San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-16
ghe 1aily Eight.
THURSDAY. AUGUST. IS, 1888.
FRED WARDE
Gives Some Very Interesting
"reminiscences of Texas.

Fred Warde, the tragedian is a
great favorite with the Texas people
especially i'm San Antonio, and justly
so because his wonderful tai ents excite
our admiration while his social quail
ties claim our esteem and he is ap-
precative for he never fails to say q
good word for Texas and Texans.
In a recent interview Mr.. Warde
says: During the seven years that L
have been travelling as a star l have
vised almost every part of the United
States, with the exception of the
country lying notheast of Boston
New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont
and including Texas, New Mexico,
Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Oregon and
Washington Territory, where it would
surprise many of eastern friends to see
the fine theatres, the good hotels and
delightful people that you find there.
OF course such extended and varied
travel has not been without its anus
ing incidents, it's quaint and odd eX-
periences and its moving accidents
by flood and field though as a rule,
think, from close observation, that
members of the dramatic profession
enjoy a peculiar and strange immune
ty from accidents when travelling.
During the past ten years have been
constantly travelling and have never
met with the slightest accident, nor
has there been one to any member of
the various companies with which /
yave been associated.
OfTeXas cannot speak without af-
lection and enthusiasm for many rea-
olthnnnh ErST inn
sion of that state was anything but
favorable, on account of the brutal
murder of Ben Porter and the shoot
ing of my partner i'll our diplomacy"
company, Mr.. Maurice Barrymore, by
that scoundrel Curry, at Marshall, /
have received so many evidences of
the goodwill of the people of that sec
ton, so much kindness and such sub
stantial proofs of their esteem and re-
gard, that 1 should be wanting in
common gratitude if / did not appre-
ciate them. On two occasions when
nv stellar career was threatened
with a premature close on account
of financial difficulties, Texas, by
its generous patronage, enabled me to
overcome my difficulties, continue my
tours, and gave encouragement to pro-
coed on the high road to honor and
prosperity. Texas is fortunate in pos
sessing some very fine opera houses.
San Antonio particularly can boast as
handsome and complete a temple of
the drama as any in the country,
while Fort Worth, Dallas, Waco and
Austin are not far behind. Calves
ton has fine theatre, Houston two.
and most of the smaller towns are
furnished with fair accommodations
for dramatic representations. Texas
will always turn out good audience
to good entertainment, and taste
there runs to the highest form of
both drama and music. Indeed this
applies to the whole of the Southern
country; for / really think that the
most attent ive, comprehensive and
discriminating audiences that | have
ever played to have been in the South
ern states. The people seem to have
read and studied Shakespeare thor
oughly; for they can discuss him
more readily and quote him more cor
rectly than is usual in other sections.
Most of the theatres in the south have
portion partitioned off for colored
people who literally patronize good
plays and are fond of Shakespeare
and the classics; at least have found
them so. They are highly emotional
and give vent to their feelings in a
most hysterical way. For instance,
on one occasion when 1 was playing
Virginius in a southern city, a darby
who had been following the play with
great interest set the whole house
in roar of laughter by unconsciously
exclaiming, when l withdrew the
knife after stabbing Virginia, Gosh
blood! he-he!' ending with hyster-
ical laugh, although the man was
really much impressed by the tragic
intensity of the scene. Richard Ill
is favOrite play with the cOlOred
people, who watch the progress of
GlOster's villainy with much interest.
was highly amused on one occa-
sion by overhearing a colored man
say to his friend as they were in walk
ing in front of me after the perform
ance, That fellow Richard was fool,
after all the trouble he took to obtain
the throne, to want to give it up for
hOrsew
1t will be interesting to our readers
to learn that Mr.. Warde is now re-
hearsing IN adaptation of Schiller's
version of civilian Tell" and by
patent right he has just acquired,
will be able to present the apple
shooting scene safely and with such
realistic effect as has never before
been produced in any country.
F. w. McAlliSter g. Bro.