The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-18
ACTRESS ADA REHAN.
Her GirlhOOd in a Stock Com
pany at Louisville.
,.HOw Mr.. DAILY FOUND HER.
She Thinks Tennyson, With His Fine
Physique and Resonant Voice, Would
!. Have Made . Great Actor.

New York, Dec. 12.-fSpecial Core
spondence. There is time that comes
to pretty nearly every young fellow when
he feels called upon to know the people of
the playhouses. do not mean to know
them az they appear before the footlights,
but to know them personally, as young
Pendennis knew Miss Fotheringay. When
that happy period overlook the present
writer it was in the good old days of stock
companies, when the leading man and
lady, the old men and women, the come
dian and soubrette and whole corps
de pallet stayed in one theater during
the entire season. When, as was the
case in my town, there was only one
theater, those who frequently visited this
house of entertainment got pretty well
acquainted with the stock ladies and
gentlemen as they appeared in one
character and another. 1t is just seven
teen seasons ago that the period l have
alluded TO overlook me and after much
shy and silly maneuvering ! secured the
acquaintance of some of the people who
belonged to the company of Bernard
Macauey, Louisville. Among these was
young slip of girl scarcely more than
is years old Her sister held a more
prominent place in the company and was
coaching the young girl for more ambitious
parts when she should be older. During
the seaeon Mr.. and Mrs. Florence came
along with the weil-known play, "The
Mighty Dollar" and the slip of a girl was
cast to play the part of Libby. Dear. Be-
fore this she had been scarcely noticed,
but was passed by as young thing not
worthy of serious attention. But in her
new part she had found her opportunity
and fairly divided the honors with the able
veterans who were the stars of the play.
This young and unknown girl was Ada
Eehan, who seventeen years later is still
young. but known and admired by the
theater- goers of two continents.
Mr.. Florence wished very much that the
young girl should leave Louisville with
HIM and play the same part in the other
cities to which he was going. But she
was too young TO start out on her own
hook. and wisely decided, or probably it
was wisely decided tor her, that she must
stay in the stock company with her sister.
The next season she went to Albany and
there she attracted the attention of that
shrewd and accomplished manager and
playwright, Mr.. Augustin Daily. She soon
Joined his company and has remained
with it until now, contributing not little
to the success and fame of a company of
players which has won all the honors in
sight in their own America and success
fully braved the criticism of London. Ber-
lin and Paris. Since Miss Rehan became
one of Days players / have watched her
progress with great interest and my de-
hight in her triumphs has been somewhat
enhanced by kind of feeling of kinship
on account of those few meetings had
with her during my salad days, and be-
cause was witness of her first success.
Seventeen years passed away, during
which the callow youth who thought
Elysium lay somewhere in the greenroom.
behind the footligbts, had become man
of middle age and the slip of a girl h ad
become a beautiful and wel-rounded
won an, famous for her skill and versatility