St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1891-08-08
STORIES OF THE STAGE.
A Stranded Troupe and Modern
Good Samaritan.


Good Samaritan
Don't you find it rather Lonesome
here?''
20 no!' answered the stage door
keeper. '.Some of the actors generally
come back here to smoke their pipes
and chat
"You must hear them tell some anus
ing experiences Of stage life
ANY number of them. The other
night VIM. Harris, Of Rhea's company,
told me of an incident that happened
when he was supporting Charlotte Cush.
man. They did Henry the Eighth in a
small place one night, and after the
play was over the audience still re.
manned in their seats. Henry the
Eighth is in five acts, but in Charlotte
Cushman's version it ends with the
death of Katharine, that scene closing
0ne fourth act.
Mr.. Harris was playing Cardinal
Woolsey and as he finished in the third
act had time to change his dress before
the performance was over. Seeing that
the audience had no intention of leav-
ing, Miss Cushman called to him:
Mr.. Harris, you must go out and
make an announcements; the audience
do not know the play is finished
s'The late Cardinal stepped before the
curtain: Ladies and gentlemen-I am
sorry to inform you the performance is
over. The play concluded with the
death of Queen Katharine If you nare
waiting for the funeral, that will Iaot
take place until next week u
s'I'll warrant he made quick cxit'
after that But tell me some of your
own experiences you We're on the stage,
were you not?"
"Yes-for one season"
''Then you must have number of
amusing "reminiscences stored away in
your hat"
The stage door-keeper shook his
head. "No; nothing of a humorous ma
ture took place that trip. We played
in too hard luck. tell you," he went
on, earnestly, that was the hardest
four months ever experienced, and is
we hadn't struck one man with heart
in his body I don't know what would
have become of us all.
VINO was Hcs HOW ulQ IL nappcn?
s'It was down in Richmond, Ind We,
were to play there two nights-New'
Years and the Saturday following. We
had been playing to bad business ever
since we started and came into the
town on our trunks New Years night
we thought would certainly bring US
big house, but it didn't. There was a;
local minstrel show in town, and we.
played to empty seats. The night fol-
lowing we played to four dollars. After
the performance we held consultation
and decided to close and go to Cincin-:
matt on our trunks. We could not pay
our board bill and the landlord of the
hotel threatened to attach our baggage.
Sure enough, when we got up early
Sunday morning and went down to the.
depot we found the trunks In charge of
sheriff. That effectually prevented our
leaving town.
''There was nothing to do but go
back to the hotel and wait until some
thing turned up or the landlord turned
us out. Back we went, and the man
ager tried to argue the matter with the
proprietor, while the rest Of us gathered
around the stove in the office. The
landlord was inhcxible. Unless we.
could pay him his money he would.
hold our trunks. I run this hotel for
money, not as charitable institution,
and don't want you people around
here any longer, he exclaimed.
sAt this moment a benevolent-look-
ing old gentleman with long white
whiskers entered the Office. He was
the landlords father and part owner Of
the hotel
"What's the trouble?' he asked. :
s.His son explained.
"tWell, you people are in hard luck
and Pm sorry for you, said the old gen.
tleman, kindly, but let's see what can.
be DONE
.We all felt grateful to him at once.
He paused moment to consider the
situation, then asked: Have YOU had
breakfast?'
.sNo, sir
1.-THE younger man had not per-.
mitted us to enter the dining-room that
morning.
Then all Of you go in and eat, and
Charles turning to his son), let them
have the rooms they occupied last
night
''Charles started to make some objee-
tions, but the isind-hearted old gentle
man stopped him.
...I'm not going to see these people
turned into the street on this cold day,
there's women and children among 'em
and they stay here until tomorrow as
least
".But father, the son persisted. they