The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-28
CHATS WITH THE PLAYERS.

Oliver Goldsmith stopped short on one
dressing room at the Columbia. He was
attired in garnet clothes and held his wig
at his side-briefiy, looked very unlike
the poet painted for the National Gallery
by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
"Guv'n er," irreverentiy quoth Treasurer
Payne, whose voice had arrested him. "a
gentleman wishes to see you
I'm plainly VISIBLE replied oliver Gold
smith. with just the suspicion of a famous
squeak in his tone. Then. though the
d-hesded wit of the coffee house was of
an earlier century and the caller no less
modern than are most newspaper report
ers. the two recognized each other and
shook hands. Goldsmith finished his trip
downstairs and opened the door OF an
apartment eozier and warmer by far than
either the garrett aforesaid or than the
stage of the Drury Lane. The guest
walked in and. presuming on Irish hospi-
taRty. seated himself. Poor Noll" fol-
lowed and. while his vis-a-vis talked, be-
gan undressing.
oliver Goldsmith" remarked the visi-
tor, now do you like being 10 a comedy"
he answered. you see. my virtues have
been emphasized and my faults ignored.
No one could ask for kinder treatment than
has been given me- Even my notorious
personal unloveiiness has been so far made
light of that am enabled TO win the af-
lection OF a beautiful girl" The sentence
ended with a smile.
And. as the speaker smiled his COM
panion noticed that Oliver Goldsmith was
disappearing. covering of short. gray
haiI had grown during the interval, and
the rudy complexion had vanished. A
hoy was removing the familiar spun knick-
erboekers. The host might have been any
one. Uncertain of an address. the Journal
list bluntly queried "Ho~ did Goldsmith
come TO take to the footlights?''
Without giving authority 10 his state
ments by introducing himself. the ex-
writer returned: Well. for years / had
been devoted student OF the man re-
sponsble for She Stops to Conquer
had read everything obtaiuable on the
.ubjeet and twice | mad asked Augustus
Thomas if he didn't believe a dramatic
Offering might be built around Goldsmith.
+ dealt know. Gus replied once. Do you
think you could play the part?' Gus /
said you would have TO arrange the piece
so that | could play it After the lament
able failure of The Gadfiy, when il be-
came necessary to get new comedy and
to get it in hurry, | preached the topic
again, Gus answered that he was not up
on Oliver Goldsmith but that he would
ponder over my suggestion Two Jays
later he telegruphed me and three DAYS
later l saw him. Iu those few hours he
had learned more about the Irish novelist
than l had got into my head by seasons
OF examining. Immediately, I commits
stoned him 10 construct a vehicle Coz Inc
and this is the result / trust that We have
a hit in the piece and, when all the vari-
Gus triles have been corrected and TER
feeted, We shall see what is the opinion
of the New York critics.
The knickerbockers had been succeeded
by brown trousers and the satin coat b.
a ,--hite linen shirt Oliver Goldsmith be-
came recognizable as Stuart Robson
THAT failure OF The GadGy' was rather
hard on me-" continued Mr.. Robson. I'm
getting too well along in years to afford
many heavy losses 1t is q singular fact
that the comedy or drama. or whatever il
may have been, was no sooner on tue stage
than managers commenced making me o.
fers TO star in French farces. Nothing Ia
the way OF temptation was spared me. Jne
prominent director promised me S4D.Ooe
for forty weeks. have saved that iuch
in n season-tWice my profits were $4,000.
Rut that tender set me thinking. And
then / considered that suggestive plays
were only for short time longer. and
asked: What will become OF me subse-
ouently?' Eventually. Of course l refused
From a financial viewpoint, l believe that
/ was right. This year will see the last OF
those things"
and your New York opening?''
1--WE expect to go into the Fifth Avenue
before very long"
For run?"
eff we can make Ii"
A hale and hearty, good -humOred- looking
woman opened the door. The caller glanc-
ed back, half in alarm. But the last YES
tige OF the disrobing poet had been put
into 4 trunk, marked Theatre and the
comedian born OF his rags remarked: My
boy, let me introduce you TO Mrs Robson"
At the Arlington on Friday Times man
met Mrs. Fiske by appointment. For two
days he had bee nursing the idea OF an
interview with that eleverest OF clever
women. And so, as he chatted with her
and with Harrison Grey Fiske. he made
mental notes OF score Of witty or OF