St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-06-14

ACTORS BAGGAGE.

I ACTORS BAGGAGE.
rrunk-smashing Extraordinary at the
Beantowa Theatsr.
Columns have been written about the
destructive exploits of the baggage
smasher, who causes so much annoyance
10 commercial and other male travellers.
and weeping among female tourists who
find their pet toilet accompanimentl
broken or disarranged by the careless
handling of their trunks and valises.
These people are to be commiserated,
but they know what to expect ON jour
neys. and If they do not pack their be-
longings in . way to meet events with
safety to their property they are hardly
to be pitied. A strong. well-made trunk
will stand almost any thing in the way
Of handling.
But the average tourist has bat bare
appreciation Of the tribulations OF MEM
bers Of peripatetic theatrical companies.
men and women alike in this respect
They have not only the average railroad
and express spoilage to bear. but added
is the handling Of their luggage about
the places Of amusement. They are, As
matters 60 now, on the move nearly all
the time, stopping barely . week At the
longest often but one night in
any one theater or hall. The conven-
fences Of these theaters or halls are
spare. many Of them being in second
and third stories of large buildings.
with meager ground area to stand upon.
Some of these have means to carry
trunks upstairs by hand; others have
hoisting apparatus that is very good.
All this IL very fine as the initiative Of
an engagement; but at the end the de-
parting tramps must pack up instanter;
the special train is waiting; the iron
bound trunks flor every actor or actress
Of any age on the stage has learned to
hoop and brace them well are sent pell-
NELL out of the building, sometimes al
lowed to bump, thump and make somer-
saults on the stairways, and on other oc-
casions chucked from the windows.
Some are large, others small. and many
very heavy. Some tall bageage-smash-
ing has been recently seen in this city.
Baggage has been tumbled out of . the
ater TO the disturbance of hundreds
Of dwellers in the vicinity. This
Is an annoyance to outsiders; but
what . source of expenses it must
be 70 the poor women, girls,
men and boys who have their
living to get on the mimic stage. There
is . narrow alley at the side of the
theater, scarcely wide enough for two
people to walk in abreast There is
mercantile establishment occupying the
ground hoor. The stage level is prob
ably thirty feet from the walk of the al
ley. Every Saturday night, at perhaps
eleven o'clock, . company goes ont.
Pandemonium seems to be let loose.
There seems to be no set arrangement
for going, but al 60 1t once. The trunks
being packed. are put on trucks and
rolled to some floor or window opening
ON the stage floor, and dumped over into
the narrow space, falling that Thirty
feet with q thud that awakes all the
sleepers in the neighborhood The exit
OF. an a6righted household. from blsa-
ing tenement could scarcely exceed the
haste with which this mass of properties
and costumes get out OF this place of
amusement Down they 60 upon the
hard brick, and are as unceremoniously
removed to the wagons in the street at
the end Of the passage. ft'
The wagon men seem to "a uge the
owners OF the trunks by the boxes they
tote. ss is evidenced BY. their remarks
when handling them. A few nights ago
three men were endeavoring TO lift .
ponderous receptacle Of an actress tog-
gerry into dray, and 1t was very heavy.
''She must be . daisy" remarked one.
THAT fellow il . dandy" another said.
as large and precautionary ornAmented
package went on the. platform. Poor
thing!' WAS another remark. a. . plain
little cloth-lined box was more tenderly
handed to the man over the wheels.
And so 1t went on until the great load
departed for the railway. What COM
ment on theatricals in the salaried way!
Yet all thesc goods were dumped out Of
that stage doorway-good, bad and in
different just the same. Thester
Jumpers are no respectors Of persons.
The heavy iron-bound could stand It.
How about the poor thing?" e..
''Those who complain Of the usage
their bagRsge receives from the railroad
men should stop and think before they
speak OF these wanderers and what they
are subjected to in addition to the perils
Of simple travel.-Boston Transcript