Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-11-14
BILL NYE
sooTHISGLY TO EDWIN BOOTH
A Rival That must Must Make Booth T~ird-TraSedy
in Competition With Somtre Gloon--Ths SOmbre
Gloom Artist is NercifUl, However, And
Changes His Date to Avoid a Conflict
LITTLE MAMMOTH EATING HOUSE,

~ ~
FRIEND BoOTH-I learn with some sur
prise that through q misunderstanding be-
tween your manager and my own, You are
billed for Cleveland on the same evening
with Mr.. Riley and myself.
In order to give the people OF Cleveland
an opportunity to witness two OF Americas
greatest t~ragedians without inconvenience,
| have decided to change my W date, so
as to avoid any annoyance by dividing the
audience. Sentiment in Cleveland, l find,
is about equally divided on the question Of
dramatic and tragic Interpretation between
YOU and |. Some like your style OF melan-
choly best, while those who have used
mine, say they would have no other. So
think it would be better TO give each and
all an opportunity to Judge fairly and i'm
partially between us.
| believe that while your stage sadness
is the perfection of mastery Interpretation,
It is not entered into 50 thoroughly and
participated in by the audience as mine Is.
/ am introducing this winter a style OF sad
that is becoming quite popular and bring
tears to eyes unused to weep.
Everywhere l go hear you very highly
spoken of, however. | think you are giving
general satisfaction wherever you 90. The
people over at Insomnia, o., would like to
hear you very much. 1t is a good show
town, and there has not been anything
there in your line for some time. ALVIN
Joslin was there two weeks ago, but do
not consider him your equal. | do not say
this Just to encourage you; | am sincere III
it.
There hasn't been anything else there
since the county fair, with the exception
of a lecture on phrenolOgy and a poorly
patrOnized inquest.
The hall at Insomnia is not 4 very good
place, but they are fixing it up now, rett-
ting it throughout, and putting new saw
dust on the floor. You would be greeted
most cordially, and introduced to the
audience by the chairman Of the Board OF
Supervisors, after which your success
would be assured. | told the people there
about you, and they would come in from
other towns if the weather happened to be
prOpitious. People would come mp from
Castoria and Bromide, | am sure, and If
the grand jury didn't happen to be in SEES
sion you would have q delegation from
AmbideXter.
You could also make a date ut Fremont,
o., | think. If you would like TO 90 there
Dave Ranck would be 4 good man to write
in relation to it. He is a good citizen, and
no SLOUGH of an actor himself. Fremont is
also the home of Mr.. Hayes, of whom you
may have heard. 1t is said that Mr.. Hayes
was at one time in public life.
| saw u man yesterday who heard you in
Chicago. He said that you could 20 right
back there and have a good house II 1t were
properly advertised. lie saw you in Ham
let" and said it was n good piece.
| have Il play that | would like to read
to YOU if you could run over to my room
for a few hours. 1t is different from Ham
let" and has more situations i'll it. |
would be glad TO 20 over il with you and
see what YOU think of it. There is q har-
rowing scene in it which is laid in Il stone
quarry. have read the play to a great
many professional people, but they object
ed to it because they said it would be diff
ticult to procure a stone quarry that would
give satisfaction.
4 well-known actor from Omaha said he
liked the play very much, because there
were SO many good situations in it.
If you could drop in for a few hours at
IL room, No. GO, ut the Gem City House,
we could talk it over quietly and have Il
good time together. The meeting would
be wholly informal and you could come
Just as you were. | have long since ceased
to Judge a man by hi, dIoH>.
saw you once in 'HIamlet" some years
ago ut San Francisco. | sat on the right
hand side of the second row in the balcony.
No doubt you willrccall the circumstances.
Since that | have always spoken of you i'll
the highest terms.
| think that professional people should
stand by each other.
Eugene Field Of Chicago writes me that
your support was good. He says that you
did Il $40, 600 business there, and that If
he could have such support all the time he
would be almost tempted to 20 on the
stage himself.
Crops are looking well through the
country wherever | have gone, and stock
seems to be in good condition. | look for
an era of unexampled prosperity that may
last for weeks.
If you 20 TO Fremont it would be a good
idea to stop at the Ball House. 1t is first
class house in every way and | always stop
there.
will try to 90 and hear you at Cleve-
land. have read the play before so it will
not be new to me, but would enjoy going
very much and my presence might induce
others to 90. 1t does not matter much
where | sit. You can put me wherever you
think | would attract the most attention.
After the performance is over will come
back on the stage and congratulate you.
Hoping that you are well, and that the
awkward conflict of our dates may be salts
factOrily adjusted so that your pecuniary
loss will be merely normal. | remain
yours with kind regards, BILL NYE.