The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-03

NOVEL DIALOGUE FOR JuLIEr-AsEcDoTE or ELLEN
IREE-AN OLD ACTOR on CROOKS AND FAwNs.
The New York Evening Post makes the follow.
Jog extracts from q new volume by Sol Smith. q
veteran actor and manager:
ILLEN TREE AND THE OIL LAMPs.
Gas had not been introduced into S.. Louis in
1915. and our oil lamps at the wings had danger.
ous way OF 1aring up IN most unruiy manner.
occasionally threatening 70 set IRE to the LAMP
ladders, and thus endanger the building. The
lamps were open Floats, y with wick holders COM
ing up from the bottom and the oil, when heated,
would take FIRE and burn up 10 large hame. 10
guard against accidents We had q tub oil water
placed on each side of the stage with large swab
OF mop IN it ready for at any mom0Bt; and
scarcely night passed without a swsbbing being
required. The wing hands (subordinate state
carpentersl we're instructed to keep a strict
watch over the wing lamps. and to use he slca5
promptly whenever occasion might require. Be-
sides these watches, every actor aud actress felt
deep interest 10 the swabbing process, and twas
not an unusual thing TO see Richard tie Third or
Hamlet just before entering upon the stage. catch
up swsb and dash IL upon the rising flames.
which, if not attended to. were likely to burn mp
the Tower of London, or the royal palace OF
Esinore.
Miss Tree was performing the part OF. Juliet.
and bad taken her station Act 2. Scene ~ on the
balcony for the purpose of enjoying the fresh
night breeze, after the fatigue OF the Dali which
had concluded in the previous act, and to think
of the young pilgrim who had 80 greatly inter-
ested her during the festival, when. casting ner
eyes over the way, she saw that one Of the wing
lamps was Just beginning to flare up, and all eyes
being fixed upon her, there was imminent danger
of a confagration. The fair Juliet had taken her
seat on the balcony, but was observed to hdget
and turn in her chair in most un.Juliet manner,
calling of through the window behind her, in
loud whisper, for somebody to get the sEabV
Romeo, who had entered from the right-hand
side, and had not seen the haring lamp, went on
- inta ntad frou N time nv
the lovely Capulet -.
Romeo-"she speaks, yet she says nothing.
What of thatW
Romeo-"Her eye discourses. | will answer
Juliet aside --win nobody get the swsb We
Ronaeo-" am too bold; tits not to me she
Juliet (Aside) -"No; it is somebody to bring
| the swab. Where is Mr.. Sol Smith ~
Romeo-"see how she leans her cheek upon
| her hand. o that were glove upon that hand,
| that might touch that cheekV'
Jtlietg"Ah mel" (Aside)-we'd better not
90 on. Where is the swab!
Romeo" she speaks Oh speak again, bright
| ANGEL"
instant, I'll come down. will. All there's Mr..
Sol Smith with the swab at last.
| Romeo Spesks the balance of the speech un-
| needed by Juliet, who is watching the swabbing.l
Jttiet-"Oh Romeo, Romeo. wherefore art
| thou, Rome0W
aside Thank heaven. the dangers over; the
| swab has saved us
| Deny thy father and refuse thy name and
| so on.
THE LEGITIMATE DRAMA.
"In latter years." says Mr.. Smith, :" the legiti-
| mate drama seems to have been near crushed out
by what may be termed Black Crookery and
White Fawnefy consisting of red and blue fires,
fine collection of French legs, calcium lights and
| rnaf
itself moduated form Of the drama, has had
hard struggle 10 maintain its ground. and has done
so by burlesquiDg the burlesques Of the theaters.
Theaters, did ! say! Where are the theaters.
They seem to have nearly all vanished, and in
the places we have Academies of Music, Olym-
| pics Varieties, Gaieties, Athen9ums and opera
| Houses. The name OF theater-plain tneater-
has been discarded by managers, except In very
| few instances.
"Such an organization as regular company,
engaged for full year, is now scarcely known In
New York city, which is claimed 70 DC me me
atrical headquarters of the country. At Wailack's
| there is o regular company for from seven 10
eight months in the yeat. With this single ex-
| ceDiion, how are matters managed ia the way OF
engaging companies? About thus. so far as can
learn: Actors and actresses are engaged by the
Job, or during the run of a piece. Mr.. d., or Mr..
b.. or Mr.. F., translates French play or writes a
sensation drama, made up OF escapes from trains
of cars, burning steamboats, or sinking ships, ne.
| gro jigs and banjo playing-walks down or up tc
the Metropolitan Hotel. which is called the Riatc
by actors selects from the crowd, which Is always
there assembled at certain hours In the day such
performers as will best suit the character Of biz
piece, and engage them during its run I runs hi'
piece until IL will run no longer, and the actors
may run where they please and procure other en-
gsgements-if they can. Two or three of our
best trsgeoians are obliged TO make up strolling
companies, and roam through the rural district.
+ in hopes of finding some lovers Of the good old
Drama IN villages which have not yet had the love
Of Shakespeare fumigated out Of them by red fires
and blue bszes. Occasionally we see company
organized for one night Only 10 play In Brook
Ign, Newark, Patterson. or Williamsburg !"