The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-08-29

never smiled; she has listened to heart
rending. pathetic appeals, and never
shed tear. Terrible crimes have been
committed in her presence and she has
never moved a muscle-never even
looked surprised. B, s....s.. ..-. 3D.
''She is sphinx. She fascinates me.
Sometimes do not see her for weeks,
and I am beginning to forget her, when
she appears at an unexpected time andI
gaze on her in wonder, needless of every
thing else in the play. If she would
only show some sign of interest in what
is going on around-if her indifferent
eyes would only condescend to emit one
CLEAN of intelligence, the spell would,
perhaps, be broken. $3.50. ..n
but no. In the seven years that she
has haunted me she has never spoken a
single line. 1t is barely possible she
does not speak English. Or she may be
deaf and dumb. make all sorts of con-
lectures about her, but can not rest on
any. She possesses an uncanny attrac-
ton for me. Sometimes / think OF
writing romance and making her the
central figure. Then, perhaps, might
lift the burden of her mystery from my
shoulders to those of my readers"
And why should not the serfs of the
stage have their George KEENAN, to
champion their cause? Who ever gives
them thought-the men and women
who are stuck here and there in the
+ background to fill in the scene like the
daubs of paint an artist uses to suggest
shadowy figures? Talk of an actor
merging his identity in a character; he
has his real name and his assumed one
on the programme. The super has no
identity at all. He is cipher with the
circle rubbed out.
He receives no recognition from the
audience. II he is made conspicuous for
moment the gallery boy scornfully
abridges the already abridged name of
his humble calling, and yells ''Supe!" at
him. That is all. The real actors and
actresses regard him as piece of vivi-
fed furniture. The tragedian, if he be
a heavy one, will occasionally honor
him at rehearsal by vigorously swearing
at him.
And the super bears it all patiently
silently. He is of forgiving, kindly
nature. When Barrett or Booth
drops off into the unknown the super
signs: ''Ahi another of US gone! What
is the stage coming top
Cases have been known where a super
rose from. he ranks and even reached
distinction. But they are few. Joseph
Wheelock is a case in point On the
other hand, there have been ambitious
supers who tried to rise and failed. An
English member of the tribe was given
single line to speak, and his soul hun
gered for applause. He had to say: ''My
Lord, the carriage waits Night after
night he said it, but the audience re-
manned cold. At last he conceived a
supplementary line which he thought
wonld stir the British breast. my
Lord, ;" he said one night, ''the carriage
waits, and" advancing to the footlights
and addressing the gallery, ~ wish to
say here that the villain who would iay
his hand on woman, except by way Of
kindness. is unworthy the name Of a
Briton and man.
The lopg-delayed applause came; thas
speech brought it
s Though it is seldom that the super
asserts himself individually, he has
done so collectively now and then &C
cording TO theatrical annals. Fight
Fight in earnestr' cried Forrest once at
rehearsal in. Albany to half dozen
supers who seemed to be timid about
touching him. (The play required that
Z they should try to kill him.
q do you want q Suily fghtY" asked
the super captain.
THAT'S it; pitch in"
The night came and in the scene of
the attack the supers did pitch In"
But the six Of them were no match for