Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-18
GETTING EVEN WITH PhiPPs.


a .
Secretary and Theater Manager.
Mr.. E T. Smith, the lessee OF Drury
Lane Theater, having resolved during
his management ito inaugurate an
operate season. desired to obtain the
patronage of Queen Victoria.
He had several friends among the
nobility, who were fond OF the thea.
ter, and enjoyed coming behind the
scenes to have a chat with the man
ager and taste his champagne.
Amongst these was a certain Duke,
with whom Smith was on a friendly
footing.
Duke" said the irrepressible man.
ager to him one evening, Il want you
to do me favor. want you to lend
me your carriage for couple of hours
to -mOrrow morning."
Certainly, Smith. Anything to
Oblige you," replied the nobleman.
whats the ioke?"
"That's a secret, but you shall
know later"
Punctually at l a. M. His Grace's
carriage. in charge of his liveried serv-
ants, stood at the stage door. Into
it entered the adventurous manager
and his satellite. Fox Cooper.
"Where to, sir?" said Jeames touch
ing his hat.
Buckingham Palace" was the re-
ply, and away rolled the equippage.
Don't you think, Smith," said
Fox, "this is rather a bold venture?
I don't half like i'll see trouble
ahead, and smell the Tower"
~
"You'li see shall carry my point;
nothing like dash in matters of this
sort"
buckingham Palace was reached.
The carriage passed through the
gates, the sentries presented arms re-
spectfully to the armorial bearings
and liveries. Smith expanded and
Cooper shrank still smaller.
Arrived at the entrance, an attend
ant opened thei door of the carriage
and the buoyant:smanager was met in
the vestibule and was asked what he
wanted.
II wish t. see Col. Phipps'' cher
ma]esty's secretary ION matters of
great Importance" was his reply in
an imperiVps tone, at which an
nOuncement Cooper fell back into the
uttermost corner OF the carriage, and
said he would rather stay where he
was.
Marshaled by the royal attendants.
the unabashed manager was, after
some necessary formalities, usbered
into the presence Of the private Sec
rotary. The apartment was large;
the secretary stood with his back to
the fire opposite the door that admit
ted the visitor, twtrling a card be-
twiXt his finger and thumb
AS the door closed behind the Wis
itor, he commenced:
"Well, Mr.. Smith. and to what do
we owe the honor Of this eXtraordi-
nary intrusion9"
'Sir said the undaunted manager,
II am about to give series of grand
operas at the National Theater, and
l have come in person humbly to
solicit the patronage of her most
gracious majesty"
Sir" said the secretary in his
most freezingly polite manner, "the
way to approach her Majesty the
Queen of England in a matter of this
kind is by memorial Good morn
ing"
Bell.
Time elapsed. Charles Mathews
was playing at the theater in ''The
Chain OF Events" and the Queen
commanded a performance at Wind
sOr, and desired to have Mathews in
the cast.
The secretary accordingly wrote to
the management an official mandate.
with the usual formality, to the effect
that the Queen had commanded a
| play to be performed at Windsor and
required the services of Mathews in
the cast. signed "Phipps."
This was f. It's opportunity. He
seized it and wrote:
| SIR:-In reply to your letter have only
to say that, in matter Of this kind. the only
way to approach the manager of the National
Theater is by memorial.
| Yours obediently.