glish and the French word mispronounced. "No! no I" said the star, "repeat It after me," and twice the diffident actor did as he was told. That he had bis doubts as to Mansfield's authority for the pronunciation, oi that he did not take the correction serious- ly, was shown by his remark to another mem- ber of the company a moment later, when the star was at the other end of the stage, out of hearing. "I guess the 'old man' was kidding me on that, wasn't he?" Two actors belonging to Mansfield's com- pany, now playing In that star's latest ar- tistic achievement, "Ivan .the Terrible," at the New Amsterdam Theatre, were standing near the stage door after the matinee the other day. A, dark skinned old beggar In passing at the time thought he saw a chance to ply bis profession; Approaching the young men, he held out a Bklnny band and mumbled some foreign words that sounded more strange because of his lack of teeth. "I wonder, what language he's giving us," said one of the actors as he felt In his pocket for a nickel; "do you suppose it's Persian or Syrian—though he looks more like a Turk." "Neither," replied the other, who by his remark proved himself something of a wag. "Don't yon see he's toothless? He's talking Gum-Arabic." 9 A group of members were the other day sitting In a comfortable corner of the Play- ers' Club exchanging anecdotes of Edwin Booth, whose former belongings are so largely In evidence In all the rooms of the club. Several stories were told of the tragedian's father, Junius Brutus Booth, whose failing, as everybody knows, was the love of Intoxi- cating beverages, but which weakness wss always overlooked because of the wonderful talent of the man. In these days managers would not have the same patience with a star, no matter how great, that they extended to this talented actor, who did about as he pleased with them. M the time the elder Booth was playing In Baltimore, at the Holllday Btreet Theatre, he was missed from the theatre one matinee day, when he should have been In his dress- lug room preparing for the performance. A search In the neighboring saloons, where he was wont to take his glass of strong waters, did not result In his discovery. One of the stage hands passing the pawn shop of Gor- don Benjamin, not far from the theatre, casually asked the proprietor, who stood at nls door, If he bad aeen the actor. "Yes," said the pawnbroker, pointing bis thumb over his shoulder, "he's In there asleep. • He pawned himself for a dollar, which he went out and spent, then returned "ere to wait to be redeemed." The stage hand rushed Into the store snd ".vot so," exclaimed the generous actor, Tory deeply humiliated, he asked an eg- the moral that If one cannot use a personal awakened the" actor, who was tying on a "j will dispose of yoor ware*," and In faith- planatlon, which was curtly given. The seats pass, he should either return It to the man- 01 >g, low shelf behind the counter, having t^lly carrying out his promise he was found procured by him, the numbers of which,' had agement, or be pretty sure that the one to WRIGHT LORIMER Insisted xpon being shelved like the rest of toe pledged goods. He, however, refused to go to the theatre until the manager should wnd the dollar for his redemption, which that long suffering person was obliged to da though yet somewhat under the effects of «e dollar's worth of refreshment, Booth n «er gave a better performance than he did at that matinee. . ^Mother time the matinee cortalo was neid half an hour by the distracted manager, by the manager's agent; nor would hs ac- company that person to the theatre before compelling him to psy the price of the re- maining cabbages to the farmer. 9 Managers' favors in the form of passes have of late been so frequently abused that there has been a wholesale shutting down upon them, and rightfully so. When a man- ager Issues a pass la the name of the one who receives It be is not always snre that It will be need by that person. Last week a been traced to his coupon, had been occupied by two men, who, half Intoxicated, had so persistently annoyed the people seated sear them that their forcible removal was made necessary- Not only waa a scene spoiled on the stage, but the attention of a great part of the audience was distracted. When the men reached the lobby, loudly objecting to their ejection. It waa explained that they had purchased the seats from a man near the entrance. The fact of a pass being sold so greatly Incensed the manage- whom he passes It along will be the user. 9 The following comes from California, where so many younger sons of the English gentry have settled down on ranches. One of these was somewhat proud of his lineage and po- sition, notwithstanding the fact that he had become a ranchman In a democratic country. He went up to Ban Francisco for a little holiday, after the close of the raisin season, and proceeded to expend some of his profits In having what the ranchers cally a bully . - — ——.-» vj tuv uifiiaviCW uiauBHVi, Will DO IUVU VJ Ul«fc |RWU< ■»■» ""• ■ v****m ■»,« m ..v.«»b,j luvvuavu Maw UMM|r im u«r«u S vrua,. ww i«mun, *.»»,/ m uun/ wa *' nt teArcb ' rs sbout the neighbor- newspaper man applied for, and received, the ment that they plainly told the poor press time. This meant a free indulgence In wine, aood for the tardy actor. When finally found coveted bit of pasteboard, fully Intending to agent what they thought of his su p posed die- which exhilarated the young Englishman to ; * **■ •Mtsd at the top of a wagon load of make personal use of It During the after- honorable action. After many apologias, with such an extant that be began to brag ob- ~*"*•**■» which ho was auctioning off to an boob, after procuring good seats by special the explanation about giving the seats to • trialvely of his position Id bis own country, •nosed crowd gathered about nun. Needless favor, be found that ho would be unable to friend, he set out to trace the Journey of "Oh, gwu I" exclaimed one of the party, •villain, h. bad been Indulging In his fa- •ttaod the o»rferme»' , » M»* ••eh*. •«• +a» sIsmM eonpnus. Sasinr fast «b»v *••» wh» «■« *■ VM.hm.it. *ns »n» ww. efw> • ranchman of means, though hla career had begun by his proficient use of the pick and shovel. "Qwanl you're no better than the rest of us though your name Is Percy, with a pedigree, an' your father a squire." "He Is more than that," exclaimed the En- glishman, "hs belongs to several noted or- ders, He's a 'Knight of ths Garter,' a Knight of Bath,' and a 'Knight '" "An' let me tell you who my father la," In- terrupted the Irish ranchman—"he's James O'Halley tonight, tomorrow night, last night, an' (very nlgbt that's comln', that's what I" <■» "TUB QUEEN LANE." at vauurriNs puntis. And here's the lane I Ion cannot have for- gotten Toe fair green lane? Ton know the shadows, dusky, misty ghostlike Across the plain? And you remember atltl the mystic whisper Of moss-growD pine, The plaint of thrush, at eve, ths chirp of cricket, The low of klne? II T'was there the ferns grew tall within the shadow; Have you forgot? And tangled masses of wild woodland roses O'errun this spot. Pale birches Interlaced whits gleaming branches Beyond the turn; Beside the meadow heavy with red clover Babbled the burn. Ill I still remember; you have not forgotten . The single star That sent Its radiant ray of faith and glory from sklea afar? Low In the West the crescent moon dipped slowly Out of sight, The briar rose bush fair with pure pale blos- soms Perfumed the) night. IT. No, you and I, we two, haw* not forgottsa The fair green lane. It may be that the pleasure laid In gladness Matured In pain. That hopes we bunded fondly for tho future Have come to naught, But we, though changed, and time, and toll, and trouble Have not forgot Here, In the dim, sweetscented woodland quiet We burled fears, The whispering winds here soothed away our heartaches And dried our tears. Here, here ws found the faith that passetb knowledge That qulsts pain, Have met with love Id aweat communion In the green lane. 0*0 A SHBINKACin IN VALUES. The eager poet wrapped It np carefully and set out for the city, where the leading magaslne editors sat In Judgment on racb as his—or, rather, on such as might not hope to be quite as his, and It waa night when he came to the city. At the hotel where hs chose to lodge he paased It to the clerk, with Instructions to ptace It In the safe, when valuables were kept for security. "What value?" the clerk Inquired. The poet's face (lushed with pride. "It Is, perhaps, scarcely possible to plaes a value upon It, but ——" "Bay two hundred?" suggested the busy and practical clerk. "That Is, perhaps, something of the sort they will place on It," replied the poet, with a deprecatory curl of hla lip. "Tel;" say two hundred," and hs sighed. Tho clerk checked It at two hundred, snd pot It away In the safe. Next rooming the poet arose, paid for bis lodge, received It safely Into bis hands again, and went forth. The afternoon was waning when ths poet, looking wan. and weary, stood again at ths hotel desk, with It (do longer with a large I) In bis hand. "Ah I" said the clerk. "Care for It again 1 Same value, I suppose?" "Well—er—ah—not exactly," said the poet, still eagerly, but of a different variety of eager, "I think—er—ah—what I waa going to say, was—er—as a matter of fact— sr—could you let toe have half a dollar on itr The clerk amM ho couldn't hardly do It Just then, and ths poet took it and went back to his hoable Tillage, wttsrs bo opened e tin SSMSa »nA A\A quite well.—V. Y. TiW».