The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-21
KEEN AND WITTY.
Ezra Kendall as Bright OFF the Stage
as He Is On Il.



monologue entertainer. only across the
footlights can hardly appreciate his
wit at it's true worth, for he Is quite as
funny off as on the stage. Aside from
sayings that provoke a smile or
laugh his conversation is punctuated
with many bright thoughts that
would lend brilliancy TO a popular nov
el, and IL il said that those who knsw
him best and are able thus to get
next" To- him hear many a happy quip
that which. while perhaps not suited
to stage purposes. reflects the Keen
ness of his mind quite as effectively as
any of the quantity original sayings of
his monologue. A few OF them. re-
called by an intimate friend, are as
follows:
Did you ever notice that the man
who works for Fame seldom draws MS
wages?"
"A man may be good politician and
a mighty bad citizen"
'"The reason Solomon told so many
truths about women was because ne
had the nerve 10 do 1t. Few or US
have"
The good die young. and the other
kind when they can't help H..
mo man is SO superstitious that he
won't accept thirteen for dozen.
"A man with an elastic imagination
is very likely 10 mistake IL for his
conscience"
"A man who lives on hope is mighty
likely 10 spend his old age at some-
body clse's expense"
II know a Toledo girl who is so mod
est that she viii blush at bare state
ment Of fact"
The only difference between impu-
dence and repartee is i'm the size and
Importance OF the speaker"
"Theer are lots OF men who would
never be recognized as fools IL they did
not fall in love and give themselves
away"
THE telephone enables some men TO
lie without becoming confused
"A statesman Is "A politician who has
been dead thirty or forty years"
mo man ever allows his whiskers To
grow long enough to conceal a dia-
mond pin"
MANY a mans character would be
unable to recognize his reputation il
they were 10 meet"
Its very often Fhe case that when a
man arrives home at 3 i'm the morning
and his wife asks him TO go straight up
to bed. she's simply asking the impos-
sible."
The same authority tells a good story |
Of Kendalrs quick wit at the time OF |
the war with Spain.
IL so happened that n Spanard. or |
some one Of Spanish sympathies |
Kissed when Kendall made some refer |
ence TO the American flag; and few |
minutes later. when Kendall produced |
an egg in connection with some story |
he was telling. a man near the stage |
said 10 him: Hit that Spaniard with |
the egg
This is a fresh egg" quietly retort-
ID the comedian. and the audience saw |
he point instantly. and one OF the big |
yeSt laughs and some OF the heartiest |
applause OF the evening was the re- |
suit.
Kendall. although once a newspaper |
man, is one of the hardest performers /
N the business from whom n newspa- |
Der man attempts 10 get any satfsfac-
ion. This is because Of his modesty |
N talking about himself or exploiting
lis professional work. Some have as
erted that this modesty was assumed. |
While TO others IL seems 10 be genuine: |
)ut. whatever its nature. il is "A hard, |
fact which renders IL an ex-
'eedingly difficult undertaking TO place |
Ezra Kendall under the thumb-screws
II the interviewer. or even If the most
energetic press agent. He could write |
m exceedingly entertaining newspaper |
article about himself and his expert
noes. and could fill columns with fun
~ stories that he has never used on
he stage: but he seems utterly indif-
erent TO notoriety or fame. and wher-
ver he plays he probably attracts less
lotice around the theatre than any
,ther performer. arriving at last pos
iible moment that will give time to
lip into his simple costume and after
his turn" leaving again without per-
laps having spoken a word 10 any one
n or about the house
This is not very much like the aver
ge star" but II is Ezra Kendall. who
5 nothing If not quantity original and
Inique in all things. as those who have
njoyed his scintillating wit and unctu-
'us humor at Ke.th's we'll realize