davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14
ENGAGING THEATRICAL COMP ANIES I'm SUMMER

his desk which IL crowded with letters.
Most of them are on paper with fashy
letter heads which picture the spe-
cialty of the writer thereof or on which
appears his or her portrtit in various
costumes. After some rummaglng he
hands the anage a piece of yellow
paper on which this is written in PEN
Gil:
New York 81
we'll say eddie | supos you tink | got
a gall to scratch to you but you no ed
old boy you treted me all write but you
no ed diden do the sam with you but
you no thare come a time Say ed Is
thar any ting up thar for a actor
well If thar is ed just put me mex you
no that mistr Stew on broadway Is go
ing wit some show call a mite in chinna
town well If he goes out wit a show like
that i'm here to meat all corners for i'm
the mayor and maine gy OF the reZe-
Vatation and mistr brody Will have to
get a permit off me the mayor of chinna
town so eddie IL you can us me drop a
leaf me Chock."
He will do. | guess. IL he will keep
sober dryly comments the manager.
After some further talk the list on
the agents desk looks something like
this:
Leading Man-Tall. brawny. blond,
acrobat 90.
Ie9dlnR sOOu
dresser. Sings a song in first and third
act.
Soubrette-Banjo and dancing. mig
ger boy, (take care OF child p.
Ingenue-Dancing. Spanish accent.
Comedian-Fflled.
Character-Tall. thin. Musical instru-
ment.
Character-Bowery boy (Chuck Con-
nor?)
HAaNu-AlGn Sta 90 nnanaGar
Adventuress-Mrs. Briskly.
Juvenile-Small part, small pay;
serves also as property man.
Little Girl-Must travel without
mother to save expenses; will be taken
care OF by soubrette.
After the interview with the man
ager. Mr.. Urgent. takes down his books
containing the names and addresses of
all his actor clients, arranged accord
ing to the work they do, and selects
therefrom the names of people most
likely to fill the reoufremnts. To these
he sends postal cards. requesting them
10 call at his office.
Early next morning and long before
the arrival OF the agent the chairs in
his ante-room are occupied by all sorts
and conditions of players. and groups
OF them are standing about discussing
the gravest questions OF the day. with
the refreshing righteousness that only
an actors subjective view can lend to
a question OF political economy, or to
a knotty problem anent the finances of
a great nation. The ladies present pre-
serve all the punctilio Of social ETH
quette TOWARD one another. but Telax
considerably in their manner towsrd
the men. Greetings are exchanged be-
tween new arrivals and those who ave
been waiting, and as their number in
ereases the spirits rise, until II would
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

mer windows. recalls to ones mind
stately Shirley. on the James river.
The great porch Of Mr.. Thaw's house
the pillared from. of Airing
ton. the one time home of General X. r.
Lee.
OF these three fine houses. the Fish
villa Is perhaps entitled TO rank first.
IL is a very large structure and is sim
pie and noble In it's lines. Florid orna-
mentation has been entirely dispensed
with in the scheme Of exterior decora-
ton. But as the proportions are unus-
ually good the effect Is rather height
ened than diminished by the severity OF
the facade.
The house stands on an elevation, a
knoll. from which a line view can be
obtained of Spouting Rock Beach n
the delightful stretches Of land N
sea that have long made the locality
a favorite n among the cottagers.
In planning their new home Mr.. and
Mrs. Fish took care that 1t should ne
wen adapted for the generous hospi-
tality which Mrs. Fish is so fond OF
dispensing. The great hall. which
opens by wire arches upon the adjoin-
ing rooms, can be readily transformed
into a spacious ball room. The entire
lever floor can. by means of these
arches and sliding doors. be thrown
together. There is no ampler provi-
sion for entertaining In any Rouse i'm
Newport The rooms are richly but
furnished.
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

Up TO some Is years ago the life Of c
theatrical company was as permanent
as that OF a military regiment. Indi-
vfduals dropped out. others filled their
places; there was always a nucleus Of
older members to pe~rpetuate the or
ganization. The Coincide Franchise
of to-day has thus lived from cen
turtles up 10 the present time, and so
have the companies OF the court the
aters in Berlin and Vienna. But tho
stock company system is becoming Or
solete.
Formerly the play was selected To fit
the players. now the reverse is the
case, n of last years green-room
companies no two may ever again share
the varying fortunes of the road under
the same management.
When a manager purposes producing
a play. he seeks the assistance of his
theatrical agent in the selection of a
company. There are many Of them IN
New York. i'm the Rialto district. on
and Just off Broadway, etwee Tween
ty-third street and Forty-second. 4
few of the older agencies still cling 70
the old stamping ground OF the proses-
sion, near the corner of Fourth avenue
n Fourteenth street.
At some appointed hour the manager
meets the agent at the latter's office.
and in order that they nay not be iis-
turbed, the players who call on Their"
daily rounds at the agencies are told
that Mr.. Urgent is very busy and must
not be disturbed. Some one vouch-
safes the Information that Mr.. Brisklv.
the well-known theatrical promoter. -
with him.. whereupon everybody is very
much interested. and all sorts Of sur
misses are indulged in az TO the play h"
would produce for the coming season.
The news presages the possibility Of
an engagement for some people. aui
all tip-toe out of the ante-room as n
absolute silence were essential 10 tine
success Of the negotiations i'm the sane
tum.
In there Mr. Urgent. taking occasion
al notes upon a pad lying before him on
the desk. is intensely listening 10 the
wants of Mr.. Briskly.
Whom can ] get TO play the hero.
an American SOLDIER" begins MI.
Briskly. He ought to he light haired.
and soldierly-looEing. get me somebody
with snap and vim in him
How would NJ. do"
Il don't care for him for that part
He is all right in society work. but I
doubt whether he could do Justice %
this role. and. by the way. il you can
get me a leading man who j. some
taing Of an acrobat. 50 much the bet
ter"
To tie layman the combination Of
loading man and acrobat seems alb
rurd: Mr.. Urgent merely asks. How
much OF an acrobat2"
Wei. he must dive from the Spanish
fort into Guantanamo bay. an actual
distance Of 20 feet. TO rescue the little
niger boy. and. les me tell you right
T. re. taai the soubrette who wants L.
play that part must NOV how to pick
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

take but little more than a lively tun
played by a hand organ to set them
all a-dancing.
Yet there are many among them who
have not as yet broker the fast OF the
night before. and to whom dinner is a
conundrum to be solved by chance.
The im~providence of the average
player is such that, of ever the best
paid of them, only a small percentage
have laid up sufficient money TO tide
them over the two dull months between
seasons. and it is safe to say that but
$50 Of the 10, 900 actors in America have
amassed a sufficient competency to
LAY off" during the summer months.
The greater majority of the others de-
pend upon summer snaps; /. e., engage
ments with companies playing at wa
tering places. N a large number of
them starve as genteelly as their abil-
ity at discrimination will admit of.
Small wonder then that the slightest
hope held out by the agent appears to
the Imagination of these Bohemians
like a perfect dream of defacto pros
perity.
Upon his arrival the agent briefly out
lines the requirements of the different
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

mission paid by the player to the agent
for securing an engagement is one-half
of the second weeks salary.
All summer long rehearsing goes on;
costumes are prepared and changed to
fit all exigencies OF the play; litho-
graphs are sent out; advance agents
work the newspapers and prepare ad-
vertising matter to be used on the road
All is hustle and hurly-burly. Just be-
fore starting out a full-dress rehearsal
Is held in the complete stage setting
that goes with the play, and finally the
fateful day arrives when the baggage
man hired by the advance agent calls
at the boarding house or hotel of every
member to take away the road trunk.
plainly marked with the full name OF
the owner and with the name of the
company of which he is a member.
With hopes beating high in their
hearts. with the prospect of compare
tive plenty. and with p~leasurable an
ticipation and excitement of fun to
come. these light-hearted folk. as they
board the train find yet a place in
their souls for a little touch of sadness
at leaving the metropolis that to them
is, alas, too often a city of starvation.
NJ. DE LIPMAN.
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

hat extends along three sides of the
house. Ii is topped by a graceful bal
ustrade.
The interior of the house is richly
finished; an ~Elizabethan dining room
displays some elaborate carvings IN
black oak. The reception rooms are
decorated in the style OF Louis XIV.
George g. Hayen's new villa Is built
upon a generous plan. Its length is liz
feet and it's width 81 feet. II stand on
the north side of Narragansett avenue
and has for its neighbors the homes IF
Mr.. Schermerhorn. r.. T. Wilson and
George L.. Rives. The house is built Ok
wood and is painted white and yellow.
colonial %colors. in harmony with its de-
sign.
Here again are porches. galleries and
a fine porte cochere The porches are
unusually wide and comfortable. and
are made very attractive to the eye by
their balustrades. Natural oak has
been used in the decoration of the in
terror. The hall has a deep wainscot-
ing of this wood. and the ceiling is
paneled with IL. From the hall a
grand stairway ascends TO the rooms
on the floor 1t r. one of the
special beauties of the house.
The drawing room and library are
large square rooms finished in the pop
ular Louis XIV. taste.
The dining room is large and prettily
decorated in delft blues. 1t is, in
every detail. a Dutch room. AS i'm the
Fish house, all the rooms on the lower
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

the ingenue is to play the part Of a
senorita. Both will have to do a dance
together at the end of the second, as |
said before. ! also need a tall. hin
character-actor to play a Cuban patri-
OF. If you can send me someone tina.
can play a musical instrument lie
might do something in the camp-scena.
Mrs. Briskly will play the adventures.
Candidly speaking, l would prefer 70
have her remain i'm New York, but she
just won do ii. She isn't happy away
from the footlights. There is one more
part that | am particular about and for
which | would like TO have some we'll
known character. 1t is a Bowery boy
who has enlisted in the same regiment
with the hero
Il have just the man for YOU says
Mr.. Urgent, as he opens a drawer of
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

stress is laid upon their dressing well.
and the item of costuming a part prop
erly may make a considerable differ
ence in the salary paid.
No membe of the company Is finally
engaged until she or he has shown the
ability TO play the part assigned at the
rehearsal These latter begin as soon
as the cast of the play is filled, and
they are held at one OF the theaters or
in a hall hired for the purpose, fire.
quently ever in hotel rooms.
In smaller companies the "old man"
of the play acts as stage manager and
his orders as regards the technique OF
the play are supreme.
In this manner some 500 different
companies are fitted out annually in
New York. A number of firms send
anywhere from five to IA companies to
present as many different productions.
In some cases as man as four compa-
MES play one and the same piece on
different circuits, which are booked
ahead at the beginning of each season.
The large firms find it more profitable
to ngage their people without the aid
OF the theatrical agent, who exacts a
percentage for his services. The COM
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14
SOME OF VIEWPOINTS PALAT|AL NEW HOMES
,al Architecture Prevails in the Magnificent Summer Homes Completed This Season
by Messs Stuyvesant Fish, Benjamin Thaw and George E Haven at
Americas Most Fashionable Summer Resort

Newport is essentially a city Of beau
/. tiful homes. Within its limits are to be
found some OF the most splendid houses
that have been built in America. Each
year sees the foundations laid upon
which new villas are TO rise, and each
season the funkies Of some freshly
domieiled family open the doors to the
guests who come 10 dine and dance At
the house-warming.
We hea nowadays a great deal Of
talk concerning the country homes Of
|. the very rich. in which they are describ-
ed as living the lives of country gen
: tlemen. But no such life really exists
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14
RESIDENCE or
BthJANnln THAw
9RlBBuRG

Exquisite taste marks every detail.
The guest chambers are charming, the
view from their windows unsurpassed.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fish's first entertain
ment in their new home a a notable
dinner party. 1t Is likely, however,
that the plans which had been formed
for elaborate festivities will be some
what modified by the unfortunate
death of Mr.. Fish's nephew, young
Hamilton Fish, who fell in the first
battle of the Rough Riders.
Not far from "Stuyvesant Fish's house
stands Benjamin Thaw's great man
sion. II is placed at the very end of
Bellevue avenue and directly over
looks Spouting Rock beach. II is built
upon the sight of the old Peleg Hall
house. Indeed. the walls of the new
house were built about those of the old
place and a part of the older structure
was thus incorporated in the new villa.
The house is among the most beautiful
in Newport.
Like Mr.. Fish's. ii is ~colonia i'm arch
itecture. though it is rather too ornate
To belong strictly to hat class. While
the detail is colonial the effect is not
unlike an Italian villa.
Aside from the really noble portico.
supported by its four massive columns,
there is a much be-columned porch
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

the architectural beauties Of Newport.
The new houses have been built by
~Stuyvesent Fish, George G. Ha-
ven and Benjamin Thaw. They
have been in course Of erection for
many months. In each ase the fine
old houses of the colonial period have
been taken as models.
Whether by chance or intention Nj.
Fish's villa bears a very striking re
semblance TO White Hall. an old manor
house standing on the Shores Of the
Severn river, not far from Annapolis,
in Maryland.
Mr.. Ravens villa. by its square
build. the character of its roof and
chimnevs pud the placing of its dor
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

a banjo, and must do a dancing spe-
cialty i'm the second act. But let US re
turn TO the leading man."
Mr.. Urgent opens a cabinet standing
on the top of his desk and, taking a
package of photographs from n pigeon
hole marked C." selects therefrom a
picture of a man dressed in the cos
tune OF Hamlet. He hands il TO Mr..
Briskly. who adjusts his eyeglasses and
looks at critically for a few minutes:
then he wants TO know how tall the
original Is.
Not very tail: about 5 feet 6 inches"
That won't do. ! want a big
brawny fellow, and IL l can get the
right sort of a man | wouldn't mini
engaging somebody else to double he
leading man and do the jump for him"
II will see what | can do for you,
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

Mr.. Briskly; now. what about the lead
ing LADY,"
Say, Urgent, Miss r.. who was with
me last year. can act all around any
body | ever took on the road. but her
face queers her. l must have some-
body who will get the sympathy of the
audience. and. between you and me, l
don't care so much whether she can act
or not, so long as she is sood-lookins
and dresses the part Well"
Mr. Urgent smiles the cynical smile
of one who knows how little of mimic
art a personally attractive person
needs to please on or of the stage.
"Ill fix you up all right on that. You
say you will r~e-engage +. as come
dian? Who next"
An ingenue and a soubrette. The
soubrette will dc the nlgger-boy and
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14
Her End of IT.

From It'd
George Irapturously) Now. darling.
please name the happy day.
Dulcie (blushing)-Three weeks from
next Wednesday. George, dear.
Betsy Through the keyhole)-If you
please. miss. that's my regular day out.
You'll have to git married in the early
part of the week. not the middle. COS
Thursday. Friday and Saturday are my
cleanin' DAYS.
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

has so many advantages that while RI
walls may. and do. arise. Newport H.
sure TO hold the first rank among the
summer cities Of America for genera
lions yet.
The houses that are built here are Of
interest. not only for their beauty OF
architecture or the prominence OF their
owners. bu; FOR the scenes Of which i'm
ting settings.
Three new houses have been already
opened this season in Newport. While
they do not rival the Breakers. Cor
nelius Vanderbilt great house, or sur-
pass the cold reserve Of Marble House.
they are yet notable ACQUISITIONS Ia
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14
Statesmen Ad IibituIn.

Mrs. Gager-They say our government is
at a terrible loss what to do with the
Philippines.
Mrs. Teller know il. and they haven't
one of them asked my husband what to
do with them. He could solve the diff
Guilty in a minute, for I've heard him say
so.
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

floor are connected by sliding doors
and can be thrown together when re-
ceptions or musicales are in progress.
Col. Edward Morrell Is remodeling the
old Acosta house, but it can hardly ne
numbered among the new houses which
have arisen to adorn Newport, the
Beautiful.
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14

parts to the several aspirants separate
ly, and the preliminaries being satisfac-
tory. he directs them to the manager
with a short note of introduction.
Sometimes the manager appoints an
hour at which to meet his prospective
employees at the agents office; more fire.
quently he receives their calls at his own
offices or at some theater. He inquiries
very closely into their past stage expert
ence, looks at photographs of them IN
costume to determins whether they
dress well and what sort of stage pres
ence they possess. Finally the question
of salary is discussed. The following list
of recommendations applies approximately
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-08
GOOD FP1D DOTFS.

Many generations ago poor widow in England.
whose name has been forgotten in tho lapse of
time left n sum %; money with which 70 provide
tWcnty-one now sxQcnccs TO be placed on her
tombstone every Good Friday. She was buried IN
the churchyard o. :, Bartholomew. IN Wos:
SmithNed. London The money was to be taken
from her tombstone every anniversary by twenty
one poor widows who llved in the parish The
y lows who become heneaciaries attend service in
tho church, then walk in procession 70 the church
ward and af,er each has taken sxpence not
cross buns are given away. A. the time of the
groa' aro In London The parish records were los',
er3 as ne nam. cn the tomb Is ilegible nobody
knows who VAS really the original donor or me
fund hut the church wardens for many years
provided 'ho money. and = few years ago the wear
- Doc parish Invested sum 20 proFlfo 'or mo con-
,'rfi7rDo - the custom forever
r. III, r"iru Of Queen Fiizaheih man 'alr ,
Potter SyY00nls lef' 4 .egacy. he interest rom
which IS distributed every Good Ffidny 20 IN" 10
serving moor He also directed mat N" clerk
ami scxt1n = country parish probably thar cf
his natlv. village should receive sixponre c!"h.
.ri 'ho vicar twenty shings every Good FRIDAY
Ts custom has been kept up without iri'rmi H.
and ;his will 10 carried out tho three-hundred-
az -FAafffh time
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-08
I N4RTELLOrS BRIDE CAKE.

orr 81 tho most famous wedding cakes known 70
history was the made for Emperor Napoleon
III n the limo ~ his marriage 10 Empress
Eusenie The caterer whose ingenuity furnished
this chef d',ruvre was James Purssel. father Of
James Pursscll. jr.. whose place in New-York was
well known 20 MI cpicurcs. Speaking OF this won
derfu production. The London News " OF January
o.. l%S. said:
The bride cake for the imperial marriage has
been made by IN. Mcssrs. Purssell the confection-
ers OF CornhI.l The cake weighs 800 pounds.
elusive Of decorations. The design consists OF Q
group OF eight splendid cornucOpin pouring out
beautiful flowers. emblematic Of Peace and Plenty.
and surrounded by OF ala baster. excuisitely
carved. with the eagles OF France for supporters.
Tho bouquet for the centre OF the contains the
neur-de-lis cntwned with the Spanish jessamne
and Irish shamrock. overshadowed by the eagles
feather The entire cake. including the ornamental,
was designed ard completed in three days.
The following are the ingredients OF the cake:
Dorset butter - pounds: loaf sugar. 81 pounds;
currants. 81 pounds; -four. q pounds; rasins. -
pounds. Jordan almonds. y pounds: orange lemon
and citron rnds "A pounds eggs, 1892 three bottles
eau de vie. bottles creme de noyeau."
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-08
EASTER TNFLT'ENCE N GREECE
NE IS RISEN INDEED" IS THE UNIVERSAL
GREETING AMONG FRIENDS


IT,. influence q, tho Church Is strongly f-it by
tho common people ot Greece They keep ~ long
fasis releioYs.y. and FOR fifty days before Easter
eat neither meat. nah butter nor eggs. but I've
on figs olives. bread and wine on the Friday be-
fore Easter funeral services held for Christ in
all the churches and a. the close o, the services
the congregations 60 out 20 bury Him. Brase hands
play slow music az az military funerals and th-
procession carries black hammers crosses and other
enblerns o. mourning while great multtudes follow
bearing candles
On Easter Eve the square and s'reets are
thronged with people carrying uniiPhted candles and
waiting for the midnight hour. when the watch
man" cries Christ - risen" and lights candle
Friend greets friend with the Joyful tidngs Christ
is risen" and the reply He Is risen indeed" Is
heard on every hand Candle after candle flames
out until squares and streets. windows and hai
comics towers and housetols are IN a b!aze or llEh
Church bells ring and The high dlgntaries come ont
carrying banners. while the priests chant over ana
over again: Christ is risen from the dead. TO
which the people acclaim. Christ Is risen ana
for weeks after Easter this IS "A common greeting OF
peace and JOY. 49,.
Lent being over the ovens are crowded with Eas.
ter cheer and every house Is hled with the odor or
pies and baked meats. Lambs are roasted who.e
on long wooden splits. and butchers 60 from nous.
wool on the lambs head l. dyed red 10 sgn'y
'',he blood Of the lamb" Every one Is In festive
array making and receiving vififs. and exchanging
col gratulntions II ls Gay OF Joy ana lths,ins
and The sound 0! bombs pistols and nrecrackers
makes It seem like an American Fourth OF July