River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-09-05
.SUPERSv on THE STAGE.

manner of personal discomfort. Still,
with a sense of inferiOrIty, the super con
siders himself u actor. He treads but
the lowest rung; but his foot is ON the
theatrical ladder The climbers above
may superciiously ignore the connection
but he feels that he, too, is an actor, and
sometimes asserts his fellowship like the
poverty stricken fellow who publicly hail
ed David Ga.rick as his "dear colleague,
on the score that it was his growing that
made the ghost of buried Denmark start
like guilty thing upon "A fearful sum
mons; and the less obstrusive super, who,
when told of Macready's death, exclaim-
ed
"Ah! another of us gone
1t is recorded that French super,
playing an assistant footman in popular
Oprea bouffe for the first time, fell down
in fit, brought on by tue excitement
conse quent upon his having to create a
role Too much zeal is always incon
convenient. At performance not very
long since of Richard III, the armies
contending at Bosworth were so carried
away by professional ardOr that the
mimic tray came very near the real
thing; and one gallant archer introduced
himself to the managers notice with an
arrow through his nose. so astonishing
that gentleman that he salved the wound
with half sovereign. The next evening
the casualties rose to such alarming pro-
portions tia: like treatment would have
r"ell-nigh exhausted the treasury.
Considering how often the super
changes his nationality, one would ex-
pect him to be too thorough cosmopoii-
tan to cherish any insuiar or continental
preiudices. They nevertheless have their
sympathies and antipathies.
''Shure, sir" said an IrishmaI who
had tor some nights died a glorious
death fighting for FatherIand, Its
mighty unpleasant 10 have to be Ger
man; Id rather play a Frenchman.'
He had to be contented Dy receiving
the managers assurance that if he con.
tinued to work up his agony well, he
might be permitted TO change his uni
torn at the end Of the month. Greater
success awaited stalwart navy, who
after crossing tine Danube several times
at Alexandra Park. declared he must
echuck it up if he he could not be a
Turk. His desire was granted, and the
next afternoon he was pitching Russians
into the water with q will.
SomebOdg-we think Mr.. Dutton
Cook-teIl good story OF an dccessojfo
once attached to the Porte St. VI trtin
Theatrc N Fom bcnue had won man
agerial praise for the adroitness with
which he handed letters or coilee-Cups
upon salver, and his exc 'ilent manner
OF announcing the names of stage guests
and visitors Naturally enough, he
thought his services might be more
tioerally rewarded, and made his thought
known
monsieur Fombonne," said the man
ager, II acknowledge the Justice Of your
application. l admire and esteem you
You are one of the most useful members
of my company. l well know your worth :;
no one better"
Glowing with pleasure at this recog-
milton of his merIts, VI. FOmbonne, with
one of his best DO IS said:
Il may venture than to hope"
'Bg all means, MONSIEUR Fombonu2,' =
interrupted the manager. Hope sus-
tains US under all our Affections. Always
hope For my part, hope is the only
thing left to me. Business Is wretched.
The treasury is empty. cannot possibly
raise YOUR salary. But you are an artist
and therefore above pecuniary consider
alton do not. cannot Offer you money
but I can crafty a laudable ambition.
Hitherto you have ranked only as an
dccess0ire; from this time you are an &C
tor. give you the right of entering the
green room. You are permitted to call
Monsieur Lemaitre mon c9mrdde; to thee
and thou MademOiselle Theodorine.
am sure, Monsieur Fombonne, that you
will thoroughly appreciate the distinction
I have conferred upon you.
The manager read his man rightly; the
promoted dcceSS0i1e was more than salts
fed.
Not so well pleased was the English
SUPER who asked for a rise, pleading that
he had been playing his part with the ut
most care and zeal for a hundred conse-
cutive nights. The manager inquired
what part he played.
"Whv, SIR said he, II am in the fourth
act; have to stake twenty pounds 10 the
gambling scene"
Very well quOth the manager; from
10 night you shall double the stakes
"Was it the same manager, we wonder,
to whom Nj. Stla's small super
came crying fer a redress of his griev
ancel He has been cast 10 play double
q
dominoes: but the dresser had allote
double four to his brother Jim, and in
sisted upon his being contented with don
ming the tabard of 'iour and n blank.
He had protested, he had howled, be had
punched Jlms head, without effect.
"What am | 20 DIR the little pantomi.
mist cried I'D sooner give up the pro
fession than be cook down 50 many pegs
Il.
s'Neyer miad, my boy" replied the
amused stage manager, YOU shall play
double four; and If you b. have yourself
properly till Boxing Night you shall play
doube-six.'
That little fellow would never have
made such a mess of his business as die
a street urchin who made his first appear
ance ON any stage under the auspices o
Mr. J. c. Williamson, when the latter wa;
playing Struck Oil" in country town
Led on 10y the ear by LIZZIE Stofel, anC
asked, "What for you call me Dutchy(
the debutant blurted out. . Cause vot
told me to- to the immense delight o
the house. As soon as the act was over
he was told he might go IN front; anC
before any one could stop him he pulled
back the curtain, climbed over the foot
lights into the orchestra, and coOlly LEI
tae theatre.
Boleuo, the clown, never evoked
heaTtier merrimene than that caused bl
his first appearance in public as one o
the "princIpal waves" in the nauiies
piece Paul Jones' 1t was at Std,eri
Wells Theatre, soon after the "real water,
for which that house was long famous
had given place to the conventions, can
vas sea with its wave rolling boys under
meath The last scene represented tn
ocean, bearing on Its expanse of water
two ships preparing for action. TIL
waves rolled rs the boys bObbed up ant
down, and all would have gone we'll haC
not Master Harry discovered small hol'
in the canvas above MIN.
Into this hole he put two fingers, IN
tending to take peep at the front OF tn
house The rotten stuff gave way; III
waters Of the Atlantic divided, ana dis
closed a small head besmeared with blu
paint-the result of friction aga nst tn
painted cloth. Catching sight of this
Young joe Grimaldi, who was the cap
tain in command of one of the vessels
called out. Man overheard - when tn
stage-carpenter sh.ok his fist at TIE 80
ualIed offender, causing the 70 5