The times., 1899-11-12

were as fresh and the dresses as neat as II
they had been put on under the most
favorable conditions.
The actors work is done at night. and
II is customary for him to have his supper
after the play, In the larger hotels
regular meal is prepared. This takes on
the nature Of table d'hote a which the
actors gather and the occasion is looked
forward to with zest. In the one-night
stands or on nights when the company
is leaving town Immediately after the
play, the station luncheon counter must
serve.
Trials of the Railroad.
1t is matter of extreme importance for
actors to be On time at the railroad sta
tions, Failure to make train would i'm
peril the date in the next town and mean a
considerable loss. As a result the players
often get TO the station on cold winter
nights only to find that the train is behind
time. This is particularly trying in the
smaller night stands, where the sta
tionmaster is not a fountain Of knowledge
and is usually unable 10 say whether the
train will be along in a few minutes or in
several hours. The hotsl may be just across
the way but the men and women of the
form or huddle in the waiting room. where
the stove serves only as draft pipe for
the cold wind which whistles outside, or the
snow which filters down the chimney.
1t is the custom in theatrical companies
for the managers to pay the railroad fares,
but, except in favored cases. the actor pays
for sleeping car berths Those whose sal
aries are small or who are economically in
clined often sit up the entire night to avoid
the extra expense. 1t is not uncommon, on
the long trip to California, for some OF the
actors to remain in the day coaches during
the four or-hve nights necessary for the
journey taking what sleep they can with
their heads pillowed on a valise on the
seat. Often the women as well as men are
obliged to remain up because all the berths
have been taken in advance, and in the
West it sometimes happens that they are
| forced to stand up for a four or five hours
journey at night in trains filled with emf
grants. The cars are stuffy and ill-smeli
ing. Such travelling is probably one Of the
greatest hardships of the player
one by no means infrequent
There are some lighter sides I
ture- Actors whose sense OF
keen are often repaid by meeting
wanderings odd phases of life a
| acter. 1t is not necessary to go
NdlllOIuAds either. III buffalo Two
went into a restaurant for supper.
ed lobster was served and the woman asked
for some Chilli sauce The waiter who
was also the proprietor, was of the conf
Dental sort
DO you know he said, Il used always
to have Chilli sauce on the table; but people
came in here and they ate it. And. do you
know, the first thing l knew 1t was all
| gone
! He was obviously of the opinion that the
sauce in question was designed for orna-
ment and not for use.
| The mistakes OF scene shifters in small
towns are trying at the time but amusing
in the retrospect. Some time ago young
actor who has since come TO better things
was with a company whose chief piece was
built about the story of Catherine Howard
and King Henry VIII. In one scene
which represented a court interior the king
approached from the back Of the stage with
| the words Come Catherine, | will lead
thee to the altar,
AS he started to come forward to Cath
| crime, who was down near the footlights.
| the scene shifters closed in, and Catherine
| Howard was left out in front of a street
| scene. The king had to make his way ig-
ANONYMOUSLY into the street and from there
| led Catherine to the altar" amid the jeers
| of the gallery.
In the same play Catherine is discovered
in one scene laid out on the tomb The
| tomb was usually large packing box COW
! cred with white cheesecloth King Henry
| entered, and while gazing at the face Of
! the supposed dead, gave expression to his
| grief. In the midst of his pathetic utter
| ance the lid Of the box gave way and Cath
| crime Howard disappeared from view, but
! her expression of surprise and disgust was
sufficiently audible and forcibles to leave no
doubt that she was aIive,-New York
| Tribune.