The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-29
DRAMATIC AND LYRIC
Francis Wilson, the Actor, OFF
the Stage.
THE HOWELLs CLUB PROGRAMME
The Big Tabernacle Contest Next Saturday
and MOnday-Liltle Glaser's Sue
reimbursement Notes.

Francis Wilson has come and gone, and
left great hit behind him. We do not
know of stronger attraction On the road
than MIR. Wilson's company, and the fact
that his business was only good instead of
enormous, may be set down to two reasons
only. One is that Salt Lakes theatre
going population is not large enough to fill
i've houses-for only comparatively few
people attend the same show twice-and
the other is that even our best class of
theatre-goers feel the prevalent dull times.
Mr.. Wilson may set it down as certain,
that if any attraction going would have
pulled the business, his would have done
it. AS it was, the receipts were such as
would have tickled the heart of any ordi-
nary company, but Mr.. Wilson's phenome-
nal fortune everywhere else has somewhat
spoiled him for only fair business, and the
first place where receipts take drop--he
naturally feels it.
Wilson off the stage is the most delight
full and companionable man Imaginable
His clear cut, pale features, and his coal
black hair, lend an air of delicacy to his
appearance, and his general get up" off
the stage more suggests the tragsdian
than the comedian. Mrs Wilson, who
travels with him, but who does not play,
says he Is as strong and robust as an In
dian despite the pgllor of his countenance
Wilson says as many bright and droll
things off the stage as he does as the
merry Anso ", and without doubt one
reason for the buxom and fresh ap-
pearance of his wife is that she
no
two were the. recipients of many
social attentions while they were here, and
they took horseback ride on FRIDAY to
the Twin peaks, descending by way of
City Creek canon. They were in raptures
over our mountain scenery. They have
delightful home twenty minutes out from
New York and bright family of children,
of whom they never weary of talking
Mr.. Wilson, by the way, has been in Salt
Lake twice before, but he had not then
mounted TO any commanding position of
fame He played the tutor in the Queens
Silk Handkerchief, u when it was rendered
here nine years ago in the Walker opera
house, He also appeared in skit called
"Our COLLINS" Mr. Wilson closed his
season in July and does not open next year
till after the presidential election is over
about the middle Of July. He will not
come west next year.
Mr.. Wilson is first class reconteur and
among the best things he tells are stories
on himself. II was playing in Chi
cago on one OCCASION" he said
to the writer, tat the time
Coquelin and Nine Jane Hading were at
one of the other houses. My play was The
Oolah,' and it so happened that Coquelin
and Hading were doing play that week
which had suggested the main idea of my
piece. Hading heard of it, and one night
she sent to me for seats | was delighted
and sent her a box. She was immensely
pleased with The Oolah,' led the applause
IN fact, and seemed quite tickled to death.
She came behind the scenes to see me, and
| expressed her delight. l told her how l
appreciated her compliments in my best
Choctaw French and rang in all the IL faltts
and cOmprenez U0ilS l had n my vocabulary.
We chatted away for half an hour, and as
she rose to go / asked her as calamity as |
could for souvenir of her visit. She an
swered willingly, and asked me VIII at it
should be. [ replied that [ would prize
more dearly than anything else on earth,
little lock of her hair. She replied
ing in France, and L modestly
reminded her that we were in the United
States. Then she said she would comply
If would return the compliment by giving
her one OF my photographs. Next day
came dainty lock of her hair-a divine
Titan red-and I eagerly fastened to
return her one of my most fattering
cabinets, with tender inscription. Well,
time went on, and Hading left America for
the shores of her native France. The day
before she sailed she was interviewed by q
New Y ork Times reporter, who asked her
how she liked our people, our cline, our
manners, ETC., etc. She expressed herself
as IN raptures with everything, and espe-
cially with our theatres: land do you
know" she said, 81 think the very best
thing | have seen in all my trip was q
comic opera performance in Chicago by
one OF your actors-J think his name was
Williams"
Perhaps the member of Mr. Wilson's
Company who left the strongest impression
after himself is its newest member, Miss
Lulu Chaser. She has only been on the
stage three months, and as Wilson humor-
ously Gays, SIS only an innocent little brat"
She came from Pittsburg and applied to
Wilson TO play leading parts. lie good
naturally told her she might have chance
if she wanted to spend few years in the
chorus first. AS she was pretty, ambitious
and had sweet voice, she was put in the
chorus and engaged as undsrstudy to Marie
Jansen. One night Jansen was ILL., and the
little Chaser was told TO get ready to ''go
on" She tainted away. ''Then," SAID
Mr.. Wilson, Il had hope of her.. She
had been so fresh and limo
cent that l was rather afraid
she did not and could not sense the respon-
si6ility OF the position, but when she
fnsx tod I