Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-02-19
PLAYING THE CANCEL"
Some of the Tribuations of the Man Who
Backs Theatrical Company.


I'm down to my last dollar, and my
board and rent are weeks overdue"
said the Angel" as a sad smile fitted
across his face, "but I'm in hopes to
make raise and get out OF the hole
before many weeks have passed. I've
been taking my chances and hanging
on since 1878, and I've been down On
my luck too often to make it a novelty.
| shall strike it rich some day and 90
to the top with a bound.
Yes, I've been in the Angel bust
ness a long, long time-twenty years or
more" continued the old man, "and l
shall probably stick to it until I am
found in some theatre. | like it be-
cause it is a life of chance and adven-
ture, and because it is one full of hope.
There hasn't been a week in the last
twenty years in which | couldn't figure
out that l was going strike it rich
a little later on, and that has kept me
keyed up for the struggle. Everybody
in the profession, from managers to
scene shutters, are always living in
hopes, and enough of them score a hit
to keep the remainder from bIackslid-
ing. l can't begin to remember all the
companies | have backed, but | have
no mistakes to admit. 1t was never nv
fault that things didn't turn out a.
hoped for. 1t was always the fault Of
the advance agent, the stage manager,
the weather or some of the actors. and
that's a consoling fact to me when my
landlady sets my trunk out on the side
walk because l cant find a $50 bill in
my vest pocket. I was reviewing nv
career as an Angel the other dav, and
in no one instance could | find where
l was to blame for disaster. My first
start was with New York by Gaslight.
All, there was a play for you! Your
hair began to curl with the first act,
and you were gasping for breath when
the curtain finally fell. l had $4,000 in
cash and wanted to be an Angel They
took me in. 1t was as easy as rolling
off a log to figure receipts and expendi-
lures. l went over it a dozen times.
and there was just $26,5S41O on the
profit side for the season. sang and
whistled and was gay. Could l foresee
that in one week after we took the road
tho Iodine MON ond +bo loo l;o-x - l.
would elope, leaving the theatre just
as the curtain was to 90 upo Did a
still small voice whisper to me that
next day all the rest Of the company
would come down with the measles?
Did Fate give me warning of the rail
road accident which was to destroy our
scenery and break legs and arms right
and left? Me busted, of course. We
busted and were busted, but we did not
lose hope.
THAT was a brilliant idea 10 send
cut a Sea Of Ice company to make a
summer tour. The name was a remiE-
der Of zero weather, and the scenery
was cold enough to bring the shivers
Sentiment and business combined, you
see. l scraped together a few hundred
dollars, the cast was cut down almost
half, and away We went with Hope
singing in our hearts. l had figures to
show that I could make enough out
OF that summer tour to back a big COM
'pany all winter. 1 knew to a shilling
what the receipts Of the box Office
ought to be in every village. We
opened to 81 house. Our next brought
in only $3.50. Then we doomed up 10
s4.75, but were set back to 1925. Our
$500. $500 and $500 houses were further