The times., 1898-09-04
PEOPLE I'VE LAUGHED AT.
Memories of Contemporary Players

PEOPLE I'VE LAUGHED AT.
Memories of Contemporary Players.
There is one virtue predominant among
theatrical people that, for mere COM
panionship. goes long way toward ex-
cusing many of their unpleasant feat
ures. This is the sharp wit that seems
to be distinct part of each BY far the
quickest man at 4 story, jest, or bit
of repartee l have ever met is Wilton
I.ackaye, and he is not the only person
in the business whose ability in that di-
rection almost discounts his capacity as
an actor While Mr.. Lackaye's nation
ality has placed him at a considerable
elevation, there are still players abso-
lutely without Irish blood in their veins
who have dozens of times proven their
merit as jokers.
One of these is Leon Hermann, the
celebrated magician, with whom myself
and a few other friends went on a jaunt
of some extension during his last visit
here Some one had told the trickster
that on former occasions his famous
relative had made it a practice to visit
St Elizabeth's for the purpose of enter
taining the patients there, and proposed
that he do the same thing. Mr.. Herr
mann readily agreed. and. on the ap
pointed morning. a wagon was sent In
from the hospital for the insane. that the
magician and his party might be con-
veyed thither in style. About eight went.
and the crowd proved of an exceptionally
tovial nature. During the journey some
one discovered that pedestrians were
stopping 10 look after Us. and some petty
vanity that each may have had in the
matter was dissipated when the coach
man explained that We were being driven
in the big vehicle generally used for CIV
ing the lunatics and their keepers an
airing
This was a generous cue for fun, and
all the way out the individual guests of
the asylum made idiots of themselves and
gave the people they were impersonating
bad regulations by wrigglinS their bodies
and laughing uproariousiy at their own
success. once little colored boy in
two-wheeled wagon came near enough To
our conveyance to enjoy some sport at
our expense. He managed that his cart
should be close enough for US to hear
of his voice, Crazy! Crazy! Mr.. Herr
mann sprang up as if in rage and the
voungster deserted his steed and its load
to get out of our way II was only after
we had Travelled a block from the spot
that he could be induced to go back to
his dejected-looking horse.
But on the return trip the party found
the humor of this sort OF Ching bit old
and began amusing itseT oy joking Mr.
-srylf Of cit
distant mouth of the navy yard was
shown him as a tunnel that reached Bal
timore, and he stared at it wonderingly.
Some one heartless prevaricator pointed
out to him a Government building with
the remark that it was the French lesa-
ton. and Mr.. Hermann rode past II pare
headed. / plead guilty to an attempt
at making him believe that the marble
smoke shaft of the Congressional Library
was the Washington monument, while
many other things We're mentioned to him
in more or less distorted form. AT last
he grew very suspicious ind was Well
aware that he was the butt of a joke by
the time we reached the courthouse.
But his part of the humor did not
come in until we had turned the corner
and the Pension Office was in view. Then
Manager Dwyer, of the Columbia, waved
his hand with the air of museum bar
ker." displaying new curio and re-
marked: Mr. Hermann. that struc-
ture was built to amuse Lafayette when
he visited this country"
The prestideitator looked at the
wretched attempt at architecture for a
full minute before answering. He took
in its bare corners and other full details
of it's ugliness. Then he turned round
and replied. quietly and without the
faintest trace of sarcasm, We'll, eef ze
Marquis saw eet / suppose Zat ee was
amused" And there were no more ex-
plantations during the evening.
Which reminds me of a similar incl
dent that occurred while on such an out
ing one morning with Kellar. that expert
manipulator of anything palmable. Few
men have the knack of conversation so
strongly developed as he. and this genius
has been so broadened by extensive read
ing and comprehensive travel that the
afternoon was delightfully."- spent. In the
course of our sightseeing we visited the
market, and my companion appeared
much pleased with the phases of human
nature lie noticed there. Occasionally.
too. when his attention was called to
some especially guileless looking speci-
men of the human race he would amuSe
himself and astonish the said specimen by
performing for his benefit simple feaes OF
legerdemain.
But one of these tricks not only proved
to Kellar the danger of entertaining
, without props but mortified him some
what as well. We had turned corner
| toward a secluded spot in the building,
| where stupid-looking negro stood be-
| hind his deserted counter. On top OF
! this-the counter-were numberless dairy
| products, flanked at each end by a tower
| of canned goods on top of which, al
| what seemed a dangerous elevation. were
! two baskets of eggs. The magician look
| ed at them second and then pulled out
| a quarter and said to the boy, "Pll wager
| this that I can put 1t inside one of those
eggs without breaking the she'll" The
youth grinned all over. "IH bet yoc
| can't" he said.
| The trick is a trifle-the magician mere.
! ly palms off coin and drops it with the
| yolk into a plate beneath. Kellar reach
| ed up and got one of the largest speci
mems of "hen fruit in the basket anC
| concealed the coin in his hand. Then h,
picked up knife and hit the objective
| point of the money. They boy laughed
| aloud And the egg did not break. Ny
companion examined it more closely
| pressed it and then looked amused. Tn,
| selection he had made for his expert
ment was simply an unusually fine chin;
| egg, and no one could have passed int,
it anything less hardy than a nail. Blu
| the boy got the quarter.