The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-07-22
A PARADOX OF ACTING.
EXPERIENCES or A REsOuRcEFuL
MANAGER WITH A PLAY.

MUMMY Replaced by Dummy.
"The paradox Of actingf" said the mana
ger. thougbtfnily, 81 should say I'd seen
something Of what you'd call the paradox
Of acting. Yes. should say had. II it's
come under my observation once It's come
under II hundred times. and In one case
look here. when did you last see "A
Dead Mashr
why. "A Dead Mash has been the
greatest success ! ever handled, and I'm
only taking it of the road this year he.
cause. See here. perhaps the name Of
Miss Dotty Devoe. the leading lady, has
never been brought TO your attention. n
you've heard Of Miss Deyoe you have heard
OF her ~ charming soubrette, viyacious,
piquaDt and ORD inai, IN fact the most tai.
ented actress now on the farce comedy
boards Exactly.
About year before a Dead Mash was
In rehearsal. the play WAS In my hands
waiting for star. There Was nobody
knew ! cared about giving it to. You
recoilect the time A young girl falls in
love with mummy In the museum and
coaxes him to life. Now, the responsible.
ity Of finding the right woman for il
weighed on me.
| STAR DISCOVERED
One day ! learned that a little girl,
name and professional HuLecedents un.
known TO fame. had caught the town 10
| Boston In d topical act in a rank comic
opera. went on TO See her. House
crowded. company guys, opera inexpressi-
Die! But the little girl IL WAS just the
most perfectly irresistible thing you ever
Imagined She had topical song, Teach.
Ing the Baby 10 Talk'-the one bright
thing Ia the opera-and by 4 stroke Of
genius they gave her parro, rs well as
baby.
You understand the idea The parrot
eh!pped in with the things she was trying
70 teach the baby. and the effect WAS out
OF sight. OF course il didn't take me mo
ment 10 See that. though the parrot WAS
/ 1--we enough, II WAS one Of the dumb breed.
and that the speaking was done from the
flies But IL WAS billed "a n trained bird,
aud the audience took II all Ia and Was Ia
/ ecstasies
Il made up my mind on the spot | had
found my star, and before left town Miss
/ Dotiy DeSoe had engaged with Inc for the
ensuing season. and the paragraphs were
being sent round to the papers filed up
my company for 4 Dead Mash fixed
August for rebeaisNls and arranged ,o
selns M ttAl anu
her aunt week or two beforehand 70 AZ
To g~; things quietly ia shape between us
GAINING A POINT,
! M dear sir. such Was the personal charm
and lngenuousuvss 81 the young indy ,ha,
/ 1t took me and the author n week 10 dis
cover that w- had run into the decades,
wall of our lives, and that she couldn't act
q, all-nut iiiiie.bit She was simply In.
ompe;ent
N man could 30 over Niagara falls
and retain consciousness lie would know
how felt | talked To little Douy ~
KINDLY a. could and tried 10 give her AL
idea OF two. but IL was TO use She was
hear hroken-there IL stopped
/ Finally, while ! was telegraphing all
over the country TO try to rake up another
star. ! PRESSED her again about the topical
song. aud shr whimporei GOT thai she liked
parrots aud had always Iusi loved babies.
aud she dldH't like muInnics. and that WAS
all there was 20 iI
/ Il seemed TO get hold OF an idea here,
I but for the life Of the | couldn't tell " bat
II WAS
There was. say, ten days he'ore rehesr
sals necd begin In those ten days don't
laugh. for was seriousi made ~ good
love 20 that girl as ! knew how. There
wAs no rrsson ! shouldn't, except age; and
there was good reason should, when you
looked at her will merely say ,ha, I'm
younger than some other old bachelor.
aud that al the end OF ten days she was
ready To marry me
NOW. laid l. my dear. want YOU to
think o! this play lus; once more II you
Can love the You can love a mummy. |
guess
John. she Said. you must lie crazy
/ My love. ssid |. 4 mean It, You are
TO SO on the stage this afternoon for re-
Z hoarpal. you are to make up your mind
tina, thA, mummy is me, and you are TO &C,
to IT, And II yon don't. vow won,
marry YOU
/ Il, was an awful risk. but took IT, She
gave me ono look. turned on Der heel and
walked of held on 10 my courage like
/ grim death I'll rehearsal came She was
there.
SUCCESS IN AN UNFAIR WAY.
Her aS, lines went OF pretty well ]
had provided property mummy As much
/ like me in the general outfit a. well A.
could bc withou; calling attention. In her
1 frst scene with IL II WAS behind glass, in
= csse--and 1t was brought out and un
wrapped. and all that Hank Edwards.
that's the author. and were watching her
| all Of ,rcmble She was pale and had a
| rel spot In each check sui. she went OF
ali right until the uncovcring-and then
sir, she made a Sudden dart at the object.
dashed IL down to the floor kicked 1t like
| a little fury. and then sat down on II cry
tnH as II her heart would break.
Il threw up my hands, was shaking
| With excitement 40 that ! could hardly
speak ! grabbed Edwards 10y the collar
and jammcd the stage copy Of the play into
his hand. HANK gasped, take it-take
IL home with you, pull the whole thing 10
pieces and rewritc 1, MP to this scene
Bring IL back in the morning II You have
to write your ears OF Then | pushed
half a dozen Of the company out Of the
way. dropped down 10y Dotty on the
mummy and laughed until the little Tar
tar turned round and hit me, sir. slapped
me soundly in the face. and don't blame
her.
And now, sir. II you will 60 to see A
Dead Mash the mex, time (, is played here,
and take particular notice of the scene in
which Miss Devoe kicks the mummy in
contempt. you will understand why
claim to understand the paradox OF act
ing"
ut seems to me that method Of educa
ton was little unfair TO Miss Devoe,"
suggested soberly,
The manager looked at me moment,
and then said. quizzically; Perhaps /,
was, because IL resulted in her having TO
marry me. Come M and see us some day,
and you'll find she's got n parrot. She's
got baby, too" he added reaectively. -
New York Recorder