The Washington times., 1894-10-28
STORIES OF THE STAGE,

TIE TRUMPETER's DEsPAIR-On one occa-
sion when Mrs. Ellington was singing
passage with an obligato for the trumpet,
her husband, who was the conductor, thought
the trumpeter might play louder, and so re-
peatedly urged the musician that at last the
Teutonic exclaimed "Louteri louter. eh?
Mein Gott, we're is de vint TO come from?"
OK THE INsTALLMENT PLAN-Suzanne La
gier was a good actress, but extremely
stout. She was one night enacting part in
melodrama with Taillade, the original
Pierre, of 1.-The Two Orphans" and this actor
had at one moment to carry her fainting of
the stage. He tried with all his might to lift
the "feshy" heroine, but although she helped
her little comrade by standing on tip-toe in
the usual manner. he was unable to move her
an inch. At this june ture one Of the
deities cried from the gallery, Take what
you can and come back for the rest"
INpoRs1Sa THE AsP-In Marmonters
tragedy OF "Cleopatra,' represented in
the Theater Francois, when the Egyptian
queen was about 10 commit felony-de-
Sc. she held in her hands a meehani-
cal asp of cunning workmanship, de-
vsed by Vaucanson. the ingenious mechan-
ician. This yenemous reptile reared its head.
and, before plunging its apparent fangs into
the arm Of the actress. gave shrill hiss. A
spectator hereupon arose and left the house,
| with the simple but expressive remark: II
am of the same opinion as the asp.
BERNHARDT As AN OLD WoMAN-In Septem-
! Dor. 1876. il was proposed 10 produce Rome
| Vaincue'' at the Theatre Francois. There is an
! old man and an old woman in that piece and
| the question arose who was to impersonate
| the old woman. Not every actress is willing
to abdicate her charms. for a whole night.
Sarah Bernhardt, however, was ready to hide
her youth and beauty under burnt-cork
! wrinkles and a white haxen wig. She ap-
peared as Posthumia. a blind old crone,
wrinkled as a pippin in May. Mounet-Sully
fmpersonated an aged Gaul. The success was
immense; the public was fascinated. and the
admiration of the talented actress nearly de-
generated into sheer idolatry.
WHILE RIP VAN WINKLE SLEPT-While JOS
eph Jefferson was once playing RIP Van
Minkle" at Chicago, he went TO the theater
very much exhausted by a long days
fishing on the lake. As the curtain rose on
the third act, it disclosed the white-haired
RIP still deep in his twenty years nap. Five.
ten. twenty minutes passed and he did not
waken- The audience began to get impa-
tient and the prompter uneasy. The great
actor doubtless knew what he was about but
this was carrying the realistic business too
far. The fact was that all this time jefferson
was really sleeping the sleep of the just, or
rather OF the fisherman who had
SAT 6lEDL uONIS III INC suD IiudllN
the gallery became uproarious, and
one Of the gods wanted to know if there
was going TO be nineteen years more of this
snooze business" At this point Jefferson be-
gan to snore. This decided the prompter
who opened a small trap beneath the stage
and began to prod Rip from below. The
| tagged comedian fumbled IN his pocket for an
imaginary railway ticket. and muttered
drowsily. "Going right-through, 'ductor." At
this entirely new reading the audience was
transfixed with amazement. when all at once
Jefferson sat up with a loud shrek. evidently
in pain. The exasperated prompter had
''jabbed' HIM with a pin. The play went on
after that-with rush.
A SCoTCHMAN's ELF-coNTRoL-Charle
Mathews used to tell good story in support
of the truth of the remark anent Scotch
man, joke, and surgical operation. When
starring in Edinburgh his landlord. who
| seldom attended any other public meeting
save the kirk" asked Mathews if he would
oblige him with "a pass for the playhouse"
| This favor being readily granted, the ''guid
mon'' donneG his cheerful black suit
and witnessed Mathews two great per-
formances, Sir Charles Coldstream in
! Used Up and Plummer in "Cool
as a Cucumber both downright "side-split-
ters" Meeting his landlord on the stairs as
| he proceeded TO his own room after the per-
formance, Mathews was cordially greeted by
that gentleman, of whom he then inquired
how he had enjoyed the entertainment.
"Aweel," said the Northerner, lit pleased me
vera much, ye ken. and I conseeder you
played unco' naturally; but, heigh, mon, I'd
hard matter to keep frae laughing.
A STRANGE PLANT-The late Desire, of the
Bouffes Parisiens, had a friend passion
| ately fond of flowers and rare plants,
and who considered himself great judge
of them. One day Desire buried dead
rat in a 1ower-pot, and allowing the
tail to remain above the earth, tied it up to
a training-stick. He sent this pot to his
friend as very rare specimen OF cactus.
After many days of great care and constant
watering, which such a valuable exotic re-
! ouired, the victim of Desires pleasantly be-
gan to think something might be amiss with
the root. He pulled the prodigy from the
! pot, and-smelt rat.
A THUNDERSTORM CoUNTENANCE-Lablae
had the extraordinary talent OF representing
a thunderstorm. simply by facial expression.
| First, gloom gradually overspread his coun-
| tenance; it appeared to deepen into actual
| darkness, and a terrific frown indicated
the angry lowering OF the tempest. The
| lightning commenced by winks Of the
ewes and twisting and twitchings of
! the muscles of the face succeeded
| by rapid sidelong movements of the
mouth. which wonderfully recalled the
forked flashes that seem to rend the sky. the
notion of thunder being conveyed by the
shaking of his head. By degrees the light
ming became less vivid, the frown relaxed,
the gloom departed and broad smile illu-
| minating his expansive face, gave the i'm
| preston that the sun had broken through
4 clouds and the storm was over.