Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-04-04
SEEN FROM THE WINGS.

he parted; and there are plenty OF cases
Just like it to-day"
SEEN FROM THE WINGS.
Mary Anderson's Calatea and Her Pow
der Pun Behind the scenes-A Garrulous
Super.
"Pygmalion and Galates, the play, ID
already in progress. The orchestra, driven
from it's place in front to make room TOR
the crush, is standing in the wings. The
actors who are off tlptoe around to their
next entrance and wait for their cues, pas
sively perhaps, but often chatting In whls'
pers over some little slip which the audi
ence never noted, or some improvement or
otherwise in their co.laborer's work ap-
preciating shades and minor touches IN 1t
which escape the general public. Miss
Anderson, during the short waits, 10 not
particularly graceful in the drspery her
part erforces-no woman could be, and
she kicks the trail of her robe over her
arm, and juggles it like lady who has not
vet mastered the mysterious kinks Of an
especially long riding.hsbit. To see her
thus, one cannot but have higher opin-
ion of the art which commands perfect
grace while before the people, in spite Of
the ere strictions of the troublesome tog
gery The average woman has notion
that she would be paragon OF grace in
the wardrobe of Grecisn belle, whereas
the chances are that she would look as
though she had just escaped from burn.
ing building with bed-Qsilt on in place Of
her sealskin sacque.
There is a quite, methodical, business
like air about everything and everybody,
even to the supers up in the liy galleries,
who grind the drop up aud down and pick
out the right rope among the confusing
mass of cordsge, canvas and timber that
stretches away darkly TO the dome. One is
gsrrulously sociabl He sneers at bad
acting, and is only ,Esively interested in
the best. He is full - "reminiscences of
those whose names are printed big in the
bills.
But the worst was Bernhardt," be says,
talking of iractious stGrs. "She used to
driveup at the back door at rehearsal, an
then we had trouble 1t took more work to
get her into the building than to coax q
team of horses up O stairway. She had to
have both big doors opened wide. Then
we had to lay down boards and put a car.
pet down from the carriage doorway into
the stage. Fer manager had to dance
around with his elbow crooked. apd sone
one else had to hare on umbrella ready or
we we're required to rig @ canvas passage
way. II thinga didn't go right she would
just lay back in the carriage like mule
aud say, 4 am seek. That meant war, and
she always had her own way.
The LILY Was about SO nice az any; che
used to treat everybody white Why,
Lsngtrv would talk to everybody, She
liked 10 dance, too, and when she got
through dressing, if the orchestra yes
playing waltz she used TO grab Gu actor
aud go 70 dancing Terry was GOOD
deal like her She couldn't keep siill and
was always cutting up and dancing when
there vaS music.
Miss Anderson has got little high.
toned, as she uses the big back door ike
Bernhardt, though without any fusE. Sac
don't like the regular stage entrance.
European trips are no good for actors"
All this tine the play was goiag along
smoothly and was approaching q conclu-
sion Finally Gslates had discovered how
much trouble she was creating, ard re-
solved 10 resume her original form. She
made her ext. into the niche Ehe.e her
pedestal stood, CtteE;Gg her pieous fare.
wells. The audience had been finely worked
up and many ladies in the audience were
il tea,s AS soon as Miss Anderson had
drawn the draper OF the niche che fingered
. mouent to say another farewell, and
then dashed CT into the wings with her
trail over her arm She stepped back in o
moment with the white wig and mounted
the pedestal The .autter Of hsndSerchiefs
at the e. es of ls6ies in the auditorium told
of the EFFECTIVENESS OF the scene. Before
Miss Anderson was fairly on the painted !
box she grabbed hand mirror and pow
der puff aud commenced a vigorous ap- |
plication WITH the manner Of lady pre-
pairing for hall. Pygmalion outside was
paving the ground and having a very seri.
GUS aud Jimmy jammy time with himself, |
all on account OF Galatea. BE stopped |
a moment, aad then, Ike the heart
crushing vail OF trebly lost soul, came
another piteous farewell" The house
shuddered, aud SONS sobbej, while Mary
busted on the chalk With an energy quite
her own, aud her dresser arranged the
draperY about her feet. Pygmslion sp-
preached the niche. At the last second |
Mary dropped her puff and mirror, straight.
ened Up, Inhaled deep breath, aud drop.
ped into the statuesque attitude, while
Pyguslion tore spsrt the drapery, gave
one wild look, ard went down with groan
like a man snltten with cholera morbus
A burst Of applause from the front Of the
house tod Of The success Of the scene, and
he curtain came down with one Of the
most effective tsbleaux ever witnessed.