Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-07-16
UPS AND DOWNS.
The story of Mary Anderson's First Ap-
pearance In Louisville.

81 saw three little paragraphs in last
Sundays paper which set me To think
ing" said an old actor 10 Pittsburg
Dispatch reporter.
THE first he continued, "was one
telling of Mary Andcrson's wonderful
success last week in Philadelphia. The
second told of the engagement of Will
liam GriilithS To play part in l0-ccnt
museum, and the third announced the
breaking up of Barney McAuley's COM
pany i'm Carthage. Mo. You don't see
any connection between the three. do
YOU? Well, do Ten years ago Mary
Anderson made her first appearance in
a cast of any Importance in Louisville,
Ky., as Juliet. William Grifliths. at
that time very popular, and then, as
now, very good actor, played Romeo,
and Barney McAuley was manager OF
the theatre. You begin TO see story,
do you?'
''Yes, 90 on.
"Well, there Is more To it, and never
saw the story in print. Mary Anderson
was terribly stage-Struck, and then, rs
now, remarkably handsome girl She
had done something in amateur thea
tricals, and had done some business in
minor parts in Cincinnati and Louis
Vile She wanted TO appear rs some
thing better, however, and believed
that she was fitted for it, so she went
to McAuley and asked him to bring
her out.
"What do you want to playP asked
he. sizing her up as staSe-struck
school girl.
Juliet, she replied.
Barney looked at her and smiled
Like every theatrical manager in every
city, he probably had dozen such APP
plications Il week. and resorted TO all
sorts of stratagcms TO get rid of the an
noyance.
"'rll tell YOU what III do he said.
If you will 90 out and sell every seat
in the house To your opening, I'll fur
nish the company and bring you out.
"I'll do it, she replied, quietly.
How long will you give me?
"'Oh. take year. said old Barney,
glad to get rid of her so easily.
''Wcll, she went at il. She visited
the newspaper offices. and made the
acquaintance of WatterSon and other
editors, and told them what she wanted
TO do, and what she believed she could
do; that she was Kentucky Girl, and
wanted their help. She interested Wat
terson, and he told her he would help
her. Then she went to peddling tickets.
Into stores and private houses and oil-
ces she went until she had the seats
about all filled Then back to Mr.. Nc
Auley she went. He was astounded to
see that she had taken him so literally,
and pleased AT her pluck and pcrsever-
ance. But he kept his part of the con-
tract, cancelled a contract with an
other company, and sent on 20 New
York for Il company to play the piece
GriflithS, a. | said before. was east for
Romeo for the bluegrass, maiden's Juli-
ct. and she owed much of her success TO
his skill and ability. Her first appear
ance was Il great success, considering
her entire lack of all histrionc training,
and the Louisville papers gave her col
umns of valuable space. From that
time on she was Mary Anderson, and
has gone steadily on, while Uncle
Dan'i,' who thoughtlessly perpetratcd
what might have been a cruel joke on
the ambitious girl, doesn't even repre-
sent the Jarvis Section. And Griiliths,
who probably laughed at the country
girl with whom he was east, is now
dividing the honors with Kate Meek
as dime museum stars. So the world
goes.