The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-18
IN A DRESSING ROOM
Advance Agent Who Was
Born Between Acts.
STAGE OWES HIM A LIVING
Career of the Man Ahead of
Stuart Robson"
STAGE OWES HIM A LIVING


profession, was in Wichita yesterday as
: advance man for Stuart Robson's great
company, who vii lappear here soon. Mr..
Dunn is a unique man and has always
been one, in fact he came into this world
in a most unique manner. He was born
in the dressing room Of theatre. This
occurred about 50 years ago in a little old
theatre at La Crosse, Wisconsin, where
the company, of which his mother was
a member, were playing at the time, and
because he was born this way Mr.. Dunn
claims that the theatrical profession owes
him a living Mr.. Dunn is a literary man
of much ability and has been with the
finest theatrical companies in the coun-
try. Before he joined Mr.. Robson he was
with Frank Daniels the great opera
comedian.
Mr. Dunn is very modest in speaking of
himself and to an Eagle man yesterday
insister upon talking of Mr.. Robson rath-
er than about himself, assuring him that
Robson was much more unique and more
quaint than himself. He also settled the
question Of pronunciation of the name
Robson. The is not given the long
sound as many insist upon doing, but it
is pronounced as cob or rob"
AS Mr.. Robson's engagement will be the
star theatrical event of the entire season
here, Mr. Dunn's stories are doubly in
teresting Mr.. Dunn is a great admicer
of the late General Lawton and told a
good story that happened to him at
New Orleans hotel two weeks ago.
Mr.. Dunn has followed Lawton's record
on the field for years and since his death
in the Philippines has read with much
avidity everything that has been printed
about that intrepid soldiers. Mr.. Dunn
picked up an evening paper published in
that city which contained an editorial on
Lawtons career, and after reading it
through carefully opened a conversation
with the obsequious waiter who had been
serving him. The man seemed deeply in
terested as Mr.. Dunn went on to deplore
the fact that so brave a man, after hav-
ing passed through innumerable battles
and Indian skirmishes, should, on the eve
of surrender of the Filiplnos. be shot
down by a rascally sharpshooter from a
tree TOP.
The waiter listened attentively until |
Mr.. Dunn concluded and then said with |
an air of much concern:
''Yes, sir. it Is a shame that General !
I,awton's life should have been taken, for
] am sure if he lived a short time longer |
Ladysmith would have fallen"
Dunn's face was picture as he turned |
to the man "who carries everything be-
fore him." and said: NO; don't care for
any dessert; please bring the finger
bowl
Stuart Robson's real name is Robert !
Stuart and he was born at Annapolis !
Nd. in 1896, and is "a years old. He be-
gan life as a printer and worked at the
case. He helped to set Up the first copy
of the Washington Star. He was once a
page in congress and began his career as
an actor when boy He and Edwin |
Booth and John Wilkes Booth were
neighbors. These boys rugged up stage
in their back yard and would play show
on Saturdays and evenings after school |
Mr.. Robson himself started in the bust |
ness at Philadelphia and began as a seri- |
Gus actor playing heavy parts. His pecul- !
lar mannerisms and his quaint, snappy |
way of talking were so funny that people |
would not take him seriously. His every |
manner and gesture Is unique and pecul- |
lar. Robson finally concluded to become |
a comedian, saying that if people refused |
to take him seriously he would quit and |
get funny.
Mr.. Robson will play "Oliver Gold !
smith" in Wichita with a cast of twenty |
four people in the show. Goldsmith is |
Robson's favorite author and he can |
quote from him at will and knows both /
of Goldsmith's longer poems, THE De- |
serted Village" and THE Traveller" |
backward and forward Three summers |
ago. during one of his vacations from |
professional labor, Robson took trip to /
Ireland for the sole purpose of hunting |
out the old Goldsmith mansion in the |
west of Ireland He located it few miles /
from the town of Athlone. Mr.. Robson /
describes his journey to Goldsmith's |
birthplace in his characteristic way:
'.Athlone. as you probably know" said !
Mr.. Robson. in telling of this experience !
to Augustus Thomas and some newspa-
per friends. "Athlone is located in the /
heart of Ireland. Just midway between
Dublin and Galway. l have travelled Ire
land thoroughly and l know no more
picturesque town of its size. 1t is fun of
historic memorials and one might say Of
this quaint old place what NARROW said
Of other ancient ruins: one cannot
tread upon them. but one sets foot upon
some sacred memory
But it was not to see the town of Ath-
lone that journeyed this long way. After
q good dinner at the local arms l sum
moned a jarvey, who drove around at
the appointed hour. and. mounting upon
the jaunting cart, we Grove eff to Gold
smiths birthplace, which ne said was To-
Gated within ten miles of the village.
..Whoever is familiar with Goldsmith's
greatest poem. The Deserted Village.
would revel in just such a trip as ] made
10 this historic spot The Old Goldsmith
house is still standing-,hat is the ruins
OF the place are still there staunch and
sound as II they had not weathered the
SHOWS and summers IF TWO centuries As
I walked up past the old gateway. ! saw
in nv minds eye the figures Of Cold
smiths venerable father. Precocious NolI
himself. his brothers ard sisters. starting
from the house TO greet him with true
Irish hospitality. The OLD fireplace where
Nol must have unused for hours is still
intact but alas. the day when l visited
the place a fat pig from q neighboring
cottage had ensc0nced himself in the
fireplace and lay comfortably doing mid
the weeds ana wild flowers that had
taken root between the stones of the
hearth
81 remember this particular pig was
white and black and resembled a man
sitting in his shirt sleeves. I spent an
hour in complaoent soliloquy IN the old
Goldsmith house and then under the
guidance of one Of the peasants Of the
place. I went to see the other souvenirs