The morning times., 1896-07-12

t1Iot ph0It piCoCutSu " a SeN-N
company in Washingtuii. That was five
summers ago, and no subsequent protiuci
tion has duplicated its success. Not ONLY
did il fill the theater TO ovcrflowing for
the first week, but it was later put on for
three performances, and eQualleu ltS orig
inal success. Its record mas becuIne
byword among the theater- goers and, what
is most rare, there have actually been
repeated requests brought and sent to Mr..
Bond and hlr. Riddle that the comedy lie
given another hearing. They have decided
TO put it un this week. A curtain raiser,
called Nancy will preoede the longer
comedy, introducing MRS. Findiey ana Mr..
Elton in parts especially adapted for them.
L actors who play in Washington are
M more popular than the Findleys, John,
who does the eccentric men for the
stock company, and his good wife,
Agnes, who is alive every moment
to every possibility OF fun lii tie character
women parts. Tney have played in Wash
ingtoD four summers and they ale an
integral part of the Company that the sup
porung would grleve to part with. 1hcy
are chuck full of cIeyerness and tEeir genial
temperance nil akes them as great favoritex
with their fellow pla yers as they are with
their friends in front. They have thus
far escaped the wary interviewer, for they
are quiet; domestic bodies, who devote
themselves TO study and each other. AT
their home OIL Staten Island are two teauti-
rui little girls, and the sewing that Mrs.
Findiey was engaged with, as her designing
visitor was introduced, will pTobably find
its way into tue wardrobe OF the young
sters.
Now you've caught me-" she said, as
she made to put Eer work AWAY, as il was
q pleasant peculiarity OF hers that She
could remember better with needle in
her hand, she often studies her parts that
way, and this was a case OF meinory.
Then she realized that her visitor and her
husband had put up case OF ''interrew"
on her SO she took needle full OF thread
and began properly by telling whJ hrr
grandfather was.
My grandfatber.'' ss.d she, was The
keeper of the kings Jewels in the Tower
of Londnn under William ~. His wife
is buried in the grounds of the Tower
under an old mulberry tree. My father
when fourteen was apprenticed to tailor.
The poor boy didn't like it and / always
sympathized with him. He did Just what
any boy of spunk would do-he ran away
to America. There was that fine natural
Instinct OF which our family boasted. T.,
might have chosen Australia. or South
America. or New Zealand, but his instinct
directed him to America. He arrived in
New York with only penny. With this
he bought bread and licked moiasses fron
the barrels on the wharf. His uncle found
him and gave him a home. He had beau
tiful voice and found his way into 4 choir
presently and then into minstrels. He
wrote innumerabie popular ballads and
sketches for the Moore and Burgess miE-
strels. which were the original Christies.
He went back and forth on the watery
high way. but | had the good fortune to
be born on this side. No monument marks
my natal spot on the Fourth avenue side OF
Madison square in New York. l went to
ncIand with father when ] was four
years old and did not came back till
came with Mr.. Flndley as his wife.
How did / meet Mr.. Findley? Well.
he is an EEclishman. you know. We met
in a restaurant. | was sitting on very
high stool. and he took me for the leading
lady. when l was only the utility woman.
playing small parts. Mr.. Findley had
come down from Bayswater. London, to
get a position. He got it. He received 10
shilings t$2.50) a week. which is really
a fair salary as salaries and living go in
England. We played at the Malvern The
ter for about two years. I had worked
up to leading soubrette before left.
Many funny things happened during our
courtshp. Mr.. Findley wasn't allowed a
latch key. After the performan ce he
would give me the cab fare home. In
those days salaries were small and /
often put the fare in my pocket and walked
home. He? Well. he went home and, with
out any latch key, found doors barred but
ne managed to scramble in through a
window. One night the policeman saw
him and took him in. His father came
and to the young mans chagrin refused tn
identify him at first. After the scare.
however. he relented and all was lovely
I'LL the next time.
Then for n year we driftcd apart. Mr.
Findey went to play stock engagements
in Lancashire. Yorkshire and other pro-
v!n2rs. We were attached to each other.
thoI;-!I we had not yet become engaged but
circumstances seemed against us. one
day. after aboat year, l was walking
down Regent street with Mrs. Lawrence
D'0rsay. her husband was seen here last
winter in The Artists Model and .ruc
TO a. peculiar conviction which / had,
remarked to her; I'm sure I shall see Mr.
Findicy today After abOut ten minutes
Mrs. D'Orsay touched my arm suddenly
.Sr.,' she said. Who is that?' Ii Wis
Mr.. Fndlcy, just down Off ali onnibls
That settled it. And we have often said
sin what if the Omnibus had not come
in at that moment?'
.'Our marriage fec was the large sum OF
ten and ont;. That two and a half dollars
and two cents. Mr.. Findley rema rked;
That's not much and the clerk looked
over his Spcctacles and said, with cynical
grant: 'it'il take jolly sight more To
get rid of her, We went directly from
HyIncn's court to Thala's, where we Were
lea minutes late for rehearsal, by reason
OF the ceremony. Curiously enough the
play was Uncle Toms Cabin He p,a yed
Tom and / played Topsy. and we pla yed
it in Incompatible cockney.
..After six weeks OF honeymoon our
troubles began. The trouble was Il fine
engagement for Mr.. Findlcy. with a hand
some salary, but it separated us, for lie
went on tthe road and / supposed should
never see him. although remained at my
home thcater and was at all times within
three hours reach of him by rail. After
an eternity OF two months. we found each
other again in the Isle of Man. where the
cats have no tails. After cnEa gements
with Miss Batenan AID Miss ForteScue
the ocean separated US. for l stayed at the
home theater, and Mr.. FindIey came to
| America with Miss Forescue as her lead.
! ing character actor. A. NJ. Palmer at once
| engaged him for the next year, when he
was to play Netherby and manage the
| stage in Jim. the Penman.' During the
| summer he came over and brought me to
| this side. And we've been under the
| eagles wing ever since. 1 am an Ameri
| can born, you see, and Mr.. FindIey liked
| the country so much that he took out his
papers before he had been three months OF
| American soil.
I'VE have two children, both girls, the
elder horn in England. the younger In
| America. We have great fun with them
| when any international subject is brough
| up. for each sticks up FOR the land Of her
nativity and taunts the otaer for Eer "a
| legged geographical mistake. With my
babies to ta Ike care Of 1 have not been able
| to follow my profession with the perse