New-York tribune., 1897-08-11
THE PRESS AGENTS RIDE.
HOW HE RACED AGAINST TIME AND KIDD
BERs AND BROUGHT THE SINGER
TO THE STAGE

One swallow does not make summer ana one
press agent does not make theatrical season
But when the robin comes everybody KNOWS 'h''
the spring IL coming. and WHEN the pres" agent
does what he did yesterday 1t Is fair to assume
that the drama still has good days before +" anu
ths; season of them Is not far OIL
The trouble began about an actress. IL u 'e
markab,e how much work and worry are causeo
20 the press agents by women ara now u''''
by men. She not exactly an actress, e''n
she was a muslc-ha singer. She Is singing 'his
week a: one OF the halls In The city. ana she i
s,ovinc ,t her ..yiIIa on the Hudson" That Is
what the press agent called 1t when he told the
story afterward. Yesterday afternoon some 'hlee
hours before the time for her 10 appear on .ne
stage the doorkeeper told the press agent '"'
she had not vet come in. What was 10 DC no"e'
Not an instant to be lost; the audlehce
would come In an hour two. and the press
agent scarcely dared to think what wouid happe"
II he were TO go before the curtain ana say 80, ~
the assembly that the singer was at nei '
on the Hudson and could not appear 1t was not
at ali likely that the insurance company "o'' '''
his policy without being sued Tor IT,
Rut with HIM 10 think TO act lie ieapen uPo"
his tandem bicycle and turned 1t toward the huu
SON Il seems that he had never hearh a"ou' w -,
New-York Central and Hudson River Raiii"au' Nv
one man can be expected TO know everytn'ne' anu
this mans learning stopped at the du'ies W " b'
nress agent, The man xho knows even MS o""
business Is above the average Of intelligence neio
his mind was but one need that the s'hse' '"
be n; the hal on time and IN the whirhne vi MS
wheel but purpose scorchng. as u "e'e' ',,o
the road as II flew behind hiTn-to iedcn He' N'''
IN .to Hudson and bring her back In time.
He reached the villa on the Hudson that Is such
n GOOD name fer lie house ZIP the river whefe any .
body lives that IT IS worth repeatins) iefi MS IAN
dem bicycle mpatieItly paving the ground ' '"'
courtyard made his way 20 the great h4i' p"S' NV
guards and the servants. stricken dunno wl'h aih'~
md Al he dressed
You have come for met she cried; i kne" You
wouli ! could not go without you. Tor no horse
could carry me fast and so iar az we mus ~
tonight"
Past the pale guards and trembling servants agh'h
they went He swung her the pil!ion before MN
and turne1 1is bicycle fresh. TO all appearance
as If II had stood resting all day toward me s'u'h
The villa on the Hudson was Ear behind: the s'ias
Cling houses Of vassals and the novels or chull'
seemed but ,niistinc- s;reaks as they shot y tnc'
ana they entered lonely wool Iheh a u on. 30 Ua
the ground. the tall and broad 70 ms OF twp o
ins antly SLOWED up for Theatrical 'pcl2ic ana nl-
cyclists though they were. they hesiiaied TO 'ake
TIE was near being fatal for in an instant stan,
they saw that the men were hSnWaymfn me- aai,di and
capabe Of puncturinG the tires VIE KIN KNIVES am AMI
st:a.inS the singers diamonds For one ihn"n, n. ~
thal nstani the o Ssef rt "rf T Hcp ' On knowine
had. She was armed with weapon that the mis-
creanis it'd suspected. 1t was ki-yi: .,,
4 ki-y! is an instrument that squirs ammonia
and il is intended keep impertncnt dogs away
from bicycles. The singer was also accustomed 70
IL a perfume bottle for music hal people
like take things stronG. In an instant she sent
a stream Of ammonia in the faces Of the two hlGh-
waymen. and they rolled in the bitches, The
singer and the press agent sped on. without
scratch a punctIire.
The manager was waiting for them. stridng i'm
patiently up and down the stage, behind the
scenes. Had thev not slowed up when first they
the thieves they would have been in abundant
time As il another act had been put on
out Of its turn. The audience beginning to
mutter. II another act should have to take the
place Of the expected singer. the manager had the
cravest fears for what might happen. But now
all safe In five minute more she on
the stage. and the audience that appla auded her
little knew how well she deserved It's applause or
how much of 1t was also deserved by the unknown
press agent. After all II is noble deeds that in
spire. not the names of those who do them
And so the ma are here omitted.