Morning journal and courier., 1884-07-26
AN ACTORS DOWNFALL.
How a Male Professional Beauty Went From Had to Worse.

From EBaO 70 NOfSes
 From the New Orleans Times Democrat If you recall him at all, it is as a splendid specimen of young manhood. He was only fairly expert ill acting, but was so remarka- bly, pleasant to look at that audiences liked him. had slight acquaintance with him in those days. He was educated fellow, refined in his tastes and inclined towards literary pursuits. He thought that he had natural talent in the direction of fiction, and was at time at work 0 novel, as to which have no more distinct idea than that it was neither good enough or bad enough to make lasting impression. I do not suppose it was ever published, though it may have found place in ephemeral magazine pages. He was the object of distinguished regard by the girls of blithesome immaturity wherever he appeared. His daily mail was chiefly com posed of sentimental missives. He was an actual Grosvenor, on whom the adulation of love-sick maidens palled. There was no af- fectation about it. George took no delight in the admiration which his beauty excited, but rather saw in it an indication that he was eff | feminate. He desired to play parts in which his face would be disfgured, but there were two business-like reasons why the managers [ would not gratify him. His good looks were | too attractive to be wasted, and he lacked the skill of what was called character roles. Well, ! the other night in strol1ing up Broadway a friend suggested that we should inspect the newest of the wicked concert halls There is \ always worst one among this kind of New { York resorts. The pre- -eminence is short, be- ] cause the proprietor gets into the peniten- | tiary after little while Jake Berry, Sandy Spencer, Owney Geoghegan and Billy McGlory 1 are ilustrious names on the roll of infamy. | Each prospered for a season in the main 1 tenance of theater in which the audiences ! were more offensive than the performances. ' | Sassy, phrased by it's frequenters-is at present in the enjoyment of the patronage l which ends in disaster. We found the place ! crowded by men and girls, who got their l diversion from alternate attention to the | beverages served to them at little round tables and to the singing and dancing that { was being done on the stage. An architect ] ural feature of the house was row of boxes l along three sides of the auditorium and in | which seats cost half dollar, the rest of the | premises being free in theory, though in practice the walters seemed to be making it l unpleasant for those who did not disburse ! freely for drinks. We took places in one of 1 those boxes.
 ''How dyou do?'' said a voice which mani ! festly engaged in a resolute effort to be 1 cheery; Chow are you?' and it called me by ] name. 1 dropped my eyes and saw leaning | against the front of the box, which was just 1 high enough to bring his head to level with
 the rail- a frowsy, bleary, sodden wretch 1 "Come, come," exclaimed waiter, grab 1 ping him roughly by the arm, ''you mustn't
 annoy the gentleman. Bounce right out" The tramp drew himself up into pose of ! dramatic dignity, but held it only for an in stant, and then shrunk down to abjectness. l "Don't you remember mel" he said, pite-
 ously; 'Tm George Middleton"
 1 So he was. The gallant Romeo of ten years
 ago had become this miserable outcast. He
 was in quest of employment on Tom Gould's | stage, and he was willing to accept whisky in l full payment for his services, but they I wouldn't have him even on those terms. I
 subsequently, saw him draining stale beer
 from kegs into a tomato can in front of @
 saloon which, believe, is @ resort for mem | hers of his 1,rofaCsioD