The herald., 1894-12-02
MANNING, ACTOR, TALKS SHOP
The Pugilist's Place in the
Theatrical World.
Professors of the Manly Art Elevat-
ing the Stage.
Nice People Don't Lose Their SELF Re
spsct when They Witness . Little
Set-to on the stsge-Pugil-
lists . Theatrical Need.

After all, William aiming, actor
and author, is not very different man
from Billy Manning, pugilist and phys
iognomist. No "Dr. Jekyll and Mr..
Hyde" business with him.
Just at the conclusion OF weeks en-
gagement at the Grand opera house.
flushed with his numerous successes
and with the generous plaudits of the
delighted populace still ringing in his
ears, Mr.. Manning consented to tell d
reporter OF the HERALD of the place
which latter.day pugilism is taking in
the theatrical world and to describe
how pugilists are endesvoring to elevate
the stage.
"Dsse mugs wots runnin' teaters amt
been onto derselves out dis way" began
Mr.. Manning, the actor, as he grace.
fully wiped . slight accumulation OF
perspiration of the inner band OF his
shiny plug hat with q gorgeously bor-
dered silk handkerchief, after the man
ner OF theatrical people.
Dom eastern feiieTa 10 0ntsT deTe job,
dough-"
"Ere's de idea. Dey's dead loads Of
desc wimmins. desc fine. haired people.
see? wot's never 'ad no opportunity.
you understand, to git dere peeps on NO
sparrin' exhibiehun, sec? cause dey
can't 90 up against no fight in no dive
ware dere's blood and 'ard 'ittin', see
An dey's dead anxious, dem peoples is.
to git to look at go widout no brutal
30 do
Dem blokes amt goin' to be out no
self-rsspec' by goin' to do teater, see?
At de same time dey gifts to see us mugs
60 trough de motions and dey tinks dey' &
seen the whole bag o. tricks.
"Say. 'ere's de idea, right 'ere-"Mr.
Manning, the actor, paused and felt in
his inner pocket for something which,
evidently, couldn't be located.
"Well. dat don't cut no figure; don't
give de snap away in de paper, an I'll
give you de tip. see? Yesterday gifts
a letter in de mail wild perfumry enough
on it to start drug store wild, an say Q
me shape is lovely and lot of CUFF lik Q
dat, an looks down to de bottom an
finds dat it was signed wild some name
like 'Nydia' or some sort OF guy like
dat.
''Say, wot you tink Of dat bloody kind
OF play. anyway? Dere's q gall wot
ought to be lanced. eh? Dem bloomin'
kind OF people is enough to cramp o
snake, wouldn't dey?
"If de blokes was only onter dsre job
dey'd git me back on physical kul-
chewer sos ter find out 'ow t. take de
curves out of dere backs an git action
on dere 'ollow chests, see? OATS were
gifts in me fine work. Desc mugs 60 to
de teatre and see me shape and gifts
stuck on de layout. an l gifts in and
spiels fer me book on de play dat dere
goin' Z ave de same shape as mo il de
stays by de dirsckshuns, see?
"Ere's de proposition wild pugilists on
de stage, see? You can't git up dere
and push nobody's face in wots up
against you. but all de people want is
ter git dare sQuinters on yer shape and
see yer 60 trough de motions, see? Dsy
gifts an idea, wen you jolt de mug wots
against you, up in de lights little, dat
ders seein de genuine stuff. an dey's sat.
isfed, same as if dey'd been an seen
you 1T some guy q deadener in de stun
mick.
~ gives dem de action an all de time
if any Jay in de audience gifts to feelin'
like e wants to trow lis props up against
me, dere | am wild me offer OF $40 for de
man wot stays de four rounds."
Here the reporter interrupted Mr..
Manning. the actor, to ask il he ever
felt any fear that some one might, acci.
dentally, accept the generous 500 offer,
and, catching him unawares, do him
great bodily harm. The interruption
gave Mr.. Manning time to again wipe his
hat band, the way actors do.
'Yer intin' at dere runnin' in .
ringer on me, amt you? Well, if dey
did, dere might be dead loads of sport
fer de people, OATS all.
~ amt up dere fer mo 'ealth, see :?
Pm not astoppin' me man in four
rounds, an if l don't. me nuns ready
fer i'm, see?'
"And how about stage fright, Mr..
Manning" asked the reporter.
sob, me ring experience gimme de
cinch on dat," he replied. ''Dere
wouldn't be no good in me doin' de act
If me sand ain t. tap, see? Wot
kind OF a actor would I be up dere wild
me teef rsttlin' and me knees quittin'
on me? OATS de way Captain Dick
was 'epnotzed. sse?"
"Yes, but Captain Dick says"
"Dere amt no use chewin' de rag
bout dat now," put in Mr.. Manning,
the actor, cutting off the reporters
remark, "'es out of it, an 1
doin' new turn meself. 90 wot's de
use?
"De teatrioal business needs me kind
of people. an don't you let de idea git
oOse in yer nut see ?'