The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-12-10
A MISER SEES SATAN.
THE DEVIL CAUGHT HIM STEALING
AN ACTORS FIREWOOD.

sOnated, but the Hotel Keeper Thought
1t Was a Real vision-Mi-ton Mobiles
Reforms a Penurious Landlord.
Milton Mobiles is brilliant converse
tionalist and good story teller. Among
the many anecdotes credited to him, the
following experience which he relates
will prove interesting reading:
In 1867, during my first year of the
atrical life, was member Of small
travelling 'Black Crook" company, I'M
der the management Of the late Tom
Davey. We were playing small towns
in Wisconsin and Minnesota. One cold
January night found us in a little town
in Wisconsin, where the theatre and no
tel were under one roof, and owned and
run by one man.
The man has been in recent years well
known to professionals, and there are
many stories extant of his peculiarities.
He was very wealthy, but a confirmed
miser. A stranger entering his hotel
would invariably pick him out as the
porter, and indeed he performed the
most mental Offices, even to blacking the
boots of his guests if asked to do so.
Yet he always kept good hotel. On
''show" nights he cleaned out the dress
ing rooms and acted as janitor in gen
eral.
From the second story Of this hotel
there was hallway leading to the stage.
The actors were usually assigned to the
rooms along this hall, and would occa-
sionally use their rooms as dressing rooms
at night, proceeding to which the old
man seriously objected. The old man
would watch the doors like cat, and as
soon as a room was vacated he would
let himself in with a pass key, and if the
gas was left burning he would turn it
out. He would also gather every stick
of wood from the rooms and redeposit
them in the big box at the top of the
Office stairs.
THE DEVIL.
was playing two or three characters
in the piece, among others that of Zamiel.
My room was near the stage door, and
could hear the orchestra and so tell just
how long I could safely remain in the
room before my scene would come on.
finished my first character, and taking
my costume for the Devil went to my
room to make the change. The dress
was combination Of flaming red, black
and green, tight fitting, with big bat
wings. The feet were long and pointed
with cloven hoofs; there was close fitting
skull cap with two protruding horns.
made the face flaming red, with large
pieces Of green foil paper under the eyes,
There were large skull and cross
bones on my breast, with red foil paper
set in the eye sockets. The long scarlet
tail was forked at the end and illuminat.
ed with foil papers. AS [ completed this
satanic toilet could hear the orchestra
playing the ballet music of the grottc
scene, so I knew that | should not be
wanted for at least twenty minutes.
dropped two or three pieces of pine wood
on the open CRATE fire, and drawing 6
big chair to one side of the CRATE seated
myself comfortably for a short snooze
placing my feet in another chair directly
in front of the CRATE, and hitching Ia
miel's forked tail gracefully over my
right shoulder.
I was just dropping off when the doo1
was opened softly, and by reflection il
the mirror I could see the old landlord
sneak into the ROOM His eagle eye
missed me, half hidden in the big chair
but lit on the single gas jet burning al
full head. He turned it off quickly ant
r,,ox1od +Oxuard tho wall filled UOO1hOx