The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-25


up from my place, always in vain-not Q
single actor appeared.
Eleven struck. The door opened.
| rose to greet the manager.
1t was newspaper boy. threw the
unhappy one a look which would have
slain an OK, if it were possible to slay an
OK with looks.
A quarter past II.
nervously studied the hands of my
watch. Ten more minutes passed.
ordered another glass of beer in order
to ask the waiter when rehearsals usual.
ly began here. An inarticulate grunt
gave me to understand that he did not
know himself. l decided to give hin,
only 8 pfennige tip out Of revenge.
AT last the manager appeared.
"A thousand pardons, my dear sir!" he
cried 'The rehearsal is impossible today.
My wife is busy with the wash, and as it
is necessary in the piece that
"What! The wash is necessary in the
piece?" asked.
"Oh, no; my wife-and she is washing
today" he replied.
"Ah, your wife is washerwoman
said with some malice.
"What?" he returned, looking suspi-
ciously at me.
My blood boiled. II must infer from
your words" l answered, that she con-
siders the drama secondary NATTER
"What are you thinking of?' he inter-
rupted me. "My wife is an actress, a
very fine actress-but on washing day!
You know what women are"
did not know-then.
"Besides," he went on, ut is not SO
serious. On your account arranged
several rehearsals; ordinarily piece like
that is knocked into shape with one. But
come tomorrow morning, and we will
really set to work"
After some hesitation l finally prom
ised to put in an appearance, and the
next day arrived five minutes after the
appointed time.
Again in vain. Neither actor nor man
aSer was to be seen.
l waited patiently for half an hour.
At last persuaded boy who Glanced
to be present to go for consideration to
the manager and ask about the rehearsal.
In 10 minutes he returned with the an
Swcr, "The manager and the entire theat-
rical company, having attended a festiv-
ity given by patron Of art the evening
before, are seriously indsposed."
The messenger expressed himself much
less delicately, but out Of consideration
for my readers | have revised his words.
This answer struck me dumb. really
thought my patience was now Mt an end
and should withdraw the play, but one
is often mistaken and particularly often
II, pppcalf A. Hrct T tsrr,lx, Ian;JaI 70
have the whole thing given up. After an
hour thought l would only threaten to
withdraw, and at last came to the con-
clusion to leave things as they were.
But l would not attend another re-
hearsal. was firm on that point, and
solemnly swore it by the head of Patro-
clus and the virtue Of the 1000 virgins.
Every one Of my readers will expect
that went, after all, and, sure enough,
did 60, after long explanation with the
manager, who came himself to see me.
This time neither tricky fortune nor
bad filth interviewed. Everything was in
place, the troupe assembled, the stage in
order. took my place in the managers
chair, beside the prompter's box. The
bell rang, the prompter opened his book,
and the first scene Of my first play began
its first rehearsal
What l expected occurred. Nobody
knew one word The first actor spoke
the first sentence in such manner as to
give totally wrong meaning. The Sec
Ond, whose opening words were "Ventre
Saint Girls" understood Henry Tvs IA
vorite oath to be a person, and inter-
ruptcd the rehearsal with the remark
that the representative of M. st. Girls
had not yet arrived. The third did not
come in at the proper place, and when he
was asked the reason he commended that |
he had not had his cue, which was ha-
ha-ha.
"That is laughter" I cried.
"Of course" he answered, "but |
Schmitt laughed he-he-he, instead Of ha-
hahn, and how could know that it was
my cue"
l cast up my eyes to heaven in despair.
For a time I looked on quietly, but
when each scene showed more and more
plainly the performers atrocious memo
ries l was seized with intense nervous
ness and was only kept from an out
break by feeling that ! should be laugh
ed at. But when one of the actors rem
dered the Mortified exclamation, "What,
deserters in my house!' by what honor
for my housed" spoken in joyful accents
and with pleasant smile, then the bar
riers of artistic calm were broken down.
laid down the blue pencil and an.
nounced the rehearsal at an end.
"That is impossible" protested the
from the audience. "The pro-
grammes arc printed, the play is to-
night"
"Nevef!" I cried.
"Oh, yes, yes" he said soothingly;
"they will learn their lines this after
noon. We must give the play"
l saw there was nothing to be done
and left the place, brooding revenge.
However, in the evening felt l must
be present. had made up my mind not
70 go, but could not stay at home.
The house was well filed. Many Of
ny friends and acquaintances had come.
The performance began and ended as
sxpected-it was an utter failure, and
,yen though the curtain fell amid loud
applause knew for that l only had to
hank the ignorance of the audience and
he resounding, brazen. hands of my
friends, who crowned their good naturcd
'fforts by enthusiastically calling me be-
ore the curtain. ..r
The hour of revenge and triumph had
'ome. almost lost both, for l did not
;now the curtain had been raised, and so
topped with unexpected suddenness be-
ore the public. This confused me.
ooked at the people stupidity and said,