Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-09-28
THE STAGE.
Gossip and Gleanmgs About
Plays, Players, and
Play Houses.
WITH A LITTLE HUMOR ADDED.
Stories and Anecdotes Of Heavy Hagedians,
Light Comedians, and Bright
Soubrettes.
The Turning Point an Hartley Canlpbclrs
Fortune.

In the early spring of 1877, BARLEY
Campbell turned up in New York al
most in extremity. He was indebted to
friends for the bed on which he slept.
and when he did not meet a friend he
was frequently compelled to go hungry.
One day Campbell met friend on
Broadway. The friend pretended thai
he was just going to lunch, and invite
Campbell to go with him. If the pla,
wright did not understand the delicacy
of the invitation when it was given, he
could not have failed to do so when he
saw the lunch, and he paid his enter
tainer the compliment Of eating ten
derloin steak as if he were hungry. AS
they separated Campbell's friend said:
Il suspect your ship hasn't come in,
BARLEY, and want you to take this to
remember me by" The "this" was
SIS bill. Campbell took it with easy
grace, smiled, declared that he would
return it with interest, and he did. He
afterward said this SIS bill was the turn
ing point in his fortune. With it he
bought some paper and a couple OF lead
pencils. The paper was ofthe cheapest
kind of white wrapping paper, and on
it in two days time he wrote that act of
"My Partner" which made his fortune.
With a wad Of this paper in his pocket
he sailed out of his lodgings to find
Louis Aldrich, who had won repute in
Joaquin Miller's play of "The Danites."
Aldrich gave a sigh of resignation when
Campbell cornered him, and thought
the easiest way to rid himself of what
he feared would be bore was to permit
Campbell to read the play. The play
wright with his himsy sheets i'll hand,
began. At first Aldrich was bored,
then entertained, then interested, then
excited, and then, with dramatic en-
thusiasnl, embraced the collarless play
wright.
Aldrich became more enthusiastic
than Campbell, and promised at once
to buy play, and gave the playwright
some earnest money on the spot. Sc
enthusiastic was Aldrich that he wanted
to mount the play and produce it al
once.
Behold, then, on the next morning an
ambitious author with some money and
struggling playwright with none
bound for Stamford, Conn, to see A
N. Palmer. The manager also sighed
when he saw them, and declined per
emptorily to listen to any proposition
respecting the production of play. HI
was tired, he said. He wanted to take
his summer vacation in peace. Besides
he was on the point Of going to New
York and could not listen to them
Campbell's spirits came to the rescue
you'll have an hour on the train" he
said, "and nothing to do. You can heal
the play and pass the time away, any
way They secured two seats in the
car, turned them so they would face
Palmer sat in the rear one and Camp
bell and Aldrich faced him. The ex
preston ON Palmer's face would have
appalled, more timid man than Cam
bell. But he began to read. Paine,
listened indifferently at first, but he
ended by wiping his eyes. He was at
fected to tears the first time and last
time in his experience as manager.
Said he, when they reached New York
"You may have the Union Square
theater if you will mount and produce
the play. I will risk the rental on the
success of it."-Ne1U York San.