, 1880-02-01
Barley campbel''s Adventures as
Play-Writer.
That Memorable Season at Hoo1ey's-
Black Days That Followed.
The American Play-We Must Look to the
Dramatic Critic for It.
Whereabouts Of The Professionals Gossip from tho
Greeu.Room-Tbis Weeks Novelties.

than Adversary VIC e@A Ill sId1lo au'61-
sity-"
"We have to-"
"Exactly; and that first success Of mine
was one of my most severe trials. Visions
of greatness foated through my mind
Fame and fortune appeared to be within my
grasp, but it wasn't. PERIL was first pro-
duced at the Philadelphia Chestnut Theatre,
with Charley Thorne, Phillis Glover, Harry
Josephs, and Lille Davenport-since dead
in the cast. E. L. Davenport was the man
ager, and it was upon his advice that relin-
ouished Journalism and took to dramatic
writing. After its run in Philadelphia pro-
duced it here. It was the third attraction
after the fire, think"
SAT that time the Academy Of Music was
the only theatre in the city ?''
sAll the others were in ruins. Who were
in the cast? There were, among others,
Phillis Glover, Hannah Bailey (Mrs. Sar-
gent, Frank Lawler, and J. G. Padgett.
'Peril' ran for week here. Then went
East. What did I do? I led regular
bohemian life for a time and had some
strange experiences II wrote stories, poems,
edited cooking books, made speeches for
political aspirants with more money than
brains. Irecollect I was employed by very
unpoetical brewer to bolster up his business
in verse. Parnassus and vats don't hitch"
"How was it that you fellin with Hooley?"
the writer asked.
"Well," said BARLEY, "about year after
the Chicago production Of Peril J" i heard
that Hooley had opened comedy theatre In
this city. Padgett was associated in the
management and when Hooley signifed a
desire to secure an author, the former, who
had seen PERIL recommended me. was
eager for the post, and put my salary at S25
q week and $40 night for my plays. 4 bar
gain was struck. Irecollect the day OF my
arrival distinctly. The city was decked
out in new robes Of er1nine," BARLEY poetic
ally remarked. II made my way among
bricks and mortar to Hooley's Theatre, which
had just been relieved Of the building debris.
HooleY surveyed my entire altitude when he
first saw me, turned to Blaisdell and Padgett,
who were standing near, whispered some
thing, and Wfnked encnuragingly to me. He
moved off. I followed. We went into a
neighboring saloon, then called The Marble
Pillar,'-the Sherman House wasn't built
and over hot Scotch Ho0ley unbosomed HIM
self. He began with tho solemn statement
that the whole thing was a failure and a
fraud meaning the new theatre. lie had
been advised to start comedy theatre by one
of the leading newspaper proprietors. It had
been running six weeks, and he (Hooley) had
lost 81, ,S0o."
II know this" said Hooley, despairingly:
" that what they want isa 6rst~class nigger
band. Unless comedy looms up in a couple
Of weeks I'll give 'em burnt cork. tell
your the manager went on, "we're ahead of
the neopIe out here. an we've got to get right
alongside of 'em.n I
"Not very encouraging prospect for a
man WIN had travelled ]. 900 miles to join
b;ro ah,n
Ail aweli, S no,n resumed Mr.. Campbell; ssbut
tred o4 ~ couyinea Inv ] him that citv Of this size
sha.,,S - .,,r.,ar+o = 6-st.cl,ee +hastre Fina1lv
ou'a ~. ~ - t,,a rerfor,nanca
that M ninht @ and trv to d discover whv the people
nann1;a1 I inment with on9, or two good
peonIe and n good many bad ones in the cast.
What was Hooley's despair Il saw, was my
oppor1n The naa to
dlfIo, o1d oo,iar tu WAT fhaneht was needful and
hn -oo1iiW greed fn nv II. We onened with
az new ] nIav called aFate," with cast com
nrisinr Kate Meek. Phillis Glover, George
ahufRa, 1nhn S ;sdei 1obn Hiilon lanes ~ Norris
~ Jo44 4o aInbo1dar he ritv had heen thor
anrbiS anu bTsi0 onvnTed with nosters. Some
fqgr's foIgr diffegent 1te suits Of satin furniture
had been secured, we had con-
seIta1o1y q hoa oi,,e1, the sdies, Costumes
ana ~ We were yer psgpaIRSut R;t tIa np6snect for m
a,,dyo9ca 20 iH hnvnver was of The eioomiest de-
Sc5spsior 5as wor:a lu and When. about o'clock,
- ~ toe1Sa-..ta+;,,a iro,onot3 -, tn ocl- 1.e