The times., 1899-04-16

During the progress of a session of the
Eleven O'Clock Club the other night Har-
~ corson Clarke. the clever comedian who
made so emphatic hit last week as Judge
Peter Gurney Knox in The Charity Ball"
walked in and took a seat. The actors.
managers. and newspaper men who were
AT the festal board continued retailing re-
marl1abie experiences and detailing aston
ishing adventures for some time. Finally
8ir. Clarke said: Il have been connected
with the theatre in one capacity or anoth-
er ever since boyhood, but on Monday
evening something occurred TO me that
not only have never suffered before but
OF which ! have never heard. / reached
town very late and arrived at the Column
bia with only few moments to spare for
makeup. When i had finished with my
face and approached the stage where il
became necessary for me to cover my hair
! discovered that the wig brought me was
one that had been made in San Francisco
and that 1t was a great deal too small.
For some unheard of reason the manufact-
urer had altered the thing after taking IL
on the block and ] had never been able to
wear it. On this occasion there was no
alternative. however for O'Clock had
come, the audience was assembling and my
hotel Is an uptown one. Accordingly |
managed by hook and crook TO squeeze
into the covering and went on for the first
act CT the Belasco-De Mile play.
From the moment / had thrust my
head into the tight wig ! had been con-
scious Of dull ache about the base OF the
brain but shortly after my first sczne the
pain became almost unbearable. Back
spots began dancing before my eyes in
such profusion that ! could hardly see the
director Of the orchestra. Next lost my
sense Of location and could bare.y tell
where | was standing / grew so dizzy
and i'll that ! cut my conversation with
Miss Levick fearfuily lest / should faint
before the audience. The perspiration
streamed down my face. The agony was
frightful. When the curtain fell on tcat
sct / was in a bad condition. friend o.
mine in the company who had noticed my
state came over to me and helped me 10
my dressing room. The tortur.ng wig
was removed and we found that the veins
in my forehead were swollen and knottei
as IL about to burst. Both of us had rub
bed and smoothed them for some minutes
beforeJ began TO have any ease whatever.
Then we cut the cloth underneath the
false hair and all was well. But / should
not care TO have the experience repeated"
''The actors lot is often hard enc in
that way" put in Frank Murray. mo
matter how badly he feels nor how unable
10 work he must go through his lines as
though nothing were wrong about him.
And the patron in front often condemns a
man for an impersonation that he is fol-
lowing with the greatest difficulty"
Which fact points out similarity be-
tween the player and the newspaper man.
remarked one OF the fraternity present. 1T
is never taken into consideration that the
journalist is human and heir to all the
conventional ills. The public looks for
bright. sharp. enjoyable reading material
from him and II il does not get 1t trouble
often ensues. Neither profession is what
the plumbers call "a lead pipe cinch.' "
Well" continued Mr.. Clarke. my ex-
perIenee OF Monday had at least the merit
Of novelty. ! remember having read some
where Of a machine used in the Spanish
1nQuisition and of the manner In which II
would exert pressure on the temples that
drove the subject mad. At the time ]
paused and tried 10 imagine the sensation.
But just now ! think that ! have gone
through an adventure that will not bow ia
the most blood-curdling ever suffered by
the heretics Of old Don't you7"