Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-12-31
PLAYING A STRANGE PART.
An Actors Experience as the Hind Legs G.
Property Elephant.

An Actors Experience as the Hind Legs q.
Property Elephant.
Zone OF my strangest and most uncom.
Portable experiences, sir, was being the
hind legs Of an elephant" sayB an actor
in Cassell's journal. "I'd gone ont to
Australia, like many other young fellows
do, or rather did few years ago. With
the fixed idea Of making my fortune.
Needless TO remark, failed dismnllv. and
soon lost the little money did possess. |
bad been we'll educated and tried one
thing utter another, with the invariable
result that every market seemed over
stocked AS Il last resource | went around
to the theatrrs TO try to yet a Job. At
one L was successful, being told that one
OF the chaps was i'll, and the bosz In II roar.
ing temper. made riy way round and
arrived in time to hear the aforesaid boss
remark somewhat loudly and In scarcely
polite language;
What does the hind legs" mean bv
being III? His business Is TO be .,hind
legs, and II he doesn't turn up TONIGHT
he won't have Gnoth sr job in my theaterP
lather timidly approached and asked II
could perhaps supply the missing mans
place. Wen, young man, II you'll come
and be hind legs" OF an elephant, you
can II not, clear out the pays 10 hob a
week. The outlook was not cheering
but was TOO hungry to be proud, so I an,
swered that l had no knowledge OF the
duties Of hind legs, but ! would do my
best and hopsd that few rehearsals
would perfect me. followed the front
legs, who had been witness OF this in
terview, and was quickly set to work.
First, had to put on IA pair Of large. loose,
dirty brown looking trousers, with the
Cardboard feet attached. They were kept
on by straps over my shoulders.
The front legs attired himself in
similar garment. Then we both stopped
down TO about half our height, and
large, dirty brown covering was drawn
over us to form the body, TO which the
head, etc. was attached. The cord work
ing the trunk was given into 'front.' legs''
keeping, while was accommodated with
That appended 10 the tail, At first IL was
most dilhcillt to arrange our strides prop.
eriy ana We commenced by the front legs
making up his mind TO take walking
tour by himself, poor hind legs descend
ing lnio r little jog trot gallon to keep
aenywhere near. Then we found the posi-
tons reversed, and was told to stop trip
ping un them front legs At last we We're
4'SS', 'hu were released with arh-
ing heads and stlif backs I'LL the evening
performance. was naturally pretty pune
tunl for tho flrt tifc., but when the cry,
the stage waits IN the elephant was
heard no front legs WIS there, The man
ager was furious, and the audience imna-
uent, when at last my ether hnlf was dis
covered In the hlr only getting drink.
lie was promptly hauled along, hut the
walk Of that ciephant WAS decidedly Gu.
uous during the evening. However. we
managed 70 get along somehow, but
wasn't sorry when my week came to nm
end and, taking into consideration the
discomfort Of head and backache, the do
eiuedly nnciean condition OF the skin.
and the long hours spent in rehearsals and
performance, ! don 4 think ever took
more hardly earned ~ ahnliags.p