The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-14

accept this tender and assuring Won that as a
result OF so-doing you need feel under no obiga-
tion 10 Us, believe me. dear sir, your humeie
servant
Mr. Pitt probably was not blind TO the
advantages OF being able to contract vi
players at a salary of 3 apiece, and as
much as they could drink in the vel
scene. nor could he have Ignored the pos
sibilty of promoting realism in the drama
But he is not without q sense of humor,
and doubtless the idea Of champagne BIT
Ties with their labels TO The 100 lights in
ancient Rome overwhelmed him At al
events. Re wrote the enierprisirg agent a
petite refusal and The Sign Of the Cross
people continue merely to simulate intoki-
cation during the action Of the piece.
Speaking of letters. IL was Stuart Rob
son who found awaiting him one day al
the box office Of Chicago theatre note
from a well-known millionaire. The com
munication was peremptorily worded, be
sides being scrubbed across the back Of
an enclosed envelope. Evidently, the
writer did not dream that serving him
would be considered anything but an hon
or. The scrawl read:
have heard great reports Of your good acting.
PLEASE send me three passes for tonight
JOHN JONES.
Promptly. MIR. Robson took from the
rack the number of tickets requested and
placed them in the envelope he had re-
ceived Then he turned over that bit OF
paper and on its front penciled the follow
ing:
have heard good reports Of your great wealth.
Please send me $3.50 SIT ARl hoBeoN-
Seven Days Ahead" Dunn says that the
comedian got the money.
Grace Orr. of the Strakosch Opera Com
rany, has something novel in the way Of
mash notes.
There are all sorts and varieties of these
epistles but probably Miss 0rr's is the
strangest ever written. Generally, the au-
thors of such communications go on The
assumption that the women addressed
would be glad TO meet them under any
circumstances. When this is not the case
odd pleas often are resorted 10. But there
is no previous record OF like invitation
being arranged on business principles.
Miss Orr received the screed in question
last week. while she was singing "Nanon
in Baltimore. and has preserved ii as Gu
riosity 1t follows
Dear Miss orr: During the past month have
been constant attendant at the Music liall ana
have been much interested in your work. for
a fortnight prompted by simple admiration l
have been anxious TO meet you. 1t has occurred
10 me. however, that, with new opera 10 pc
learned every dags, Your time must be
valuable. am unwilling to encroaeh upon u
without making some return. Probably your
salary is $50 week. That is $50 day. IL
could not lie unfair to estimate this pay at 81
per hour. | should he glad to sec you at any
place you name and cheeTfuiiy will settle with
you at this rate for the moments consumed, from
that in which you leave your hotel until that in
which you reach il again. Trusting that soon
shall hear from You in regard 10 the latter,
remain sincerely.
p. SIN case there is question of propriety
willing to make accompanying you worth
while for any chapcron you may select
The departure for Washington prevented
Miss Orr from accepting this generous of
fer. Otherwise. she declares. she would
have embraced the opportunity TO see so
wholly practical an individual.
While he was in New York last summer
Whitman Osgood, local newspaper man,
walked down to Keith's. and there saw
Ching Ling Foo, the Chinese magician.
After the performance he stood in front oil
the theatre Illuminating on the fashion in
which the Mongol had dispensed with all
the conventional tricks. when he was ap-
proached by a stranger-evidently a coun-
try visitor The rustic looked at Mr.. Os-
good for minute. and then, nodding his
head toward the doors, he queried:
Been inside2"
~Yes," said Mr.. osgood.
''See the chink ?"
.Yes."
what do you think of him."
"Great.'
'Humph,'
Well" asked Mr.. osgood, what do you
think of him."
"Rotteni"
whats wrong?"
MN" unused the bueolic gentleman.
'.Herrmann used TO change water into wine
proved il was wine. too"
This chap is better than Hermann
''Baneroft-fellow that showed down our
ray-turned perfume into champagne and
handed it out
That has been exposed"
''Up here at the Garden a man named
pixey let you suck an orange and brandy
came out OF the fruit.
odd"
.Kellar pours any kind Of liquor that
wanted from one bottle and
sfPshaw." interrupted the Washingtoniani
fupatiently. ''Ching Ling Foo does some
thing in that line that beats all the feats
you've named. He brings twenty glasses
Of twenty wines from under cloth
doesn't he?''
yes" admitted the rustic, "he does,
but"
But vhat?"N
But" hesitated the old fellow, But
newell, he don't pass EN- around