National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-08

many manager who next winter will be
following the fashion set by shelby.
How many applications for engage
ments do you have2p inquired the re-
porter, whose visions Of the delights Of
managing thoater wero being rapidly
dispelled and by nothing more efTectually
than by tho constant succession of cards
which were being brought TO Mr.. Collier.
Tho reporter was with him one hour,
during which twenty-thrce persons vainly
sought an interview.
AT least twenty for every one can
find room for. OF course these are not
all from persons Of established position
IN tho profession. Probably half arc
from ambitious amateurs, who como from
all ranks, hotcl porters furnishing some,
while society ladies, who insist on the
magnihcence Of their wardrohos, arc by
no means In minority | refer all these
to the dramatic agents, Messrs. Simmonds
" Brown, who submit names aud terms
of people for my travelling companies IL
would take all my timc and more, too
woro TO personally attend to these do.
tails, !, however, make oil engagements
for the regular company, but these do not
give very much trouble rs season after
season the Same namus will be found. only
q few changes or additions being made.
| only loss numerous than the seekers
for engagements are the plnyrights. Three
or four call on mo every day, and Ger.
tainly ten plays n week must DO left hero,
vi arc read-those that shaw any con-
siderable merit-from beginning 80 end,
and the possibility Of altering or changing
so as to make them suitable for US is dis
oussed, while plays which are obviously
and hopelessly bad arc put aside as soon
rs that fact Is made indubitable. IL is n
great mistake 10 imagine that managers
don't and won't read native plays. Thoy
are too eager to got n good one to miss n
| chance, however remote. / have read
moro than n hundred since I assumed tho
management Of this theater aud never
! 90 journey of any length without ono
or two MSS. packed IN my satchel. OF
course, / have an assistant in reading,
otherwise the work could never be got
! through with"
"In considering expenses" continued
Mr. Collier, "the cost of tolegraphiug
must not BIO left out. Look at these
stacks" ho said, pointing to six enor.
nous files, on each Of which kilograms,
| tightly pressed down. reached about ten
inches in heigt These are the records of
last seasons houses, each travelling man
! ager tclographing mo his nightly aud
matinee receipts Immediately after the
house is counted up. But other matters
about which no has TO use the wire are
constantly occurring. Here in New York
our account with tho telegraph companies
runs between $50 and $50 q week, and in
tho expense list of zach company n fair
sum will also be found under this head
with all tho work l have to do
could got through pretty well If il were
not for tho incessant stream of callers.
have been driven by them out of the
theater, proper, and had to tako these
rooms in tho Morton house, but the bell
boys bring the cards here, aud oven when
don't see tho owners the looking at
their names, aud sending some message
or excuse, breaks in upon the current OF
ones thoughts. Cards begin TO arrive OF
5 4. In., and have been reused up by the
bearers of them after midnight. | don't
500 one in twonty of the people who call.
| wish | could do more, but can't; / IN
only mortal. But I'm sure II | am to be
rewarded hereafter for what / suffer here
I'll DO cast for a star part among the
angels"
The reporter had plenty of opportunity
of realizing how the manager was beset
aud to admire his ready fertility in ex
cuses, and his inventive faculty. During
that hour tho reporter heard to his great
astonishmont the "Mr. Collier had gone
to Niblo's;" that he was 'at the lawyers
that he was somewhere in the theatcr'
that he was mot I'M" that his secretary
Thought Mr.. Collier was in Chicago;
that he had gone to lunch;' that no was
in Boston," that "the gentleman might
call again in an hour" and that h,
, would see the lady in, fifteen minutes
. she would kindly wait in the parlor."