The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-02-25
THE OLD PROMPTER'S STORY.

The prompter is regarded as the rope
dancers pole of the old player. He is
the scape-goat. This speaks in his ex-
terror; there is no trace of self-conscious-
ness. Generally lean, fitted for his
trihing salary, simply dressed, he seems
to bear everywhere, heavy sense of his
unlucky fate to be oppressed by a
supercilious company. An icy calm
marks him. Speaking with suppressed
voice, no drama is for him so enchant-
ing that he ever forgets himself. Almost
monotonous, cold, with scarcely any &C
cent, the words glide from his lips. If
revenge, if love, always the same sing,
yet unintelligible. The true actor knows
how to prize art, but accustoms himself
to it so that it is strange to him if the
prompter once forgets to be machine.
1 was playing in large provincial
town a round of star parts. l played
the Marquis Rosa, in Don Carlos"
and found an exception to the rule, a
sentimental prompter. Frederick Cans
had prompted me as Hamlet and Uriel
AcOsta, and / had observed nothing
peculiar about him. Quietly, intelligent
ly, not too loud, not growing in his
beard, he had carried on his business.
In the first scene of the Spanish play he
remained cold and faithful to duty. Then
comes the tale which Rosa tells the
Queen. l was not surprised that the
prompter wholly ceased whispering, for
what actor of Rosa does not know by
heart the conversation of the two noble
houses In Mirandola? At rehearsal I
had even skipped it. But / was amazed
when, as 1 told how the unfortunate
Ferdinand flies up the steps and sudden
Iy finds himself at the wedding feast of
his uncle, and the bride once his own,
there abounded genuine sobbing from
the prompter's box, l glanced thither.
There sat Frederick Cans crying aloud
in his blue cotton handkerchief.
Was that triumph of my art, or did
/ here meet what that actor in Berlin
experienced, over whose Franz Moor the
prompter shed hot tears, not from trans
port but from pity for the fine role? I
had to collect all my powers to end the
speech. l was occupied the whole
evening with the behavior of the
prompter at that story, though in the
rest of the play he prompted even fault
lessly. I spoke of the unusual circum-
SbduCS " thC lCd1tCA, tLlIl Vic LudAdSCI.
Il had forgotten" said the manager,
1" to call your attention to the peculiar
ity of my prompter. He is otherwise
excellent only it is impossible for him to
read or here that speech without emo
ton
"There must be q reason for it, " I
said.
"That is the case, although one can
not get from him the particulars,
answered the leader. "The report goes
that the story hits him, and that has
given him the nickname of Don Carlos,
which he patiently, if not smilingly,
bears"
The prompter was scarce of medium
size, but neatly built, with completely
white hair, and a nose of unreasonable
length. Sober, scrupulous in his busi-
ness, orderly, punctual, open and hon
orable toward every one, liberal with his
purse, he had the respect of all. This
was the man who reused my curiosity.
The tragedy had ended, and the spec
tators and actors left the theater.
I privately inquired where the
prompter was to be found, and learned
that after the theater closed Cans stayed
an hour in the beer-house, the solitary
luxury he permitted himself. hurried
to the locality given. There sat Cans
alone In a corner, his mug before him.
He did not seem In pleasant meditation.
His brow was bent, his remarkable nose
seemed to stretch farther forward, the
under lip protruded.
"Is It allowable for me to sit by
YOU ?"I said, going up to him.
Cans looked at me quite stupefied.
The company seldom look upon or deal