The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-17
Mron The Now York Herald.

.
for the gibeS of the spectators ana the
curses of the stage manager. This is
the popular conception Of this highly
useful person, without whom there
would be no Citizens soldiers, merry
VILLAGERS or mobs" What if I told you
that the super of today is chosen for
good character, education. good clothes
and clean shaver face?
There have been changes in the last
few years in this ancient profession or
sUpernUmerary which are revelations or
these who are in touch with the land
behind the scenes. The supernumerary
is becoming so much of an actor that
he has agencies where he goes to seek
employment He has his faVOrite places
of meeting with his associates. His life
is a well ordered one, and his ways are
these Of industry and frugallty. The
''Supe" does not come to the stage door
Of the theater in response to a call for
men to be q mob or crowd. OF course,
when large numbers Of men are wanted,
the traditional advertisement is insert
Ell in some of the morning papers, ana
the block is full Of gentlemen who wish
TO make a humble beginning in the
theatrical profession. They yearn for
q chance to speak of themselves by that
title which applies SO much f1attering
JUNCTION to the soul, professional
This present theatrical season is one
of the best for the trade or profession
Of the supernumerary which New York
has seen for years. There are several
productions with "populaces, mObs,
SPECTATORS, men about town." and all
sorts and conditions of such acceSSO-
ries of the stage One of this winters
productions Will employ 300 and another
nearly 200. In former years it was con-
sidered proper to select the supernumer-
aries from the great mass of the I'M
employed. Nowadays the assistant
actors" are chosen from the ranks Of
the employed. The man who hires the
supernumerary does not wish a man
whom nobody else will employ. He
may have sympathy for any one out
of position, but almost his first ques-
ton of the applicant for position is
Where do you Work?"
Intelligence, tact and a good appear
ance are required these days The
super" master selects his men with
all the care of manager in search
of a star. A clean collar, a clear eye,
q we'll shined shoe are things for which
the critical employer of ''supers' looks.
These are only a few of the induces of
character which he considers. He is
generally man who began life in the
back of the stage himself and has
reached his position through energetic
attention to business. He is not mild
or smooth spoken. He is wise and
wary and has way of saying what
he thinks
Claren1on hall is one of the favorite
places 3here the supernumerary goes
to seek employment. The master gives
out the news that on such a day he
will be in one of the numerous small
rooms Of the building for the purpose
Of securing talent for a forthcoming
q GrI To-, 49,
ton awaiting his arrival. in such a
gathering there are likely to be many
persons to whom the life of the stage
is g new existence. This is especially
the case If the suDernumerary trade
IS prosperous and the demand is large.
1t was only & few days ago that I spent
an afternoon at Clarendon hall watch
ing the super" master choose those
who are to pose before the theatergoers
Of New York.
WAITING IN LINE.
It was in a dingy room on the top
floor of the big labor exchange down
in East Thirteenth street. Two hun
dred men were seated about the place
looking earnestly at a man in suit
of startling plaid who sat in the far
end of the room at a venerable desk.
Here were all sorts and conditions Of
men. They ranged from the shabby to
the ones dressed in the height of
fashion. Some wore high collars. and
some had none at all. There were
youths VINO looked as though they had
seen better days, and others who had
the air of men who felt that any day
was good enough for them. It seemed
as though congress of every sort Of
men under the sun had been called
The man in the front of the room ad-
Justed his ornate scarf, in which was
embedded a large diamond, and looked
over the a5semblage. He was preparing
to make speech. Super masters
on such occasions are bound to drop
into oratory just as Mr.. Wegg had a
temptation to fall into pOetical forms
of evnreesi0n
Nov" began the person in the p a d
suit, Il want you men to understand
the conditions under which you are to
ina employment. What l am going to
offer you is not very much. 1t will rot
assure you living. No, it will not do
that, but it will be enough to give YOU
lift If you are out of job and to give
you something extra if you have work
In the day time. Understand? Consid-
erlng what is required, it is very liberal
pay All you have to do is to stand
around the stage ten minutes every
night. In other words Including matt
nees, it is seventy minutes work a
week, for which you receive the SIM of
y
the coming to the theater. Now, if VOL
fellows think it is not enough money
say so before we go any further All
you have to do is to get out If you
don't think you can stick to the bust
ness, don't take up my time and your
own by going into it. 1t won't do, un-
derstand. OF course we will have to 1e-
hearse this thing. You can't expect to
get paid for that, because you ale ONLY
just learning your trade. say all tn S
for the benefit of the gentlemen who
have rot been upon the age before
Now then, we will get to business. II
any of you fellows don't suit me don't
feel hurt If l tell you so. Nothing per
scnal, you understand. Now then, move
up one at a time"
ADVICE FROM MASTER.
That line began to move instantly
The super" master viewed the appli-
cants over cigar elevated at an angle
OF some forty-five degrees. Years OF
practice had sharpened the faculties Of
the man for reading human nature He
save each man his value according 70 a
system of his own, which seemed To
work with relentless and mathematical
accuracy.
No, you won't do for this part" he
said to tall, ungainly person .Wbo-e
faced garments chung to him like WV
&c the ruins of an English monastery
on won't do for the stage. Why don't
you go to work?'
The man, who looked like a long
shoreman, went his way. For wears he
had cherished the delusion that he
n Il -