The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-11

tions. it was the last. Mr.. Smooth
brought audiences in New York and Chi
cago and Philadelphia but here it appears
TO be an utter failure. am sorry for the
necessity Of such decision. | have many
friends in the Capital and the place itself
is beautiful IL lies directly on the route
to the metropolis of the East and that of
the South. But when I find that ! cannot
do more than pay expenses at any point
must cut the point OFF my list
The reporter who was the listener to the
conversation quoted. ventured to express
| the trust that Mr.. Golfers determination
would not become operative Immediately.
| I'VE are not particularly fond of farces, ="
he remarked. Perhaps. il you try some
thing a bit weightier you may have better
| resuits.r
| II hardly think So" replied the actor,
| although my ambition is in that direc-
ton. Ultimately hope to fill the vacancy
left b. Nat Goodwin's taking to what he
doubtless considers loftier things. have
! no desire 10 play Nathan Hale or The
| Rivals. | only aspire to such work as Is
| in Turned Up or In Mizzoura. But
| when | voice the hope / am laughed at.
| The other day n certain newspaper fell
| to wondering how a fellow who had made
a name for himself in one branch OF labor
| could ardently wish 10 desert tina. branch
| in order to fight the battle all over again.
| or course. ] was the topic OF the article.
The rcribe responsible evidently did not
know that my first hits were in wholly Sc
rious roles. Long before / had gone in
for vehicles OF the type Of The City Di-
rectory' and Little Christopher and Miss
PHILADELPHIA 4 was remembered on
Broadway for my efforts at Days. | be-
gan my professional career with Augustin
DAILY. starting call and undcrstudy-
ing James Lewis after comparatively
brief period in un;mportant parts. was in
a number of the great managers Shakes
pearian productions, and seemed to creat e
an impression. At least, | was most ia
yorably criticised for my portrayals. SO
1 shall not be treadng altogether on
strange ground when / finally attain II
place among more Legitimate stars
How did YOU ever come TO attempt play
writing?" asked the gossip-gatherer. as
Mr.. Collier made a motion to open the door
of the theatre.
The comedian paused and put both hands
in his pockets. Absolute necessity he
explained. II found it impossible TO Sc
cure proper material in any other fash
ion. OF course. there are authors in this
country who could have fitted me to dot
but they didn't seem to care TO try" Mr.
Collier looked heavenward an instant. Il
guess I'm only thirdrate actor. anyway"
he continued. with trace of bitterness in
his voice AT all events. | could find
nothing to suit me last year. | had COM
posed the entire second half of The Man
From Mexico and thought that whole
could not be much harder. Mr.. Smooth
was the result Now | am busy with a
piece for the coming season, and | believe
that the idea TO be used is a new one |
of rich old
chan who has suffered sort of paralytic
stroke and who has been told that he may
have a similar attack at any moment. Ac-
cordingly, he is afraid of being alone and
employs an attendant to remain with him
constantly | am to be that attendant
a poor youth who is Obliged to adopt some
such means of earning livelihood. Every
time that the lad Is about TO do anything
important the ward crosses his path ard he
is obliged to follow. This occurs just as
he is going 10 propose to the woman he
loves. and at other critical points of the
story. shall call the farce "A Fit Com
panion' What do you think of the title ,"
The vein OF cynicism that had been not
able through large portion of Mr.. Col
lier's talk was gone. He had become quite
enthused over his subject. Given an opin-
ion of the name quoted he was ready to
resume And then the way to the gallery
was unbarred The few stragglers who
had been waiting began climbing upstairs
Mr.. Collier glanced at them. His interest
in "a Fit Companion vanished Good
night" he said, abruptly. 81 EIust go to
work" And he disappeared
Approached on the final evening of her
engagement at the Grand-the evening OF
a week ago yesterday-Mabel Maitland. the
elocutionist. spoke OF herself as follows:
This dialect Of mine is not the re-
suit OF cultivation, but of breeding. 1 am
Southern w0man-was born and reared
in Tennessee--and from my earliest years,
I was accustomed TO the Grooming Of my
NANNY and to the quaintly-expressed