St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-11
LANDLORD AND DEVIL.
Milton Mobiles Tells a Good Story
on Wisconsin host.

nHtOn NUUlOb CHS u GOOu SIOHy
on a Wisconsin BOst.
Few actors have larger fund Of stage
stories than Milton Mobiles, and GER
tainly none are more gifted with the
facility of expression than that bright
and genial author-actor. Mr.. Mobiles,
during his visit here last week, related
the following as one of his early OK.
periences:
In 1867, during my first GEAR OF
theatrical life, l was a member of a
small travelling "Black Crook COM
pany, under the management Of the
late Tom Davey. We were playing
small towns in Wisconsin and Mime
sofa. One cold January night found
us in q little town in Wisconsin.
where the theater and hotel were
under one roof and owned and run
by one man. The man has been in
recent years well-known to profession
ais, and there are many stories extant
wealthy, but a confirmed miser. A
stranger entering his hotel would in
variably pick him out as the porter, and
indeed, he performed the most mental
Offices, even to backing the boots of
his guests ii asked to do so. Yet he al
ways kept good hotel. On ''show''
nights he cleaned out the dressing rooms
and acted as janit0r in general.
From the second story of this hotel
there was hallway leading to the
stage. The actors were usually as
signed to the rooms along this hall, and
would occasionally use their rooms as
dressing rooms at night, a proceeding
to which the old gentleman seriously
objected. The old man would watch
the door like a cat, and as soon as a
room was vacated he would let himself
in with 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 it in the
big box at the top of the Office stairs.
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 | could safely re-
main 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 boots; there was a
close-itting skull cap with two protrud
ing horns. made the face flaming
red with large pieces of green foil paper
under the eyes.
There was 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 illumin-
ated with foil papers. AS COM
pleted this satanic toilet | could
hear the orchestra playing the
ballet music of the Grotto scene, so l
knew that should not he wanted for at
least twenty minutes. dropped two or
three pieces of pine wood on the open
crate fire, and drawing big chair to
one side of the CRATE, seated myself
fol short snooze, placing my feet in
another chair directly in front of the
CRATE. and hitching Zamiel's forked
tail gracefully over my right shoulder.
/ was just dropping off when the door
was opened softly, and by reflection
in the mirror l could see the old land
lord sneak into the room. His eagle
eye missed me, half hidden III the big
chair, but lit on the single gas jet burn-
ing at full head. He turned it Off