The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-04

Denver, happened to drop into the town, and
to tell you the truth knew no more about the
theatrical business than you do; but failed in
realizing my hopes in the mining business 1
had been interesting myself in, so l went to
Taber and Bush, both of whom had met in
the mining country, and stated that / desired
to be manager of the new opera-house. They
inquired whether or not had ever had ex-
perience and l assured them that it was my
speciality. Well, to shorten the story l was
engaged and opened the house with Emma
Abbott. raised the price Of tickets to- 80 and
we coined money. All the conditions were
right for most unusual success and before
knew 1t was a ful-fedged theatrical manager
and had received an offer from New York.
lone evening Eugene Field came to me and
wanted an interview on the stage. was a lit
tie unstrung for time, because what l knew
of the stage and its people was pretty near con-
fined to what had seen il Denver. However
| went back to my younger days, when l lived
in st. Louis, and gave him budget of infor-
nation about old Ben DeBar, the great Falstaff.
and little touch of Booth, with his new
Richard the IL Aside from that, chatted
about Maggie Mitchell, who played in Fan
chon the Cricket, and also went over the life
OF Waldener the man who arranged or adapted
the play for her OF course Field had never
heard OF those things, and he consequently
looked upon me as mine OF theatrical iufor-
nation. Every time he came around l dis
covered that had forgotten to tell him some
thing of considerable Importance, and he forth
with renewed his vigilance to get the whole
story"
"Did you get all that information about the
stage without experienced"
''Well, to some extent. I had merely wit
messed the plays, and as for taking charge of
an institution l had never dreamed of it.
,nly w jc baft hon
perience.
"Now, I'll relate an instance where a man
can know too much about something and then
get off wrong. Once got an idea into my
. head about nickel-in-the-slot machine and
almost went into re tirement to think it all
over and act with discretion. looked for
ward to an enormous income and quick re-
turns. When had got the thing worked out
in my head and thought I knew it all pro-
ceeded to put it ON the market. proceeded
simply because thought knew it all Well,
the result was 1 lost over $4,000 on the deal
and discovered that / knew nothing 1t has
always been so with me. When go into any
thing that l think is familiar to me lose but
when l go into some business or some scheme
that is Greek win."
'The typical bad man of the Southwest may
be pretty tough in his way, but saw one on
my ihSI Trip VINO udu q SIreaK OF cDlValry
him which was admired by all on the train
where the incident which brought it out &C.
Cured" said fJim" Somers, q well-known
travelling man for New York mercantile
house, in the Palace Hotel yesterday "There'
was woman on the train leaving Ell Paso,
accompanied by her daughter, who appeared
by her size to be about Is years old. There
was childish look about her face, though,
which would proclaim her to be younger.
"When the conductor came around for the
tickets the woman presented him with two.
One was only half-rate ticket for the girl.
g How old is she?' inquired the ticket man,
pointing to the girl. y
"'Only years, and she is entitled to alt
fare the man at the office told me, was the
woman's reply.
Did he see her?' queried the conductor
az suppose SO, SIR
he did or not the conductor continued gruff1y,
she's over and you must pay full fare for
her.
"The woman said she only had enough
money to last her for few days in Los Angeles,
where she expected to meet her husband.
'''I can't help that the conductor con-
tinued, she must either pay full fare or she
can't go on. She will have to get off at DEM
ing and he spoke as If he meant it, too.
"The woman's eyes filed with tears at the
prospect, and every one in the car began to
sympethize with her suggestion was made
to take up subscription for her, as she was
evidently in earnest in her statement.
"At this juncture, though, a big brawny fell
low, with ell the appearance OF cowboy about