The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-28
PEOPLE I'VE LAUGHED AT.
Memories of Contemporary Player


Memories of Contemporary Players.
Even though the most rural of people
have ceased TO believe In the exploits of
heroes and heroines in the metropolitan
melodramas with which we have been
bored during the last decade, it is true that
many strange things happen in gay New
York. There is no city in the world-not
excepting Paris-where the foibles and
fancies of the moment so monopolize the
public mind with the result that men of
real talent are lost in oblivion, while les
ser lights, who have been able to strike
temporarily popular chord with the hol-
low-sounding vessel of their ability are,
for the time monarchs of all they sur
yey. Many notabIes in Gotham have be-
come famous without having done sin
gle thing worthy of mention.
While working on a dramatic paper of
some prominence there not long ago, an
| incident occurred to me that would go
| long way toward showing the truth of
| these remarks. We on the journal just
Lamed were laboring hard at the moment
| to get out handsome Christmas edition.
prominent actors and actresses all over
| the country. Some of these were woefulIy
| bad, and Ii was therefore, with pleasure
| that the proprietor of the periodical re-
| ceived one day a letter from a noted mon
| ologuist and writer whose series of remit
| niScences has been read very widely, vol
| unteering TO furnish an article recalling
some pleasant recollectionS of a famous
| London critic. Personally / had always
| felt SnsniciouS Of this mans npmOrieS Of
| well-known people because OF the fact
| that he compliments all so highly that one
| cannot help thinking that he can read
| between the lines, Il praise you and you
keep quiet even ii you never heard of me
! before" But the story mentioned was de-
| sirable just the same, and was gratefully
| accepted.
! Some days before the issue was TO come
| out l was requested TO go to the lodgings
| of the donor and secure the required
manuscript. This / did and was most
pleasantly received by the little gentle
man in question. Upon being informed
/ of my errand ne remarked that he had
| expected and was quite ready for me.
/ From his desk he took an envelope la
! beled with the name of the London critic
and secured from il some dozen clippings
| relating TO the notable and his home life
| These he handed me. 81 am too busy"
| he said. ito do much writing myself but
| you can see from this matter what sort
| of fellow my friend Is. Having finished
/ that you can write something about MIN,
| bring the manuscript TO me and if l like
| the story l will sign it,
| Astonished as ! was I saw no better
way out of the thing than doing as re-
quested. Accordingly the personal rem
! iniScences" were finished and taken to
this author. who was gracious enough
| TO profess himself much pleased with
them and to afilx his signature. He also
| gave me volume of his works with an
! inscription reading, Il appreciate your
labor for me- and, as the acme of re-
| ward. promised to introduce me into that
| Bohemian" society headed by Mrs Frank
| LeSlie-an offer of which / never took
advantage. The article appeared with our
| Christmas number and my scrap book
| contains a number of rapturious criti-
| cisms of its detail and humor. most of
| which began by remarking that Mr.
| IS "reminiscences are in the character
| istics VEIN" Did but professional etiquette
permit L should like nothing better than
to repeat name that would be so sener-
ally recognized as that of my co-worker
but l fear that ii does not and must
therefore. remain discreetly and inconsis-
tently silent on that point.
| Apropos OF nothing in particular. l am
reminded of funny story concerning
Georgia Game. late leading woman with
Lost, Strayed. or Stolen" and The
Girl from Paris. There was a time
never mind how long ago-when Miss
Game was not in the high class COM
panies of the country nor even leading
lady with the mediocre ones While quite
a girl she played soubrette with a stock
organization in a museum known as
Wonderland in Salt Lake City where
was then employed on the since defunct
Evening Times. This place of amuse-
ment was fearfully and wonderfully
made Its performances were continu.
Gus and anything but enjoyable. Up
stairs the management had an inexhaust-
ible supply of fat women and Chinese
giants, together with other curios while
the lower regions of the structure were
occupied by the company just mentioned
with repertoire of plays including "A
Checkered Life The King of the Rock
les" and other bowling melodramas
When audiences were through inspecting
the curIos above they began on those be-
low. Miss Game was then generally
known as Babe" and her greatest
ability seem to lay in the beauty of heI
neither limbs-it does yet, believe. Know
ing this well she took every opportunity
to show them and Wonderland soon be-
| came a popular resort with the bald
| headed.
| Elat Miss Caine had a stronger affbition
| than that expressed in the display of lin
gerie and legs She had an overwh alm-
| ing idea that she would some day make
a record by impersonating adventuresses
| Accordingly when the company put on a
| drama. during the sixth week of her
stay. in which was chance for heavy
work from a woman, she was assigned
the role Poor Babe worked hard on
it, too and did her best TO bring 1t well
up to the standard for the critics on Mon
day night But unfortunately the re-
gime of Wonderland made 1T necessary
for the piece to be presented six times
| in one evening. and the newspaper mer
did not arrive until late. Miss Game die
, | really well UP to a scene in the seconG
act, in which occurred the usual cigar
| ette-snoking bit and then she appeared
| to give out altogether. Her lines escap
ed her. and those that she was able tt
deliver were gwen without meaning and
emphasis. The change was remarkable
! and altogether inexplicable, until, ac
later. her face became ghastly white il
places where it was not painted, and tn
falling curtain found her looking misera
bly, ill. After the brief interval. how
ever she seemed better and continued
her part ably.
J Once outside the building, we VIII,
knew Babe began discussing he
| strange ailment and were unable to soivi
, | someone made suggestion at the idea o
| which the rest first smiled and thel
laughingly believed. Miss Game was no
used to smoking, and the cigarette which
| she was obliged to consume in the secont
, | act proved disastrous after that act hat
been repeated few Ssmes. The inciden
| seemed humorous then. and doubly s,