The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-02-08
SEVERAL NIGHTS IN ROME.
AMUSING EXPERIENCES OF A NEWS
PAPER MAN AS SUPER"
The Queer Medley of Human Beings Who
Made Up the Corps of Citizens, Barba-
rians and Soldiers-EvoIving Order Out
of Chaos at Doub1e-Q Quick Time.

Among the scores of supernumaries, or, to
use stage vernacular, plain "supers," on the
stage at Albaugh's Opera House, during the
rendition of the spectacular play of "Claud1us
Nero" recently, was newspaper man VINO
was anxious to get an inside view of the great
spectacle. He presented himself to Mr. Dow
ley, the advance manager, or drill master, and
was accepted. This was on Sunday preceding
the opening night. The supernumeraries and
extra ladies to the number of at least two hun
dred were rehearsing in the Light Infantry
Armory, Just beneath the theatre. They were
not in costume, but simply attired in their
everyday dress; and what variegated scene
they presented
There were little girls and big ones. Old
Girls and Young ones. Fat damsels and slim
ones Some were attired in the height of fash
ion Others wore clothing which betokened
that the tickle goddess of fortune was not
smiling upon them. Then, too, there were
widows in their sombre weeds and chubby-faced
tots, all adding to the general effect.
The men presented an even more motley ap-
pearance than the females. Some were clever,
gentlemanly well-dressed fellows, who had gone
on the stage "just for the fun of the thing"
The "masher'' was there, too with waxed
mustache and boutonniere in his coat lapel
and an eye single to capturing some of the
giddy "extra ladies'" Then there were men in
harl luck and shabby uniforms, who had
counted railroad ties many tine,' some of
them having hardly enough clothing on their
persons to wad shotgun. Smooth-faced
boys and grizzly old men with patriarchal
whiskers One was youth, evidently of good
family, who was ''playing truant" from his
school in order to satisfy his longings for the
stage and to figure in 'Claudius Nero,' in
gIitterng suit of armor. Another was an old
fellow whose garments had turned green from
long exposure to wind and weather, and who
was willing to play ''super" for whole week
in order TO get the stipend paid by the company.
Still another was young man from the West,
an ex-cavalryman, who bears ugly scar on
his neck as a result of his participation in the
Indian trouble which terminated in the capture
of old Geronimo An eX-member of the English
Royal Horse Guards, tall, 1ne-looking fellow,
was there also, as was nimble jack tar, who
has spent the best portion OF his life on the rag
ing main, and former circus clown, who had
worn himself out in the business. In its en-
trety the gathering presented quite ayariegated
panoramic view of human nature rs she is
There were regulars, both male and female
who make it a practice of going on the stage
whenever their services are needed, and "fresh
fish, !" who were going on for the first time, and
did not know the difference between drop
curtain and wing. The latter suffered many
practical Jokes at the hands of the regulars.
One timid-looking, stage-struck "fresh fish,
from South Washington, short, buXom girl,
asked regular whatDart she would be expected
to take.
:,Go to the manager at once,'' was the reply,
"and ask him to give you good thinking part.
He win do it,"
She made the request as directed, and the ur-
bane manager, with ahalf-concealed smile, said:
''All right, miss; will give you heavy think
ing part, in which you can let your thoughts
have full play.n
The rehearsals without costumes are conf
cal-looking sight. Long lines of men and
women standing In an attitude of waiting while
the bustling little manager, Mr.. Dowley, in q
commanding voice would give the commands:
sect ready for the procession in the second
act The pretorians will form here, with the
Iietors next. Now you men who are warriors
form here, and the Egyptians next and then the
Twenty marines from the barracks in East
Washington comprised the band OF pr@tonan
warriors. They were in charge Of sergeant
and went through their parts with military pre-
cigion. The newspaper man was cast as q
Roman citizen in the first and third acts. war
why do | drink Tannhauser beer2 Because