The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-01-22
rnEArRlcAL sUpERsrrTIoNs.

IhbA4hiSANS = ~ : =
same. ots.hs PsealIar Iassa that Prevail
Among Actors.
Recently while an ISTELIIorScER re-
porter was talking to Mr.. Q. L. Durham,
advance agent Of Miss Minute Madden,
the fact was alluded to that Miss Mad
dern's approaching engagement here is to
begin on Friday. sis Miss Madden super
stitipus? ~ the reporter asked. "Notmore
20 Than ali theatrical people" was Mr..
Dnfban's reply. .'They all have their
s,nerstitions, some OF them common TO
the profession and others only possessed
Nv The individual. Miss Maddern's are
nearly all peculiar, and often In direct op,,
position to prevailing supersttons on ana
of the stage" -,
"Does tho dread Of Friday prevail
among stage peopleT
HN6t more 50 than among other people.
The superstitions OF actors nave grown W
nnaccountably. For instance, why It
should be considered bad luck 70 lose :
heel of q slipper on the stage, ana gooa
luck to break q vase or glass ornaine y; :
there, and yet bad luck to break an arn-
Gle OF stage furniture, never could I'M
agine; vet all these ideas are religously
lheld by actors and actresses. -
TSotne OF the individual notions OF well
known people are amusing, continued
Mr. Durham. "Gus Levick, II he meets
cross-eyed woman, crosses his index fng-
ers and spiis over them for luck: Ed.
Harrigan will follow q hunchback for
hours In order TO touch the detormity
without being detected. A strange cat in
the theatre causes lightness OF heart
in Kate Claxton. A team OF one black
and one white horse seen on the street
viii cause uneasiness in Maude Granger
for DAYS. Should the team turn, reversing
their course, while she is watching them,
she is happy; that changes the bad luck
to good" ,,,., 1toa10.n,.
IidiosyncraciCs, which you allude to? /,
"Well, forinstancc, almost all theatricai
people, in common with many other peo,,
ple. have horror Of tho number Is, and
rs many consider q lucky number. O1
the contrary Miss Madden has marked
antipathv TO the number Z, while the
tIreadiul 10 is her talisman. During a
recent engagement in st. Louis she was
Invited % attend a select afternoon social
Mt the residence OF one OF the leading
society ladies OF that city, on - street
The house number was seven, and so
strong Is Miss Maddern's prejudice that
she declined. Noticing willing 70 excuse
herself as i'll, when in perfect health. and
not wishing to parade her peculiar super
stitions, she made no excuse at all, thus
causing considerable sensation In st. Louis
social circles, -,
"SIost theatrical managers believe the
number thirteen to he the source OF all
In luck, and will not embark in any en-
terprise where it comes prominently 70 the
surface, and as to accepting Room u IN a
hotel, they couldn't think OF it. Minnie
Madden will consider herself particular
lly blessed ifa hotel clerk happens to as
sign her to Room Is. It, to her, is lucky.
The great success Of her new play, Ca
Iprice.' she attributes 10 the fact that she
sinps In the Cleaning each evening, this
song with a name oithirteen letters, coun-
lteracting the III effects OF the seven letters
OF the word Caprice.
GShe uses no initial letter in her name,
because withoutit her name contains thir-
teen letters. could give you illustra-
tons iii the cows come home, but per.
hans the most striking is the number Of
characters in the play. It originally had
fourteen acting parts, but Miss Madden
had il recast with but thirteen people in
the cast. Many actors and actresses con.
slider thisa direct flying in the face Of
Providence, but II there is anything at all
| in luck Miss Maddcrn's superstition seems
| to be yindicated, for we ore making money
this season while most stars are losing"