The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-09-13
DRAMATIC EXPERIENCE.
A Man Who Played Falstaa Regard
 less of Conditions.

"Oh, yes, I like the theatre business we'll enough" said Augustine Dovey, a dramatic gentleman who once had hopes of becoming well known, bu, my Texas and Arkansaw experience has abou, cured me"
 -Say," said drummer. "I tell you where you missed it."
 "Wherey'
 "You showed in houses. didn', you !''
 "Of course
 "Nou ought 10 have shown under a ter,.r
 Why so:''
 Because. being such a ham, you ought to have been under canvass. you know"
 Now here, fellows, have ben guyed until don't find any enjoymen, in the performance. 1 started to tell you of my theatrical experience in Texas and Arkan- saw. am not trying to elicit sympathy, for wouldn't take meal ticket if you were to give-,hank you, I'll take i, along. We'll you sec, l thought that by striking Texas early in the fall, before any of the larger troupes started out, and then work up through Arkansaw, could reap quite harvest without competition. collected hrst.rate country town troupe. The star was good looking ranser and the leading lady was thin thing with melancholy jaw and voice that sounded like vail of distress. I had one fellow who weighed nearly three hundred pounds. He had never before been on the stage. He had come to Texas in hope of gathering unto him self, without expense, vast prairie and many cattle, but failing, he joined my troupe to get something to eat and a shingle to sit under when it rained. We did hrst-rate for time. The fat man, Jim Belsher, made an excellent Falstaffi. No, we didn't attempt Shakespeare. but as Jim couldn't take any other character, l let him go on as Falstaf. The country people didn't object to innovation. They seemed to like it when, during an excit- ing scene in "The Maiden's Love or The Bark that was Clawed from a Tree" Fall staf came out with handsaw and made a histrionic lunge at a nigger. After awhile we struck town that had a news- paper. l hunted up the editor and in- vitsd him to attend the show. He was a mild, gentlemanly looking fellow, and l ventured to tell him that he was out of place among people who would not hesitate to larup the life ou, of him should he publish anything they did no: like. He smiled in sickiy and appeal ing way and replied that he was very careful not to hurt anyone's feelings. I sat with him during the performance and explained to him the beauties of certain situations. wanted him to be favorably impressed, and when the performance was over, was certain that we had made at least one friend. This is what the pa- per said the next morning."
 He produced fimsy-looking news- paper and handed is to the drummer who read the following:
 The Augustine Dovey troupe played IT our city las. night. Mfr Doyey is a man of courage for bringing oysters south during such warm weather, but 1t shows that he is well up with, if not in advance of the season. After the per- fomance Last night, a petition asking s;aat the fat fool be sentenced to ten days oa the rock pile, was presented to our mayor, but unfortunately the weak-kneed official refused to grant the prayezs of the people The leading man ought so have died ysars ago, and douhtIe@ vould have been taken of had not Providence been eosy with more important aaairs- Ifhe should gst cut of Tens vith hide that will hold vhsaa strs~, he nay cossider his seasoos eagagemeut n eminent suc- ress. n cur worthy sovnsmzn, Hank Spiilzs, had followed the msp sf his inaen- ieas ssd bsssssd . rsvssssdal epsss-eer oa tAe summit et tAe se.tlenan's ksot, compaimsntay resolutions would have bees draAsd in his behaH t paiss us to speak of the leading lady. She might hever vith grace over . plate of pre- sezveA and might sore away steved fruit with nssesess and dispasch, bae she