Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-08-06
BARNUM'S PRESS AGENT.
And How He Doomed Play by Francis
Bret Harte.

Accustomed as they are to startling
situations and scenes of tragic horror
before the footlights one might mag
inc that play actors would become SO
blase as to be beyond surprise. But they
are not. This was proved beyond doubt
by Manager McManus of the Fourteenth
Street theater not long ago, who told
this story:
''When Frohman's Sue company
was going through the country early in
the season, the advance man fell ill in
one of the large western towns. 1t SO
happened that the public had to be no.
titled through the press of certain
changes in the bill His illness was of
serious sort, and SO much depressed
was he thereby that he took to his bed.
Of course, he was greatly worried be-
cause he did not know how to get read
ing notices in the papers.
In the midst of his mental and phys
ical distress good angel in the shape
Of friend, who for years has done
press work for Barnum' s Greatest Show
on Earth, came to the rescue.
"'Just you stay in bed, old boy, ;
said the friend. 'I'll write all your
press notices. Rest easy, laddie. I've
had % years experience and was writ
ing press notices, I'll bet when you
were in short dresses.
"With this the good natured fellow
sailed forth with copy of the play
bill from which to make up his press
notices. The advance man took another
dose of medicine, rolled over few
times and did not awaken till daylight
He dressed, felt much better, but was
still pale and weak. He ordered tea and
toast for breakfast and few soft boiled
eggs, and while they were coming be-
gan to peruse the papers.
'He didn't peruse long before his
wasted system received shock that
caused him to gasp for breath. There
on the third column of the first page
was the result of the circus man s fruit
full pen:
| COMINGl COMINGl COMINGi
| SUEl SUE! SUE!
NOVEMBER l.
Stupendous Dramatic Success.
Positively But One Night.
Don't Miss It'll
| Colossal company, composed of world re
nowned wonders of the theatrical stage from
all parts Of the civilized globe.
This was as much as the advance
man i'll his exhausted physical condi-
ton could stand at one sitting. The
dishes Oh the tray began to whirl, and
unpleasant drops of cold perspiration
collected on his forehead. Think of it!
A dignified theatrical company herald
ed as troop of freaks in a dime mu-
scum. When the advance man recover
ed himself, he read the article follow
ing the horrifying headlines. 1t began:
"Sue' is coming. Tell your neighbors and
tell your friends. Bring them with you; bring
the children; bring the gray grandmothers
1t is the one chance of lifetime to witness this
wonderful theatrical production.
At profligate and prodigious expense the
| management of the opera house has secured
| Charles Frohman' g massive aggregation of stu
| pendous, superlative and scintillant theatrical
| polar stars.
| In "Sue, by Bret Harte, the greatest author
in captivity, will appear
| t-COMPANlES in ONES
6-LEADING LADIES-6
| PLEADING MEN,
| 5-GIDDY SOUBRETTES-5
COUNT 'EMi COUNT 'EMI
Exactly as it was produced before every one
| Of the royal families of Europe.
WHAT THEY SAY OF US:
The funniest play I ever saw.-Bismarck.
| Better than "Uncle Toms Cabin. "--Queer
| Victoria.
| Iwept all through it.-Chauncey Depew.
! had to be led away.-Li Hung Chang
The advance agent read no further.
He hurried into his clothes and rushed
to the bar
"Give me some drinking whisky, "
he gasped "Out of the cabmen' s bottle,
please. want something strong"
He paid his bill at the hotel and took
the first train for New York. He is still
with Frohman, but he was i'll of mind
as well as body all the way east. St.
Louis Republic.