The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-03-11

III is This way" said Mr French I
Tue actors get Tired Of the heat ana |
dust and foul air and oyerwork Of the |
cities. or they are sick from one-nlghl |
stands and they say 10 themselves: /
Well, TIL 30 down and show with ole
man French as a sort Of vacation. and
'hey come. Salary Is secondary con.
Alderation. Sometimes am oyerrur
with these fellows. and cannot afford
10 pay them salaries, so they do a turr
OF TWO al each performance Just foi
lheir board and lodging. pay salaries
AFTER each performance and am very
strict with the boys. maybe too much so.
Dui then In big family. such as have
here on the boat. discipline has 20 ..
severe. carry about forty people. Ny
expenses run about so each show day.
There Is now as good money In the bust
ness as there was years ago. Other
boats have failed but II was because
they run their shows too loose. Mine
are strictly moral. allow no act or
word that tends TO yulgarity, and to
these things / attribute my success
Fronch's No. Is towed by a steamer
Known as Ruth. a powerful stern
wheeler. Il shoyes the mssSive hulk
before H. The pilot steers from the
pilot house on the theater boat. wher,
he has arranged q perfect system OF
whistles Il Is no small undertaking 70
handle the boat In heavy wind or strong
current, and one would think the mass.
I've ark would swing the small steamer
at will. So. Il you'd we're II not for q
/ piece OF machinery which winds up
ropes from either side and can manip.
ulate, the large boat at command OF the
ong Ieer, twisting Il clear around II
needs be- The quarters OF the actors
are In front. where they have hand.
somely appointed rooms. well lighted
and ventilated. There Is loungine
room Tor the men. and a sitting room
with a sewing machine Tor the ladies
and a parlor where all may meet and
enjoy themselves or entertain company
Below. In front. Ia the box and business
ofiicc and 10 the other side the barn fol
The two horses and a dog kennel Above
IN the rear the stage hands and engin'
men have their rooms. The dininl
room Is used as at in room al night
and is. back and b the stage. Tn
calllopp Is in the r. u Of the pilot house
and Is played by a little Dutchman viii
powerful strength Ia his fingers and
wad OF cotton IN each ear. lie can pla
anything that can be put on a piano
and his selections are really entertain
INK one hundred ana sixty pounds q
steam pressure Is necessary for goo
results
The actors come on the stage r,
frcshod after a days pleasure In hshin
OF hunting er rowing. not faiigued b
au early rise or long journey. or at on
with the world from poor hotel Al
commodations and riding In crowd'
omnibuses, or tired from getting trunl
IN shape al tho theater Il Is one loI
mldsummers dream for them They ,
cast a tear nov and then for their po
friends on the Rialto. swcltoring
heat and enyeloped In dust. and wo
der when all touring companies W
travel by boat and revolutloniEe bar
= 9rming and one night stands Tho
who have been stranded al some Jun
ton place with their things In the han
OF village constable and the manag
. out OF money and all that. smile to co
4. template the change. There would
40 strandiug with a floating theat
as u could break loose from It's mo,
ings and float down stream. even u /
manager had no money to buy coal
steam up stream.
+. Il Is said that all the best show tow
/. from a theatrical standpoint. are IN,
>, which have a water front. and there /
/, hundreds Of them The taing might
- oyerdone with too many floating p