The morning call., 1892-01-03
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE STAGE.
Some transforming on the Pacific Coast
in the Past
Love Romance Of Lotta's-POOr Old Yankee
Adams With Amy stOne-The Glrards-my
Make Up for Night at the California
written for THE SUNDAY CALL.

10 all GLASSES Ol lttQtto Ai4hAA ANiA4at''-
OF the stage and stage-life. Il is an ola SUD
ieet vet ever new. 1t Is true, indeed Inat
we behold in mimic life every semoIance Of
affection and friendship, when the same
people are actually ready to tear each other
ewes out or do them some violent harln' Inc
intrfgues petty articles, eXtortons, al
fronts which often take place on the stage
occasionally leak out, and the facts are
plainly shown that actors are as jealous rs
reiening bellies, managers as pitileSs as Shy
locFs. As nerdd.ous as successful politicians.
tits also well known that paint tinsel and
bedizenment often changes a very plain
woman into beauty: and that wigs, boards
and other sccouterments transforms beard
less veuth into a t. rec bandit or a veteran
Of three score years. Yet the most private
history II the stage, that is so full Of variety
fs. asa general thing, carefully guarded by
the profession. Few know or the real neart-
aches and Self-SacTlhceS that are constantly
taking place.
a little love episode regarding the popu-
lar Lolita lust now occurs ID my Mluu. Inc
scene was in California when l was con-
nectei with q company that was PLAYING IN
the large towns Of California and Nevada.
was engaged % play second to Amy Stone,
who, with her husband, Harry Stone, are
wel-ku0wn professionals. IL may noti
however, be generally known that Mr..
Stone is the son of the late Mrs BanisteT
who, fifty years ago, was ceieoTateu
beauty and a famous actress. But / uIgresS
The company in question was conducted by
the Stones, who had secured large conf
pany Of well-knOWn artists, among whom
were Z. j. Buckley, (. b. Marden and W.
J CogswelI, who played the lead with Mrs.
Stone. The general comment was regard
ing t~SsWell that he was always bright,
happy, ready TO Obiige, ready with a good
story, and ready With his last dollar for
friend
During our trip to Nevada, where we
we're TO open at PlpeTS Opera House, II
ginia City. the next evening, we had 10 60
through Sacramento, where we took Occa-
sion to dine. ItSO happened IN those days
say fourteen or fifteen years ago, the eX-
act date 1 have fOTgOtJen-the Eastern and
Western trains passed each other at TINS
point where passengers had an b0ur TO
rest, or stroll up and down the platform q
the depot, or take their dinner, as we did.
The coming Of Lolita TO the Pacific Coast
had OF course been heralded FAR and wide,
as we'll as the date OF her first appearance in
. san Francisco, but the exact day upon
which she would arrive was not known or
even thought Of She was on the train that
met ours at the California capital As the
western bound train gided smoothly into
the depot il soon became known that Lolita
was aboard, There's Lolita there"
~
on every side. We recognized her at the
car window as we passed by.
Once more in our train. passing by the
American River, stretching far away
over the broad valley, We soon com
menCed climbing ridge upon ridge
with jubilant spirits. and it was hours be-
fore we noticed COgswell was not with us.
Then we remembered he had not dued
with rs, although be was the first to propose
dinner, before We got to Sacramento. At
last he was found in an adjoining car, alone,
and deeply wrapped in his own thoughts
living over tie past, no doubt, and bemoaD-
ing that cruel fate which had separated him
from
THE ONLY WOMAN he EVER LOVED.
As bis cbum and confidential friend, Nj
MaTden, told me, LOtta was the only one
COgsWell ever cared for, Once, years before
that, they had expected TO marry. Why the
affair was broken of, or who is accountable
for the lifelong disappointment, l never
heard. Certain it is, both the hero and
heroine OF my little romance have remained
single, each going different ways and never
in the same company. In all Of my expert
ence and connection with theatTicals it is
the only love affair l ever heard of where
the name Of either was brought into ques-
ton.
wonder how many people Of to-day re-
member the once popular Yankee Adams,
The Yankee comedian, who was the very
aud who up TO twenty years ago could draw
an audience any one would be proud Of
Some years ag0-tWenty or twenty-five
perhaDs-he had a love affair which clouded
and embittered his life. She was an actress.
Miss AlbeTtne, who became blind. She
went 10 Australia, where misfortune after
misfortune befell her, and finally friends
raised funds enough to send her TO the
Eastern States, where she died some time
ago. The last plays that Mr.. J. P. Adams
The Vermont WO0l-dealeT," sally and
Jonathan" "Sam Slick," "a COnjugal Les
son. etc. All were popular in their day.
l played season with him all through the
interior of California. l remember one
evening we were to appear in the town Of
Petaluma and open with the comedy of "a
Conjugal Lesson" The boat upon which
the company travelled was so late getting
into Petaluma that we had barely time to
reach the theater, unpack our yaises and
champagne baskets Ia basket l have no
doubt every actor and actress has at some
tine of their lives utilized and dress By
o'clock. The stage had already been pre-
pared and Mr.. Adams never thought OF in
speeting it before the bell rang up the cur
tain. satisfying himself by looking over the
list Of properties required for tie play.
In the setting [ the stage there isreQuired
apractcal bedstead, into which Mr.. 'Lul-
laby" retires. Now, the men who set the
stage had no idea the bed was TO be used
and simply arranged one for appearance
only. When MIR. Lullaby became enraged
with bis wife, and when the play was about
two-tnirds finished, be sought his couch
with the words. well, am going to sleep
IL l can" De had no sooner become en-
scOnced than crack slaml bangl went the
structure. For moment l almost became
demoralized, but his GOODNESS and quick i'm
-prOmptu saved US. The audience thought
1t was part Of the play, and we ended the
piece with big flourish. But while the
people were encOring Mr., Adams tainted.
and then we knew he had dslOcated his
shoulder-blade aad broken one of his ribs.
Yet the old mans pride gave him courage
to 20 on with the play. Either pride or the
fact that starvation was staring him in the
face sustained him. The house was full
His pockets were empty. IL the audience
bad been dismissed we would have been
stranded there among strangers. The next
day be was taken to San Francisco TO the
hospital, where he remained for many
weeks. 1t was fortunate thing for US that
night in Petaluma that Mr.. Adams had not
east himself in
THE FARCEs
- That ended up the performance. I once
took trip no the SOnOma Valley with the
wonderful Girards, who are now delighting
the Europeans with their great acrobatic
feats. These three gentlemen were as
pleasing behind the scenes as in front Of the
footlights. They were highly educated and
thoroughly polished To make oneself
offensive in love scenes-eYen in play-by
eating onions, was something they could
not understand. The oldest OF the three.
who, by the way, died about twelve wears
ago. was very much in love with pretty
girl in the company, who complained Of an
actor who evidently made his daily meal off
the stroDg-favOred vegetable, and who
she declared, was 30 dlsagreeable In this
wise that she should give up the part and
leave the company. Now Mr.. Girard had no
idea of losing so charming q girl
from the company all On account
of the festive onion. So he found a
quiet young fellow who had studied the
part-one Of little importance-but who had
not the wardrobe to personate gay gallant.
shall never forget his appearance. Every
contributed, from truly goodness of heart,
10 completion to his toilet. One loaned a
- Il