The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-08

ing to Make Love 70 q Munny-mai
ryins an Actress to SecRre Her Services
Mummy Replaced by Dummy.
THE paradox of acting2' said the mana
ger, thoughtfully, 81 should say I'd see
something of what you'd call the PARADE
of acting. Yes, should say had. If it
come under my observation once it's com
under it hundred times, and in one cas-
look here, when did you last see 4
Dead Mash|
why, "A Dead NASH has been th
greatest success [ ever handled, and In
only taking it off the road this year be
cause. See here, perhaps the name o
Miss Dotty Devoe, TIE leading lady, ha
never been brought to your attention? L
you've heard Of Miss Devoe you have heard
Of her as a charming soubrette, vivacious
piquant ard original, in fact the most tai
snted actress now on the farce-comedJ
boards. Exactly.
About year before "A Dead Mash was
In rehearsal, the play was in my hands
waiting for star There was nobody
knew | cared about giving it to. You
recollect the time a young girl falls in
love with q mummy in the museum and
coaxes him 10 life. Now, the responsible
ity of finding the right woman for it
weighed on me.
A STAR DISCOVERED.
"One day | learned that a little girl,
name and professional nntecedents un-
known to fame, had caught the town in
Boston in topical act il a rank comic
opera. / went on to see her House
crowded, company guys, opera inexpressi-
ble! But the little girl, 1t was just the
most perfectly irresistible thing you ever
Imagined She had Il topical song, Teach
ing the Baby to Talk'-the one bright
;hing in the opera-and 10y a stroke of
;.enius they gave her d parrot as well as a
naby
"You understand the idea The parrot
chipped in with the things she was trying
o teach the baby, and the effect was out
IF sight. OF course it didn't take me mo-
Iient to see that, though the parrot WAS
live enough. it was one of the dumb breed,
nd that the speaking was done from the
flies. But it was billed as trained bird,
and the audience took it all in and was in
ecstasies.
a. made up my mind on the spot l had
found my star and before left town Miss
Dotty Devoe had engaged with me for the
ensuing season, and the paragraphs were
Icing sent round TO the papers. filled up
my company for A Dead NASH fixed
August for rehearsals and arranged to
meet Miss Mcpherson - real name-and
tier aunt week or two beforehand. so as
TO get things quietly in shape between US.
GAINING POINT.
MY dear sir, such was the personal charm
and ingenuousness of the young lady that
I'D tho hnr q ruaoE fn die
cover that we had run into the deadest
wall of our lives, and that she couldn't act
at all-not a little biti She was simply in
competent.
"If man could go over Niagara falls
and retain consciousness he would know
how felt | talked to little Dotty as
kindly as could and tried to give her an
idea or two, but it was no use. She was
Observation-Disclosures it stopped.
Finally, while / was telegraphing all
Dver the country to try to rake up another
star, pressed her again about the topical
song, and she whimpered out that she liked
parrots and had always just loved babies,
and she didn't like mummies, and that was
all there was to iG.
81 seemed 20 get hold of an idea here,
but for the life of me 1 couldn't tell what
1t was.
There was, say, ten days before rehear-
sails need begin In those ten days-don't
laugh, for | was serious-I made as good
love to that girl as 1 knew how. There
was no reason shouldn't, except age; and
there was good reason | should, when you
locked at her. | will merely say that Pm
younger than some other old bachelors,
and that at the end of ten days she was
ready to marry me
Now said |. my dear, / want you to
think of this play just once more. Ii you
can love me- you can love a mummy |
guess
John, she said, you must he crazy
My love said |, j mean it. You are
TO go On the stage this afternoon for re-
hearsal, you are 20 make up your mind
that that mummy is me, and you are to act
TO it. And if you don't, / vow | won't
marry you
ut was an awful risk. but | took It, She
gave me one look, turned on her heel and
walked of. | held on to my courage like
grim death till rehearsal came. She was
there.
SUCCESS n AN UNFAIR WAY.
Her first lines went off pretty well.
had provided property mummy as much
like me IN the general outfit rs well as
Could he without calling attention. In her
first scene with il it was behind glass, in
a case-and 1t was brought out and un-
wrapped, and ali that Hank Edwards,
that's the author, and I were watching her
all Of tremble. She was pale and had
red spot in each cheek. Still, she went on
all right until the uncOvering-and then,
sir, she made sudden dart at the object,
dashed it down to the floor, kicked it like
q little fury, and then sat down on it cry.
ing as If her heart would break
Il threw up my hands. l was shaking
with excitement so that / could hardly
speak. l grabbed Edwards by the collar
and jammed the stage copy of the play into
his hand. 'Hankp gasped, take it-take
it home with you, pull the whole thing to
pieces and rewrite it up to this scene.
Bring it back in the morning if you have
10 write your ears Off Then l pushed
half dozen of the company out of the
way, dropped down 10y Dotty on the
mummy and laughed until the little Tar
tar turned round and hit me, sir, slapped
me soundiy In the face and don't blame
her.
And now, sir. If you will 80 TO see A
Dead Mash the next time 1t is ulave6 here
and take particular notice of the scene in |
which Miss Devoe kicks the mummy in 4
contempt, you will understand WHY I /
claim 10 understand the paradox of act |
ing"
1t seems 70 me that method of educa- /
ton was little unfair 10 Miss Devoe.p | 4
suggested soberly.
The manager looked st me moment
and then said, quizzioslly; PERHAPS il
was, because It resulted in her having TO
marry me. Come up and see Us some dav.
snd you'll find she's got a parrot. She's /
got baby, Ueo," he added refectiyelv.- 4
New York Recor6sr