The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-15

the announcement he was about to
make, and as a good thing he decided
to leave it to the last.
So he StrOked his throat and told the
audience how sorry he was that he had
caught cold some days ago and was not
able to make himself heard as plainly
spoke about Miss Esther Cuff, the pref
ty Topeka girl in his company who
plays exceedingly well and at last came
to his important announcement
4 want to introduce to the audience
said he taking the infant who up to
that time had been standing with one
chubby fist as far in his mouth as it
was possible to put it, Master Albert
Melville, another member of our COM
pany. Baby Melville is but three years
and two months old, but he takes the
part of Little Grace Logan in the piece
and repeats % pages of closely type
written copy. He usually takes the
part in every performance, but we won't
let him go on this evening because he
has been travelling and is tired He will
be put to bed in 20 minutes. But to-
morrow night he will be seen in this
part, and I'm sure everybody attending
the performance will be pleased with
his work.
The big actor here stopped down and
whispered to the child:
Now make your best bow"
The little boy hesitated a moment,
but quickly bent his little body for
ward, and then followed Reid off the
stage.
FROM the DdlCOny anu gallery OL the
house could be heard here and there
a suppressed ''ah'' as the little fellow
toddled off the stage, but on the first
floor the only expressions heard were
expressions of Indignation at the
thought of a child of three years being
required to remain up until late at
night and go through a part covering
% pages.
The father of the little boy is Wnbert
Melville and he takes several minor
parts in the performance of Human
Hearts, His mother is Constance
Davenport" on the programme, and
takes the part of Samantha Logan. In
stead of being worried over the prOdi-
gal qualities of their child in reference
10 his future life, they are proud of his
being able to take the child-part in the
piece. It is with pride that they an
nounce that the little tot of three
years cannot only say the lines GOVERN
% pages of typewriter copy, but can
also say every line of every character
in the entire play
They state that the child picked up
the lines while on the stage with them,
and that he was not originally engaged
for the part. They acknowledge that
the little boy has been extremely nerv-
Gus since taking up this work, but they
do not regard this a S a dangerous sign.
HE has always been inclined to be
fretful, and I suppose he is simply
growing more nervous as he grows
Older said the mother today. He
prOba bly, won't grow much older unless
| an outrage public rises up in it's indig-
nation and compelS his parents to take
proper care of their babe.
In this connection the parents may
| be surprised to hear that in the Opin-
| ions of several prominent Topeka phys
| icians the child's nervousness is due
wholly to his mental exertion. And al
! so in the opinions of the same physi-
| clans the brain of the child is develop
| ing abnormally in the direction of me-
morizing. What the result may be in
| his particular case cannot be said, but
! every imbecile asylum in the country
! has any number of inmates who are
, there as a result of abnormally devel-
! oped brains while young.
! But leaving aside all possibilities of
| the child's future life, a child of three
| years has no business on the stage in a
! part requiring such mental eXertiOn and
| the physical exertiOn of remaining up
! until midnight each night of his life as
| well.
! 1.-The least that can be predicted for
| the little fellow said DR.. w S Lind
say today, IF the life of neurasthen-
! ic A child of three years is but an in
| FAINT and should have rest and quiet
and a chance to have his brain develop
| uniformly. How parents can allow
| children to go through such perform
| ances 1 can't understand. I suppose
the explanation is ignorance, but il