The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-02-21
4 MIsEa SEES SATAN.
The Devil Caught Him Stealing
An Actors Firewood.

atrical life, I was member of sma
travelling "BAck Crook" company, ur
der the management of the late Tor
Davey. We we're playing in small town
in Wisconsin and Minnesota. One col
January night found US IN little tow
IN Wisconsin, where the theatre and hote
were under one root, and owned and ru'
by one man.
The man has been in recent years wei
known to professionals, and there ar
many stories extant Of bis peculIaritles
He was very wealthy, but confirmed
miser. A stranger entering his hotel
would invariably pick him out as the
porter, and indeed he performed the most
mental offices, even to blacking the boots
of his guests if asked to do so. Yet be
always kept good hotel. On ''show'
nights he cleaned out the dressing rooms
and acted as janitor in general.
From the second story of this hotel
there was hallway leading to the stage
The actors we're usually assigned to the
rooms along this hall, and would occa-
sionally use their rooms as dressing rooms
at night, proceeding to which the old
man seriously objected. The old man
would watch the doors like cat, and as
soon as 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 them in
the big box at the top of the Office stairs.
THE DEVIL.
I was playing two or three characters
in the piece, among others that of Zamiel.
My room was near the stage door, and l
could hear the orchestra and so tell just
h ow long l could safely remain 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 close fit
ting skull cap with two protruding
horns. I made the face a flaming red,
with large pieces of green foil paper un-
der the eyes.
There was large skull and cross bones
on my breast, with red foil paper in the
eye sockets. The long scarlet tail was
forked at the end and Illuminated with
foil papers. AS l completed this satanic
toilet l could hear the orchestra playing
the ballet music of the grotto scene, so l
knew that l should not be wanted for at
least twenty minutes. l 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
comfortably for short snooze, placing
my feet in another chair directly in front
of the CRATE, and hitchiDg Zamiel's forked
tail gracefully over my right shoulder
I was just dropping off when the door
was opened softly, and by reflection in
the mirror l could see the old landlord
sneak into the room. His eagle eyes
missed me, half hidden in the big chair,
but lit on the single gas jet burning at
full head. He turned it oft quickly and
moved toward the well filled wosdbox; he |
filled his arms full, leaving two or three
small pieces as a blind, and turned. This
movement brought him face to face with |
the appartion IN the big chair. The
darkened room illuminated by the glare
from the burning pine added a weired
effect to the scene. The wood fell from
the nerveless arms, and his lower Jaw
dropped to the point of dislocation. I
remainded motionless, staring at him
through my green foil eyes.
THE MIsER SCARED.
The old miser seemed to have grown
to the floor; he must have stood for thirty
seconds without breathing. Finally his
breath came with gasp and a gurgle.
With one hand l gently shook that forked
tail, the end of which was standing on
level with ny head. Raising my arm
slowly l leveled at him the long red foil
tipped finger. With gasp he rushed
tor the door. As he reached it l stood
erect, my back to the fire, scratching nv
ear with the tip of my tail. The old man
gave one glance over his shoulder, and,
with an unearthly scream, fell against the
door, and seemed trying to push it through,
but the door opened in. l took one step
toward him, and he gave another screech
and tried to jump through the transom.
AT that moment Tom Davey, my room
mate pushed the door open and the old
man fell across the threshold. He oath.
cred himself quickly and few wildly into
the hall. l explained the situation briefly
to Davey. Opening the door he looked
down to where the main hallway inter-
copied the main hall. In a fit of wild
extravaganza the miser had turned the
gas full on and stood staring in the
direction of our door. The old man mo.
floned to Tom and asked whether he had
seen any body in the room. Tom assured
him there was no one in the room. what!
at alla" Nothing at ALL" an
swered Tom. The old man stared at