The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1894-10-06
ACTING FOR ALMo.
Methods OF a Stranded Actor I" -'ko
Out an Existence.

Methods Of a Stranded Actor T." ''ke
Out an Existence.
Strolling in the vicinity OF the Bat
terry, says a writer in the New YORK
telegram my attention was attract
ed by what thought was a familiar
voice declaiming familiar lines with
polished utterance. | turned and saw
a little knot Of men, women and chill
lren gathered around the speaker and
went up and joined the group At
first could hardly believe my eyes.
Thinly disguised in the seedy black
garment and battered tai! hat with
which the caricatursts are wont TO
depict the unsuccessful tragedlan,
was an actor whom | knew personal
" and whose name would be rocos-
nlzed BY many theatergocrs tie
was rendering Mark Antony's 1u'
neral Grafton with all the junction
and passion that he might have
used if the footliehts we've
between him ana fashionable
audience The little mob listened
with evident enjoyment. When he
had finished he thrust his hand pomp-
ously between the buttons OF his
coat and said:
..Now. ladies aud gentlemen. IN
the kindness Of your hearts, bear in
mind that il you were to see this
performance in an uptown theatcr,
where ! have often given it, it would
cost you probably 81 each, perhaps
more ask you to contribute
| something, not 50 much because OF
my present distress as because you
have seen and heard something
worth paying for
With that he passed his hat around
and received a handful of small
coins. He expressed his apprecia-
ton in stilted terms and moved
away. | followed and called him
quietly by name. He started as if
thunders1ruck.
MAN alive" he exclaimed as he
recognized me, "don't give me away .
Come let's get away from here. "
followed him until we came to
the farther end of the park, when
we found an unoccupied bench and
sat down.
"lve been expecting this he
gasped, looking at me anxiously
from under his made~up brows. land
yet 1t comes rather hard to be dis
covered. How could | hope not to?
| couldn' and didn't, but ] had got
on so we'll for day or two that for
moment | seemed to be secure.
Degrading, eh? Oh. | might, if l
we're more of an actor than | am,
make bluff that this is being done
for amusement or character study,
but it isn't. I'm stranded, and act
ing is my only means OF making q
living. so with no engagement handy
this is all / can turn to. can't
help that. In my own opinion it,
better than running up bills and
borrowing money that you never ex-
pect to repay. This thing, which
pursue only after dark, brings me in
enough to keep me lodged and fed.
When | have few dollars ahead l
stop until the supply is exhausted,
and meantime put on my usual
front aud appear on the Rialto. You
are the only one 50 far who has
found me out, / think, and all | ask
is that you do not give my name il
you say or write anything about the
episode "
He then went on to tell me how he
got stranded, but that wouldn't be
interesting here. The too familiar
story-a company with mythical
bac6er started on the road with just
enough capital to take it to the first
stand, dependent there and there
after on the door receipts and the
success of the manager in evading
bills, a final break down and disband-
ment many miles from home and
every member of The troupe left to
shift for him or herself on the way
back. OF course, my friend had a
claim against the manager amount
ing. to tidy sum for the summer
season; OF course he won't get a
cent; OF course the disaster came
when there were no engagements to
be had. There are plenty of COM
petent stage folk on the verge OF
starvation every summer This man
took his own way OF keeping alive
with some semblance OF honor. He
could have played in a dozen low
shows at the beach resorts perhaps,
but that would have discredited him
forever "Re6ned beggary" was te
be preferred, he thought.
Not So Certain About 1t.
Noirh how-0f cnuwoa Tho nh l,)unr