The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-23
SAW IT ALL.
Woman Reporter Investigated KIsist
Brothers. Tricks.
Her UncannJ Experience Which Ended In
Her PreclpItate Flight.

L dropped into Keith's, with three
lady friends OF mine who had been
shopping with me and who. like my
self, were tired out with Christmas bar
gain-hunting and wanted just that rest
that can always be found in an hour
spent i'm that beautiful theatre. We
were Just In time To see that weird and
mysterious black-ar act of the Kleist
Brothers; and, woman-like, / became
curious at once To know just how IL
| was all done--how those men and tables
and musical instruments suddenly APP
peared from nothing i'm the midst OF the
inky blackness OF the stage and how
those brilliantly pretty electrical effects
were produced
And right here is where the woman
! reporter has a big advantage over the
rest of her sex, for she has the best
excuse in the world for every attempt
TO crafty her curiosity; and / employed
that excuse. The explanation that
| desired 10 get an interview OF interest
10 the readers Of my paper-for / knew
| what j wanted to know really would
| interest them greatly-sufficed To secure
/ permission to Sc the Kleist Brothers
after they came off the stage and were
| ready to go to their hotel
With that brevity which is always
characteristic of a woman's speech, i
| told the two gentlemen, who greeted
me with the utmost courtesy, what L
| wanted.
Well really" said the older one,
| the one with the handsome mustache,
Il don't know quite what to say. It's
so hard TO refuse "A pretty young lady
evidently making himself solid to
get good "ad' from me-'but really
we don't like to let the public into
stage secrets; and the public doesn't
like il either for it spoils the enjoy
ment Of an act in the future"
You see" broke i'm the shorter bro
ther. the one who plays the clown
and the instruments likewise its the
the first time weAere ever interviewed.
as you call IL, by pretty young lady
reporter he giving me "A Jolly"
too. or had they never been interviewed
by any woman. | wonderland l
rather feel as If we ought TO strain
point perhaps in recognition OF the
fact. How about the rehearsal Friday
morning." he asked, looking quickly
at his brAiher.
Good; that's il exactly" was the re-
ply.
"Of course. know how all these
things are DONE" | interrupted. not
wishing them to take me for any soft
thing. You see, I've read all about IL,
how the mirrors are arranged at GER
tain angles, things are moved round by
wires and all that sort of thing; but /
wanted to be able To tell the readers of
my paper all the minor details. just
how YOU do il all in this particular
act of yours"
Yes, certainly said he of the
smooth face. IL see you understand IL
all thoroughly, and really l think you
might make a success in vaudeville
yourself
/ interrupted him to say that / didn't
come for compliments, but professional
ly; and with an apology he continued:
Friday morning we are going to
have a rehearsal 10 try some new
tricks and electrical effects: and if
you want to come round. you may
go on the stage with us and stay right
through the whole act ana see exactly
how IL is all done. You can see il all:
and then you know we can say truth
fully that we didn't tell you"
/ thanked the brothers very digni-
nedly, and promised To be on hand Fri
day morning promptly at ten o'clock:
and I've just got back from the thea
tire. with my head so fun of ropes and
scenes and "fiies"-whatever those are
--and electric wires and all sorts of un-
canny things that hardly know where
l am at.
i was just a trine late. owing to the
bother / had i'm trying TO convince the
stage doorkeeper that / ought to be ad-
mitted: and when / finally got in on
the stage, IL was all dark and / nearly !
broke my neck stumbling over wires
and tables and sand bags and heaven |
knows what before / groped my way \
to where I found one of the Kleist |
him simply because / |
ran into him and couldn't help my |
self.
Right this way" said he, and added |
i'm the kindest tones: Sorry I wasn't |
at the door to show you in; hope you
didn't hurt you"
mot at all. thank you" said L. I'm |
used to theatres" And 1t wasn't a lie
for ] go TO the theatre every week OF
my life, and always twice when Joe
Hart is playing i'm town.
He took my hand very politely and
led me, / don't know how or where,
out into the centre OF the stage The
special footlights with the refiectors
all turned toward the stage were burn
ing and lit up the auditorium splendid
Iy but IL was pitch dark all around
me on the stage.
Now you've 'materialiZed' i'm full
sight of the house, said the taller
brother. he of the hirsute adorment "A
minute ago no one could have seen you: !
aud now you're in full view. Just the
way you saw us the other afternoon"
But l don't see the mirrors" ] said.
Iuestioningly. 90 which he explained
hat perhaps they reflected the black
lraperies so perfectly that my eyes
not yet accustomed TO the darkness.
probably did not recognize them.
He stepped away from me moment.
md ] was beginning to feel a little
'queamish as i put out my hand TO
yrope for him, when whish. there was
! peculiar noise and at the side of the
stage there stood that table covered
With Indian clubs and musical instru-
nents and when ] tried TO lift IL up !
'n the floor. I found "a was Just as |
eal and solid as any table | ever saw. !
Us i put IL down. 1 laid my hands on |
op OF the table: and my! how ! jumped.
was simply shocked. How was I TO
,now that ! was gonig to tackle an
lectrical current there?
The next instant I felt n sharp tan
m my shoulder. and. looking round I
aw a brass horn. and then on the |
thor side / "pof a. I'm tho p.rlxH f,.,,, |