The San Francisco call., 1896-10-18
Greenroom Gossip.

The stagahands at the Grand say that
the most blood-curdling melodrama Man
ager Morosco can put on will henceforth
appear tame and uneventful to them, COM
pared to their own personal experiences
last Monday night The excitement came
about through indulgence in politics, and
it happened in this wise: Manager Nor
osco had hired a couple of bloodhounds to
do turn in ''Uncle Toms Cabin" and it
was understood that the owner of the
noble animals should be on hand 10 aid
and advise them in case they suffered from
stage fright.
At rehearsal the CANNES tracked sau-
sage concealed in Mr.. Slockwelps UNI
brella with an intelligence and skill which
raised the highest expectations for their
success. Monday night came and with II
the dogs, but not their owner nor their
owners wife. 1t was understood that the
gentleman could not tear himself away
rom a political meeting, which claimed
his attention, and that his wiie had to
attend a gathering of lady suffragists.
The doggies were accompanied by young
woman, who frankly confessed that she
had not the least control over them, and
the stagehands soon found to their sorrow
that she spoke but too truly.
At first the behavior of the dogs was
having to wait for their turn, and COM
menced proving about the Vastly ions
behind the Grand Opera-house stage.
Now, Mr.. Stockwell had left the um-
brella containing he sausage IN the prop
erty mans charge, and unerring instinct
led the bloodhounds to track the succu-
lent morsel to its lair. They both fell
upon it at once, and, as botn could not
de your it simultaneously, came to growls,
t hen TO blows and finally broke into a
fight which, for earnestness of purpose
and stern determination TO conquer. could
have given pointers to Pompadour Jim
and Saior-boy Snarkey. The stage
hands were terrified lest the din of battle
should penetrate to the ears of the audi
ence, and yet each realized that it was as
much as his life was worth to attempt TO
separate the ombatants.
That fight was the reason why two
limp and mangled bloodhounds "disap-
pointed" the audience on Monday night,
and why the stagehands have acquired q
superstitious dread of letting even yell
low dog put his nose behind the scenes at
the Grand.
Gustav Walter swells with iustifable
pride and Joy whenever he behoIds the
painting and decora ting and frescoing
which have lately been done at the
Orpheum, but his pecial delight is in the
new entrance doors-heavy, highly var
nished doors that contain sheets of beauti-
full looking-glass, which are tenderly pol
ished every morning.
Not long ago Manager Walter was in his
counting-house engaged, like the king of
the nursery rhyme, in counting out his
money, when one of his myrmidons
rushed breathlessly in to say that the
gallery boys were becoming impatient at
not being able to get in all at once and
that some of the disappointed ones were
kicking at the vanished doors.
''Ach, Gott in HimmelP cried Walter.
"My new doors?"
"Yes, your new DOORS" replied the
myrmidon, whose words were corroborated
by sounds of dull, sickening thuds coming
from the entrance.
Manager Walter is man of action. He
tarried only to lock up his money aad
then rushed to the entrance and threw
himself with NapoleonIc strategy in front
of his cherished DOORS crying, Gentle
men, don't be in such hurry. The first
part of the show is no good, anyway.
You'll see all that's worth seeing if you
don't get in for half an hour"
"And TO think" said an employe of the
house In telling the story, '.that the old
man called the first part of his show No
good How he must love those doorsl"