The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-01
SKETCHES IN STAGELAND.
THE THEATRTCAJ MANAGER IN THE
PALMY DAYS AND NOWADAYS.

ness IN Dramatic Art-Two Very Differ
ent Times Mt n Railway Meal station
The Pert Girl In n Cuban War Plny.
The theatrical manager in 'the palmy days"
was n good deal Of n humbuR. Ho posed as a
patron OF dramatic art, He wore much vel
vet and fur on his coat. the brim OF his high
hat was wide. and he stood at the portal OF the
theatre with one hand In his breast and the
other behind him. Those hands were usually
empty. and SO we're his pockets. He paid his
debts when he could and had to. He felt no
moro bound by his pompous promises TO the
public than he did by those he made reckless
~ TO his employees. He Is still to DO found.
but he Is no longer typical OF tho business.
He has been displaced by q man with the
methods Of a merchant. who finds out what
will sell, commands sufficient capital to pro-
duce the salablo matter. and Is as trustwor-
thy and responsible as the average dealer In
wares. He may have n pride OF character
which will not permit him TO appeal to vicious
tastes. and In that case he promotes what
Is seomly In dramatic literature. though taxi
ing care that 1t shall be at the same time likely
to comply with q remunerative demand. He
will invest thousands Of dollars in enterprises
where his predecessor would not put hun
dreds. He is n fostering and inspiring patron
OF the histrionic arts, and none the less so be-
cause he Is after q pecunisry reward. At the
other extreme OF stage diversion. he may be
shameless as to the kind he provides. notwith-
standing that he Is still in his
money dealings. He may not be averso to
wallowinG in the miro, but with his fouled fin
gers he will pay the last cent he owes. 1t Is
the exceptional manager nowadays who does
not conduct his affairs as equitably as the
average that obtains in any other line OF pur-
chase and sale. But his pursuit Is more pre-
carious. The risks OF loss are in O heavy "a
ito TO the chances OF gain. even though he be
shrowd. careful and ludiciony. Fortunes ac;
usually by actors. not managers. ana even
with tho most famous Of the actors material
bankrupt at the zenith of his fame, and his
tours had become, unprotitable. Then, the
tide turned, and within five years he made so
much money that when he died his estate was
worth over $5OO.u00. The manager rises and
falls with even greater CELEBRITY than the actor.
A theatrical manager. now prosperous. was
encountered as he alighted at a meal station
on q transcontinenta railway. Il take my
meals In my private car" he said. "and l am
getting a lot OF pleasure by the sight Of a place
where l can eat but don't want to. because /
once wanted to and couldn't l am making
the trip now in a car exclusive to myself and
attendants. l do it to crafty a within. Six
teen years ago l was out here in this country
with u losing company. We got into a GER
tain town Just in time to give an evening per-
Torrance. and were to resume our journey
next morning. The receipts were small. and
] divided them among the actors. 30 they
would be able to settle for lodgings and break
iasts. but In buying three cigars fo= a quarter
] discovered that 1t broke into the only dollar
left in my pocket. Transportation had been
paid for at the start on this railroad. and l
hoped to make a profit at our next nights
stand; but in the he m nrnnS to o where WAS ySs | nc to
actors. Then 1 bethouE6t myself Of a free
ct my pleasure. It didn't include a berth in
in a car seat. I dozed and tried to, draw con-
ISOLATION. from my three cigars till about 4
Sf rSip e on 1ne b @SEnih L stopped dpGe ! at sea this sa 10 g
meal station for breakfast, ! was, ravenously
hungry.-Th breakfast smelled good and looked
fhad. Idared not leave myself without a cent
for the smallest inoidentals during the day.
buy a snack. Not even a cup Of coffee was on
sale separate from the meal. was ashamed
So I had to take my appetite back into the car,
without 30 much as a cigar left for solace. and
Breakfast Tass las ! at t9 q Cheap 1r r%es aoMn ut 'F That 1 is Why
hotel car ali 70 myself. and take 10y in smiling
disdainfuly at this particular meal station"
The war between the United States and
Spain has overthrown the comic Irish Ser
Eeant in at least one war drama. Aside from
the shift to things tropical in the scenery and
to sunburnt compilations for tho villains. this
is The most radical novelty that tho contest
has led to on the stage. Red. White and
Blue" has q funny Irishman. but gives him
little to do. The substitute for the usual Irish
Sergeant Is q girl. She Is O saucy thing. Her
pertness lie equal to that Of Irish melodramas'
familiar broth OF a boy. who derides cruel land
lords and appreciated heirs to vast canvas
estates. Spanish officers are her victims.
and the American girl mocks them boldly.
She is too independent to bend to military dis
cipline. and In consequence becomes a captive
to her enemies. Although kept in an old barn
with her ar 8 tied behind her; she does not
In command that she vii soon be shot TRep
her chin goes up. and she sauces him until the
gallery smokers. while he, CRASHES, his teeth.
He Is lust tho sort OF an individual to strike
her dead. but that makes no ditrerenc to the
pert one. 1t has ever been the business of the
cident. His sauceboX substitute succeeds to
bis responsibility. The barn has a platform
the prisoners to lasso their eaptors. Miss
Pertness and the plays impossible newspaper
SoEts, Ss fs9ar 1ta Tied With tSsrs shel Tw SsG snst to the
and are about to fire It: Then the ropes are
caught about the neck by the moose. The
man standing near the woman is missed. but
around the post Sc geral times. binding the fell
low to 1t. Later she takes a fever and raves
about her sweetheart. while her friends await
an attack upon their poorly defended fort.
This the comic freshman never did. But she
ts his successor again when she becomes a
last-resort fighter and assists In firing a brass
cannon that punctures a row OF attackers.
William II. Crane has decided to6ring out
"The H,ad OF tho Family" at the Knicker-
booker next Tuesday night. 1t is an adapta-
ton by Clyde Fitch and Leo Dietrichsteln of a
German comedy by L'Arronge.
Maude Adams is getting ready to play Juliet
late this season. with William Faversham as
the Romeo. Alice Nielsen lunchsd with Mrs.
Mckinley at the White House. and sang some
ballads afterward at u reception. Lillian Rus
sell is In town idle. but may go to London
soon. Aunt Louisa Eldridge is ut work for the
annual Christmas tree and festival for the
children Of the stage.
Gilbert Saroney, an impersonator OF ecoen-
trio women. disappeared mysteriously from
Worcester, where he had been acting In a
farce.
Henry Irving is better OF his ~pleurisy. but
III