The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-16

ssh u tIdUtlC keaFch lOr the poor property
man. but that individual had disappeared,
and we saw no more of him.
W. NJ. Hull. who is in Washington
heralding the advent of his star, Cresson
Clarke, should not be held responsible for
the following true story concerning the
young actor. II happened some years ago.
when Mr.. Clarke's following was not 50
large as nov and he had not ceased worry
ing over such trivial matters as how to
move his company from town to town.
When the enterprising advance agent
of the Clarke company aTri sed at Marion.
Ind, the local bill poster innocentiy en-
quired: who is Creston Clarke. anyway
He amt never played this town afo-e. I
| cal'clate." The result OF this chIldliks
| ignorance on the part Of the local author
| ity on what is good in matters theatrical
and whose word criticism was never
questioned during the months of the year
| when passes were available was that the
press agent started out to make record
Tor himself in the Indiana town. Columns
of the local press were allied with infor-
nation concerning Mr.. Clarke. his ances-
| tors, his ability as an actor Of note, and.
incidentally. of the carload of special and
elaborate scenery that was carried in
three trunks.
In one paper the agent caused to be
printed what he considered a very funny
/
OF theatrical organization in reaching
the towns on its route on schedule time
and its ultimate collapse It was one OF
the best haTd-iuck stories the advance
agent had ever written. and when he saw
it In type he was truly proud and entirely
satisfied. not only with himself and his
work, but certain that the local "op'ry
house would contain a large and en-
thusiastic multitude Of HOLSTERS on the
| occasion of Mr. Ciarkets visit
whether it was on account of the story
IN question or severe rain storm that
caused the Oldest settlers to look up their
memorandum books. the fact remains
that the Clarke aggregation played to
almost empty benches in Marion, and each
succeeding town visited seemed to get
worse. so far as business was concerned.
II kokomo turned out to the extent of
S54, it was sure thing that the house at
Frankfort would only be worth SOL BY the
time the company reached Jacksonville, Ill,
the problem of making the next town
Murphysboro-had become very serious
The movement was made. however. and
the company was in high spirits until
passing through East st. Louis, when the
Sunday papers of the Missouri metropolis
made their appearance. The leading lady
of the combination was buried in one Of
the papers when she suddenly threw up
her hands and emitted shrek that would
nave iilduS usI famous na1 Il DeeH uttered
in melodrama. The members OF the
company were at her side in a moment,
anxiously enquiring the cause Of the out
cry
Look. look at that will you; that
agents wOrk-we're ruined don't tell
me-r-u-i-n-e-d, say" she shriIly
shrieked. pointing at the time to an item
in the paper clutehed in her hand
Some bad. wicked editor in St Louis hal
appropriated the hard luck story that hat
been printed two weeks previously at
Marion. aud by a neat rearrangement OF
the location, dates. and names. had made
1t appear as If it had been an actual ex-
psTience OF Mr.. Clarke's company Per-
haps il was the knowledge that the guile
less advance agent had oYerdrawn his sal
AIRY by means of series of artistic rush
touches at local box Offices that caused
the actors and actresses of the company to
solemnly declare that If they had the
aforesaid agent on the spot then and there.
that there would be sufficient cause for an
assault and battery action 1t is reported
that the telegraph wires in southern Hi
nois never before carried such fiery mes
sages as were sent to the advance agent
of the Clarke company. blithely proceed
| ing on his way in Arkansas. leaving trail
of l. o. US in his wake But IT is a mat
ter of record that Mr. Clarke's agents were
forever afterward forbidden to print al
. | iG5tA luAAs StOAtSS-
Will H. Mcconnell, who is spending
few days in Washington, seeing that the
coming OF MAN selle 'Awkins" is prop
erly announced. has some very unique
ideas regarding the method Of writing and
producing musical comedies. Of which he
, claims the Awkins" one is a fair sans
, Just as he dictated them TO a stenographer
the other day:
: How are musical comedies writtens
! Well, now, you are asking me question
, that. were Solomon living ! much tefear
| me he would be compelled to take him
, self unto the Temple and dwell therein
for. sundry days studying the problem
Briefly, however. l believe this TO be the
general idea:
Imagine yourself manager seated in
your luxurious Office standing of sala-
5 ries, when one of your minions brings
\ unto you card of an unknown author.
He has with him either scenario or a
complete book and score OF one Of the
. greatest musical comedies ever After
e I'VE or six hours conversation with hin.
i during which he tells you just exaetiJ
how good are the many farce comedies
4 pastorals Shakesperean tragedies AM
other things of the same nature he has
> written none of which. however. have
g been produced. hs leaves the manuscript
I with you TO ISdu- lou luit toSS II III the
/ waste basket and think you are done with
him When you arrive at the ofiJe in
: the morning you find that your hand
some Premier Dens-
? more Utopian typewriter has dug it out
: / and placed il open at Act I, Scene /. above
your mail matter on the desk. AT length
YOU are by force compelled to read il
you may or may not find some merit in
IT, If YOU fail 10 find any merit in it, you
Immediately send for the young man who
wrote it and engage him 10 write II all
over again After this has been done eight
times. and he has managed to extract by
e strict parsini0ny and close attention to
! business, some eleven dollars from your
bank roll. you turn 1t over to the master
mechanic of your hbretto foundry, some-
times known as the Realizer OF Plays.
This gentleman consents to read the man
/ uscript. provided his name is placed at the
: top of the bill as the author, with the org
e inal writer as the collaboration. He re-
turns it to you within six weeks, re-writ-
I ten He tells you in the most enthusiastic
] terms that you have one of the greatest
, | musical comedies ever This is TIE
Il second time you have heard that ever
= and you think it must be so. His enthusi-
e asm infeets you, and while he talks you
y draw up contracts. Before he leaves the
1 room they are signed; Immediately there
1 after he demands thousand dollars in ad-
= vance royalties.
q Then comes the work of designin
costumes. engaging a company. arrang-
a | ing with printers for time on litho-
I somewhat arduous task of acquiring a
| ~ -. . fI,,, LODI