The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-10

The difference soon became apparent.
F'redericks was no actor but a most ex-
cellent manager Gilbert was most ex-
cellent actor, but no manager. and while
the business went down at the Chestnut
Street theater the Walnut street estab-
lishment fourished with an elaborate pro-
duction of Shakespeare's Twelfth
Night" scenery, costumes and company
all of the best and in perfect harmony;
crowded houses and money in plenty All
this was Gripping The Chestnut" and
its lessee was correspondingly worried.
One morning Qpinlan came to Gilbert say
ing, Il say, Gilbert, they're doing foine
business at the Walnut with Twelfth
Night"
so I am told" said Gilbert. 81 wish
we had something to counteract it,
well" said Quinlan, wasn't 1t a man
by the name of Shakespeare who writ
that play?"
YES" said Gilbert
Quinlan paused a moment in a reaec-
tive way, and then said How would it
do, Gilbert, fur you to go over till New
York, see Shakespeare and get him to
write US a play and call it the 'Thir-
tenth Night?' In that way we might get
one night ahead of the Walnut"
Gilbert did not go.
Another story told by Quinlan When
James F.. Murdoch was starring at the
Chestnut some one had very deity ana
artisticaly, but sketchily. painted on the
wall of his dressing room ship under
FUN sail. Murdoch. who with Robert Eb-
erly, the then prompter, was admiring the
picture when Quinlan walked in, and after
joining in the praise of it, said: Moi
but that's well done. III bet that never
was painted in this country" Murdoch
smilingly replied: "Oh, yes. it must have
been done as il is on the wall itself"
"Of course, of course, I see" said Ouin-
Ian. What l meant to say was that
the man who painted it never was in this
country"
And Murdoch did not contradict him.
In those days 1t was the duty of the
scenic artist to have in front of the thea
ter framed sign painted in colors, an
nOuncing the name or names of the star
or stars who were performing there dur
ing the week. These signs were about ten
feet high by eight feet wide so that what
was painted upon them could very readily
be read across the street, and generally
consisted of simply Mr. So and So will ap-
pear tonight" Gulick, d German, was
then scenic artist at the Chestnut. One
morning Gilbert was looking at this sign
when Quinlan came up. Look what Gull
lex has DONE" said Gilbert.
'Phat's the matter" asked Quinlan
why" said Gilbert, "he has only one
p in appear"
Quinlan, who had no idea how to spell
the word, or indeed any word, waited to
hear no more, but hurried back to the
stage, brought Quick to the front of the
theater, saying: Look there Gulick, see
what you've done. You've got only one p
in appear
Gulick looked at the sign and innocently
asked, well, how many 'p's' ought there
to be dare?"
Quinlan was puzzled; he hesitated for a
moment, then said, why a dozen at least,
and maybe more!'
An actor applied for an engagement as
walking gentleman. Gilbert being out of
the office at the time. Quinlan took him In
hand and asked how much salary he ex-
pected The actor replied that his salary
was usually $25 per week, but it being
then in the middle of the season he was
willing to engage at $40. Without know
ing anything of the young mans ability
Quinlan said: why you want too much,
l can get a man a whole head and shout
ders taller than you TO act for Sl5."
To Quinlans saloon at Ninth and Mar
ket streets there were two entrances and
exits; one was on Market the other on
Ninth street. On the Market street side
the price was six cents a drink, while on
the Ninth street side the same whisky
could be had for three cents drink. A
negro coming in at the Market street side,
where the others were drinking laid down
three cents and called for whisky. Qun-
Ian. looking at him angrily, said in voice
loud enough for all to hear: do you take
this for a three-cent rum hole?" Then he
whispered TO the negro, Go out the front
door and come round by the side door,
over there pointirg to the Ninth street
door and you'll get three-cent liquor
there. It's just the same as this but this
Is the six-cent side, and 1t won't do to beat
down the price"
Quinlan eventually sank all of his
money in the theatrical business, and then
soon followed a failure of his bar room.
He subsequently drifted over to West
Philadelphia, where he again opened a
small bar room, but he died quite poor.
Junius Brutus Booth was a great actor,
but he was also a great inebriate This
infirmty had frequently caus him to
disappoint the public, but it never weak
ened his popularity. On one occasion.
when he was playing Cassius in Julius
Caesar" for his benefit, he was so intox-
icated that he could barely stagger
through his lines. but the audience show
out at the fall of the curtain. He made n
most amusing speech, and it's conclusion
convulsed the house, for he declared that
he had entirely reformed and had only
that day joined the teetotal society The
next night the stage was kept waiting
for Booth, who was eventually found sit
ting on a chair in a pawnbrokers shop
with ticket tied in the bottom hole of
his coat. lie had pawned himself for 49,
with which TO buy rum. and the man
agement OF the theater had to redeem
him, as he knew 1t would, but, drunk as