The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-09-21
HIS "LITILE GAL y


sumot 'ot. It's very comforting to the
innerds, partickler of n cold night"
This was in answer TO my proposal to
old Jim Benton, stage .doorkeeper OF Asst
ley's Royal AmpLitheatre, London. The
manager was particular friend Of mine,
so that had the cntree to all parts of the
theatre, and came and went a. l wished.
Jim had he'd his position some thirty
odd year, and could, when he felt inclined
"a drop o sumot 'ot helped greatly there
tor, relate many a good story of dead-and-
gone actors and their next of kin, heroes
of the sawdust. am an occasional con
tributor TO the newspapers, and l would
like here Z D say that 7 have been indebted
to Jim Benton for many an odd bit OF
pathos and humor.
Poor old fcllowl II IS already ten years
and more siuce followed him TO his last
resting place, and the stage door of Ast-
ley's Royal Amphitheatre knows me no
more.
This night Jim was unusually tallsa-
tive.
''Lor' bless yer, SIR" snid he, as he
raised his glass OF gin and water TO his
lips, 81 pities them teeootaleers, / does. I
cum ernost er jining on 'em onct, bIt
Providence yyuz agin it. No, sir, yer can't
pass, don't know no sich name"
This last was addressed to a gentleman
In lavender kids who presented himself
and his card at the door, asking 10 see
Miss Morclli, the principal Ganseuse.
All, perhaps you are acquainted with
my alias1" here added the exquisite.
''CaIu't say rs l ham, sir. It's not to be
hexpected L could remember all the gals
names. Yer see, We takes on er lot OF hex
tras come pautomime season. 1 can't
pass Yer, sir; horiers is horders."
As tie swell withdrew, old Jim contin-
ued with:
'Lor', sir, ifIwas 10 pass hall as was
wantiu' to git IN, there wouldn't be no
room behind the scenes far the hactors;
but it amt notbin' now 20 what it used
to DC when Mr. kctchgm had the man
agement. Yer orter la seen tac stage
door then. Tint was when the tlc lsrle
WAS er playin' OF Mazsppa, and q mighty
fine figure Of er woman she yyUz, too. Per
haps ye've seen her, sir; Ida Frances Fay
was her Earne''
On my replying that I had never had
thaU pleasure, be continued with:
''Weil, s4r, thura'I never be another Ida
Fay. T.er-'s lots o gals wo-'s tried it
on, but 10 don work. Yer see. there Tyuz
er sonletLia' er sorter o. taLiu' about her
wot fetched tho syvells. Yer couldn't git
standing room when she WIZ or nlayin.'
Fast, was She, sir? Wei, maybe she
warn't hezscJly yTOt yer'd call q bark
haEGel, but she was oucommon good TO
my EtJla gal, and that's enuG fer jim
Benton."
Why, have you daughter, Jim'"
exclaii2si, rath"- surprised OF his never
haviu- Incat-ouad IL before.
''h,.I, SIR, L.-d-'
Here tLe Old man paused ruomentand
stopped down 20 pick mp p wis, cc straw
! from tie floor, and l noticed his hand
! JremBlca a. LG did so.
Yes. sir, ," continued be, ever wouldn't
think Ter look 1T mo that / could have
| sich iater. Sich p-c.t ~ littIc thing,
! with hair fur gil the word like -old. and
| eyes Tat r-&Lg Elc think 9 the v.JIets.and
| II EsparE.c a 'c-l when Sic -Jrs r.,c tHata
the sPauy. l. -5r yer sec c5a'aIa'J beat.
! Ter sen, 81, l WAS pretty wei on in
years WhIa Aam.o WAS born. she was
| christefed Mary, but we alters called her
! Mamie. NY little sal warL't morn q
/ year old when the u iss-s VIZ took Ill
with feTsT and died, ard there / yyuz
| left with babay OF my 'aud-, and, Lor
! bless ger sir, took cs Ca-rel to I rs II I'd
been "a nuss hail my life. Brought her
! through Che measles and whooping-couCh
as right as "a triyet.
"Many's the hour she's sot on that ere
stool there or watchin' me. Sometimes
she'd bc rs st.-l IS = mouse, and theuagiu
shed chatter like a little magpie. She
had kurUs fancics, had Mamie, when she
warns no higher than that ere table.
- Daddy ses she, one day, does han
! gels alters ave winCsg'"
| = Yes, deary,' ses l. I alters heer tel
they had
g Then, ses she, when I die. Daddy
of course IL won't he for a bi-, long while;
| httlo girls dou't die VERY lnucl. does
! thcy:-l' il tell God ! vvanter see my Dad
! dy, and II fly right down here and peek
! in the windcr and s'Irise YER
Yes, sir, that's the way she'd talk
sometime, and somehow il made r.e feel
as il some one WIZ cr pressing n weight
! on my chist and L couldn't Drc. ne.
'Do you know, sir, perhaps il g foolish
but / b'iicve she do come TO that yglader
! and lock in n her old Daddy sonetinics-
ony-ways it's bit comfurting TO think
so.
How came I to lose herr That's wot
! I'm comin' 70, sir
Yer Sc, Mamie was born. as I may
say, in the pcrfeshun, IN Il kiswerry thesy-
ter. Why, what do you think, sir, ..T5re
she could toGGlo / bought Ecr a Euah's
harlS, and wot hanimal woulJ y er b'Iicve
! she picked out fJryt7 4 'o~=c sir
'Ah, sir--it was born in her. had al
lers leanin' arter hacgiug, but yer
couldn'5 keep Mamie away from the
'osscs. Was fatcard of her ,,ettiu., lits~.g
! Wei, no, cor-i'5 s7y as wiIz Yer sec
the grooms and hail tie boys y.-uz oncorn-
mon fond o. Mamie and took a heap o.
care q her.
well, sir, when my little gal WIZ
about six years old, Dan Maxwell wanted
/ TO break her in TO ride yoith lin. Al FIRST
| wouidn'5 hear tot, but Mamie wuz so
wistful fort, and Dam WIZ sich q i,rcat.
strong feiier, and / knowed ned be that
/ keeriul Of her IS u she wuz made OF gold
! SO / let Mamie have ner way.
There w"rl.'J to be no Iyhip used.
wouldn't ha' stood that, but I.or'. sin.
there warn't 10 need OFT. The child took
! 90 riding like duck to water. When ]
see her name on the posters in biz, letters
l couldn't clip feeling a bit proud. and
livery night when she was on, / used To
get some one TO mind the door. while I
slipped round in front. Sich er picter "A
she looked in her bit o white dress ala
covered with spangles! And how they
| 2pplauded her, siri She rot most a has
ket OF oranS.s livery night, too"
here the Old man paused a nlomentsrnd
;lrey his hand somewhat sharuelaoedly y
across his eyes.
Wei, one night ce1ldn't git round
III front until jist as they were doing the
finish, for that, Mamie used 10 stand ~,
Dams shoulder, with one Iittle foot ont.
and with her bits o lands throw kisses to
the audience. You've seen how il 5 done,
sir.
When she got round 70 the side Of the,
ring W's On, she kinder of FORGOT be~-
self and nodded and kissed her lands m
me, calling cut, There's one FUR Won roa
Daddy The next moment .ey
Enowed how II 'spDened-blt The '5g.-s
wuz down and Dan and nay It.e Il
WIZ under them. When p.cbcjl her .
Thought she vUz deed, Int She o1,...e
her eyes and sad, IS Z. .s.t Won Daclre
b'licve 7 air:'t hurt don't ~. h. i.s.
''The Madame, i,, I sp1Ae oc. e.lt 81.