The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-03
STORIES OF THE DAY.
Bono Interesting Anecdotes 81 tho Latc
John Stetson.

Bono Interesting Anecdotes o. tho Latc
John Stetson.
There was no better known theatrical
manager in the United States than John
Stetson, whose death In Boston was re-
Gently recorded And while the man
had his enemies-it was favoite re-
mark Of his that theatrical man who
had no enemies was not worth his salt,
or words to that efPect-the men who
had harsh things to say of him during
his life were unit in praise Of his
many admirable personal characteris-
tics. There was no man more charitable
than he when it suited him to be chart
table, and, at the same time, it was
next to impossible to impose upon him.
Not few Of the anecdotes that are be-
ing banded back and forth by the gen.
tlemen along the Rialto bear directly
upon this trait Of the distinguished Bos-
tonian's makeup One Of them, for In
stance. bore upon the case OF favorite
employee of Stetson's, more or less
deserving youth who served him as
treasurer during the season, but who
once found himself in the middle Of a
particularly long summer without mon
eyor the next thing to it. He approach
ed Mr.. Stetson with what theatrical
preople call "a long hard luck story"
and besought him for o loan Of 500.
mot cent?" snapped the manager.
''G'wan away with you'll" The young
man retreated In good order and later
In the day, having taken counsel of
some friends, once more approached the
man Of wealth. He told him frankly
that q very sweet girl, his fianoee, was
ON the eve Of starting out with bur-
lesQue company and simply had to have
some new clothes He wanted the 800
to give to her. "Why the deuce didn't
you tell me that at f1rst?" inquired Mr.
Stetson fieroely as he handed over the
money. Everybody knows you can't
feed love on hay"
While MIR. Stetson justly prided him
self ON his ability to draw up contract
without loophole for the other fellow
to wriggle through, there is one case on
record where he got the worst Of it.
The Kiralfys were playing ON engage
ment at the Globe theater with one Of
their famous spectacular shows and in
their contract had managed to secure
the insertion OF clause providing that
all SO called EXTRAS" including calci-
INNS, advertising, extra stage hands and
30 forth should be provided for by the
house Thus 1t happened that while the
receipts for the week figured up nearly
90, 600. MIR. Stetson's share came to tust
$3.50. He accepted this facer without q
murmur, but took his vengeance in his
dry way by heading his advertisement
In oil the Sunday papers with the an
nounoement in large type. Positively
the last appearance Of the Kiralfys at
the Globe theater forever and ever"
Mr.. Stetson died very rich man,
and while no one knows exactly how he
acquired the foundation Of his fortune
he himself was proud of his humble
origin and subsequent rise to fortune,
and it il quite certain that no boy ever
worked harder than he. It was while
his father kept little grocery store in
Charlestown that he secured his first
position-that Of Office boy ON the Bos-
ton Herald His duty was to keep the
lamps in order, and his salary was 81. 80
week. He ran the distance to and
from his home-fve miles-night and
morning, and in this way doubtless laid
the foundation for his future fame as
the champion long distance runner of
the world. 1t was in his famous race
with the Indian Lightfoot, when he
was II or Is years old, that he received
the facial Disagreement that ne bore to
the day Of his death. 1t was while near
ing the finishing line that some evil
disposed person, who had presumably
bet on the red man, threw q brick ut
the white one and struck him over the
eye. Naturally this lost Stetson the
race, but in subsequent match with
the Indian, with brick throwing barred.
be beat him handsomely and soon after
retired from that line Of business on his
laurels
The late manager was described to
me by one Of his sorrowing friends as q
curious mixture Of brightness and
roughness. There are q great many sto-
ries told illustrative of his we'll known
propensity Cor the commission Of SO call
ed breaks" or bulls, " and while he
has doubtless been saddled with much
moro than he ever perpetrated In this
direction several Of the yarns will bear
repetition. AT rehearsal Of a yaude-
vile company on one occasion the di-
rector raped for the accompanist to
stop, and, turning to Mr.. Stetson, who
sat alone in the parquet, said plaintive-
": Mr.. Stetson, this piano will never
do. Well have to get another
What's the matter with the piano."
asked the manager.
tfIk1c MI 10,