The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-27
DAILY REMINISCENT.
An Amusing Story Of an Actor Who
Was Also a Fisherman.
Performance Of 0thsIIo Had 10 Wait While
He Landed Big Catfish

Whit Is now NduueNile put ohSc ""9
variety" and their original happy
Hottentot" act was at one time one OF
the most popular and most widely imi-
tated things that old-time variety"
produced. Both are full OF entertain
ing stories Of the old days when the
''legitimates" had not invaded their
ranks and the present popularity and
high standard OF vaudeville was some
thing undreamed OF; and from their
long association with the profession
they have gathered many reminis-
cences OF events dating even far back
interesting.
Maybe you don't remember the
Chapmans, probably not" said DAILY,
the other evening, as he and his part
ner sat with a party OF friends In the
Narragansett, after they had done
their evening turn at Keiths. We'll
they were among the early exponents
of the drama i'm this country. the grand
parents of the present generation OF
that name, who are now doing honora-
BILE service In various branches OF the
profession.
AT the time under consideration the
Chapmans had a theatre Of their own.
Ii was built upon fiat boat, ana
hoated with the current from town To
town along the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers. 1t was a daily struggle. and
some days a very hard one, for the ne
cessaries OF life. The players, of course.
lived on the boat and i'm the absence OF
money were frequently obliged to take
vegetables, eggs, poultry, etc., for tick
cts.
"One evening. Chapman's Theatre
was tied 10 a stake near the boat land
ing at New Madrid, Mo. The play was
to be 'Othello.' John Stith was the
Othello and William Wharem the Iago.
Wharem was "A devoted fisherman, and
at almost any hour Of the day or night
could be found on the outer edge Of
the boat angling for catfish. The stage
was on the rear of the boat, and this
night Wharem was fishing from his
seat not more than four feet from the
stage. He had fished the entire after
noon without bite. and after dressing
for Iago he went at IL again.
THE colored boy, who was general
utility about the boat, would hold the
line when Wharem went .Cn for his
scenes. The curtain went up on the
third act, and Wharem heard his cue
for entering with Othello. He looked
for The boy. but he was gone. Again
the cue was given and there wasn't a
thing at hand to which he could make
fast his line. and he couldn't afford to
let IL go, so, bending down he tied the
end firmly about his ankle and rushed
on the stage just in time to catch his
cue on the third repeat. Sweet wench,
perditlon catch my soul, but / do love
thee. and when love thee not chaos is
come again, quoth Othello. Then he
ls.fN Il Nfe IN
lagos fish-line. What's that" growled
Stith, and Iago answered my fish-line.
Did Michael Cassie, when you wooed
my lady. know of your love? oh, yes,
and went between US very Oft said
Othello. Then he started to cross, but
saw the fish-line and remained in left
corner. Iago began TO get his work in
now. and had just said. Beware my
lord, of jealousy. IL is the green-eyed
mons when his right leg went out
under him dixie shot. He gathered
himself quickly and tried 1t again
monster that doth make the meat it
feeds'--and then came a succession of
quick, savage jerks at lagos leg, which
nearly upset him a second time.
Determined not 10 lose his fish.
Wharem interpolated: My lord, / fear
that in my great love l have gone too
far. (Jerk! jerkD / will leave YOU one
moment TO your thoughts, anon i Will
return And, reaching down, he grab
bed the line and rushed for the side of
the boat Then the fun commenced.
Othello sat down. buried his face in his
hands, and waited for Iago to land his
game. Cassie, Roderigo and Desmonda
eagerly watched the struggle. Finally
the monster catfish after pulling as
though he weighed a ton, suddenly
changed his tactics. jumped clear of
the water and landed on the boat. The
sudden Stacking Of the terrible tension
took Iago so completely by surprise
that he staggered back and fell at
length on the stage. i'm full view of the
audience. dragging the forty-pound cat
fish after him.
But the funniest part of the per-
formance came afterward." continued
DAILY. Between acts Emelia and Bra
bantio slipped out to count up, or,
rather, weigh up, the receipts. They
found two dollars and ten cents in cash
twenty-five watermelons, three dozen
eggs, and a small supply of sweet po-
tatoes and green corn. Every seat was
filled. There must have been a big run
on chickens tonight said Brabantio
Chapman, seeing the meagre assets in
other directions. Indeed there was re-
piled Emelia: there must be at least
fifty nice Fat pui1ets in the coop Papa
Chapman rushed up to get a look at
them. and horror OF horrors. the coop
was empty! And what do you suppose
these miserable New Madr1dlans had
done? They had faxed one pullet on
the old lady all the evening. using a
little bare-footed niger To slip up over
the stern OF the boat and steal 1t out
as fast as she put IL in, and when the
whole town was in. the nigger stole
the chicken on his own account and
went home.
"The curtain had just rung up on the
fourth act, and old man Chapman
slipped his cables and pushed his
temple OF Thespis' out into the current
and went on with the play. Just before
the curtain fell on the last act, he
pushed in shore and made fast, and
that audience had 10 walk home five
miles through a swamp"