Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-10-07
A sLooDHouNo,s DIARY.
Extracts from the Book Of Life Of an Old
Actor In the q. T. Cabin Drama.

am . poor Siberian bloodhound Of
American descent am an old actor
in an Uncle Toms Cabin" company,
and am very much in the scar and
yellow leaf.
am an actor of the old school, and
1t pains me to see people come in out
of the corn-field and gag part as they
do nowadays. l have been taught to
study part carefully. and bring out
every thing in it. That is the way
learned to act. To be true to nature is
my hobby. In my enthusiasm l have
several times fed myself with fragments
Of Eliza's baby and got myself disliked
for that reason, but that is better than
to fall short of the part aud to under
play it.
That is where / disagree with the
gentleman who plays the jackass in
our company. He believes in a calm,
dignitied stage presence, and counts on
that almost solely, while / am in favor
of an enthusiastic Interpretation of nay
part, regardless of dignity and post
ures.
belong to family of actors. We
extend back as far as the eye can reach.
We love the generous approval of the
public, and we thrive on applause. To
bound upon the stage with deep
chested bark and eat portion of
EliZa's borrowed child. is meat and
drink to me. For twenty years have
been on the stage, playing one night
stands and watching little Eva as she
passes gently up the flame. Twenty
years / have seen Mr.. ST. Clair climb
into two-dollar death-bed with his
boots on and die . painless death on a
small salary.
Life is indeed but span. How
short q time it seems since joined the
company. mere pup. Then l was
full of hope. l also had a full set Of
teeth. Now my front teeth are arti-
fetal, and can not read fine print. 1
have seen the world, and have found
out, also. how hollow it is. l have
been levied on by the sheriff. and 1
have walked many 4 weary mile with
my red Siberian tongue hanging out in
the gentle air of spring. Ihavc learned
to distrust mankind. and to rely upon
nothing mundane.
One thing desire to say in this lit
tie diary, so that in case l should die
suddenly in a railroad accident the
public and my generous patrons, es-
pecially, may know the truth. 1t is
this: am not what [ seem! live
a dual life! My stage appearance
and my true home life are entirely and
distinctly separate and dissimilar in
every way.
Atheart am not fierce. 1 do not
care for warm blood three times day.
If could be assured one rectangular
meal of cold corn beef with smashed
potatoes on the side would enter into
recognizance never to kill and eat
another human being.
l have been constantly misunder-
stood and Inexperienced by the pub
lie because my stage manner has been
naughty and hungry. This effect has
been heightened. also, by the fact that
the manager has compelled me to
wear muzzle during the day. do
not wear muzzle at all when l am
at home. T. do net need it. can get
along for weeks without q muszle.
shall soon leave the stage, however.
My voice is failing me, and l can not
walk ten miles to a one-night stand in
time for rehearsal as l once could.
When my voice is gone It will be all
up with me. No one wants blood
hound with a cracked voice.
can see the gentleman who plays
the jackass in our company is going to
hold out much longer than I can, be-
cause he has saved himself. He has
taken life easily and thrown less fervor
and enthusiasm into his part chan l
have. For awhile he wanted to play
St. Claire so that he could have a bed
to retire into during one act. never
saw a gentleman who took so much
dramatic ease as he does. He has
more repose than any other person
in the profession with whom am ac-
quainted.
1 have done much for the play, but
that l did not intend to speak Of
People who have carefully compared
Uncle Tom. as it is written with my
aud presentation of it
will hardly recognize 1t as the same
piece.
In my own conception, the blood
hound is made to do many pleasantly
ferocious things which the author did
not introduce. These improvements |
are due solely to me. Among others /
night point to the feature of bringing
,ut the ferocious brute on an encore |
with fragments of colored child in his
mouth. This never fails to arouse in
he audience wild tumult of refined |
,orror.
Somehow am impressed with the
dea that have made my last appear
lnce on the stage. We have just ter
highly successful trip
through the West, and got home last
evening footsore, but proud and
lappy.
Our manager wants us to go with
lin to Europe next season, but shall
lot make the journey. Il shall send
water spaniel in my place. He has
rood voice, and he is a better salt
vater pedestrian than am.-BiU Nye,
~ Boston Globe
It Might Have Been Worse.
"Ah, my fricnd.' said the affable
tranger as he alighted and warmly