River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-10-28
OFF THE STAGE.

I'm super. / suppose Won know
what that is If you don't, and amt
theatrically inclined, I'll tell you. A
super's one of them az takes the small
parts in the play, where the "busi-
ness is important and the "cackle .
particular. That's a super. When
Shakespeare wrote - man in his time
plays many parts, he must have bad a
super in his eye. if supers was invented
IN those days, which ! suppose they
was, or Shakespeare amt the man /
took him for Bless you, our role is
unlimited-we does everything Why,
in one piece sometimes take a matter
of half dozen parts, if not NOR
Say Hamlet is put up first I'm a
guard awalking on the ramparts of the
castle then I'm q courtier attending
on the king then I'm a recorder
(Which amt got nothing to do with the
law, as | thought at one time, but per-
| forms on sort of flute): then I'm a
sailor arter that a mute at OpheEja's
funeral; then I'm a soldier again, or a
courtier, as the case may be. And
there | am. A super's more important
than anybody may think.
gets a shilling a night, and finds
my own color, which, being saving
man, | usually manages to scrape
enough mp from the waste in the paint
ing-room--for in the matter OF lime and
ochre artists is prodigals aud if I'm
hard up for black-for q eyebrow or a
moustache, for instance-I gets the
needful from the chimney pipe Of the
stove in the property4room. | have
worked my way up to the top Of my
profession in my line, which is heavy
lead Of supers, and I've occasion to
know that at particular times, say the
first night of a new piece, I'm looked
up to by the management TO carry this
play, and | generally coAtriyes TO satisfy
the most sangulnary expectations I'm
proud of my profession. | amt only
actor for the sake OF the filthy lucre
(Which | suppose means coin), but for
the literature and specially the
art. I've studied it you mayn't think
so, but it's fact
I've served under Edmund Kean,
William Macready, and all the stars
since. / once fell out with Mr. Mac
ready because / conldu't remember
where to stand at a certain cue. He
was very particular about his situa
tons and one day at rehearsal I
couldn't think where I ought to be, and
| made the same mistake so often that
! got fastered / was Young at the
tine and rather sudden: so when Mr..
Macready, almost ont Of patience, saws,
Stand here, you dolt I" pointing to a
place on the stage, | take a piece of
chalk out Of my pocket and makes a
mark or the floor just where he wanted
me 20 be; and there / stood looking as
cool as a railway clerk, though all the
while ] was as frightened as amateur
Ii Mr.. Nj. : ewes ut that identical mo
ment bad been daggers, | shouldn't
have been telling you this here. /
never went on with Mr.. Macready after
that. Edmund Kean was different
His way Of doing things was just the
same of and on. II You didn't please
him, you knOw'd il | had TO take a
goblet of wine on 10 him one time, and
| forgot my cue and kept him waiting.
When did so on he was regular boil
isg over with rage He catches me by
the collar Of my coat aud the roomy
part Of my breeehes, and pitches me
slap of the stage. But he wasn't bad
sort for after he was done he comes
MP TO me and says he's very sorry for
hurting me, and asked me what la
have TO drink.
I've been married, and had one child
IA girl-and I'm a widower. was
married young, like most professionals
She was IN the third row of the ballet,
and inclined To be stout, but she did
not last long, poor soul She had an
apoplcctic iii uae night, and died in
my arms IN the green room. | was
very cut up at the time, because she
was as good o wife MS ever wore Il ring
My dartcr vas as good looking girl as
would meet anywhere quite different
from her mother-not In the beauty
hue, because she was nice looking too,
hut IN size. Rose was very thin. She
followed in the same steps as my old
woman; and | got her an engagement
ut our theatre. OF course she fell in
love girls always do nj that age, sey.
euteeu with rs rising young fellow
a. ! 4 wish 10 see. | was proud of Rose,
aud WAS glad il turned ont SO and
what's more, he wasn't ashamed Of me,
although ! was only q super, which
made me proud Of him, too. He was
lefy Jealous " Bose, and wanted to