The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-30

a bad state of repair; but on the boat
had met Frank Ives. the billiard ex-
pert, then going over TO play his famous
match with Roberts. BY his invitation I
attended the match, and, when Ives got
far behind, succeeded in placing enough
bets at liberal odds 10 fix me comfort
ably for several weeks 10 come.
In the course of my wanderings
around London met a queer character,
the Marquis de LieuviIle. writer, painter
and bohemian I'm general. who proved
himself one of the best friends I ever
had. He took me under his wing, and
through the various clubs where he in
troduced me, I was soon picking up a
good many odd sovereigus with my story
telling. ! appeared before nearly all the
swell clubs OF the city and managed to
have quite a good time until my own
foolishness spoiled 1t ALL
II made my fatal break on the Fourth OF
July. That was the summer when the
Duke OF York and Prince May were mar
ried. The town was full Of royalty and
nobility. / tried TO interest some Amer-
cans In a Fourth OF July celebration,
but they would not move. Thoroughly
discouraged ! went to my hotel and re-
lieved my feelings with verse. That
night ! appeared before the Travellers
Club. and bearded the lion In his den
with these stanzas:
The Fourth of July In London.
The Fourth OF July In London-rm lost:
I'm out in the cold
And I'd give up handful of sovereigns
In yailer British gold
To hear the sound Of the FIFE and drum,
or 20 see the rockets fly.
Or 10 hear the pop of the firecrackers ON
this Fourth day OF July
You may call me narrow minded. bigot.,
fool, crank;
I don't object to all such names. hut re-
member I'm a Yank:
And / miss the smell of the powder and
the Yankee Doodle-doo
And ! long for the swish of the silken
folds OF the old red. white and blue.
I'd like to go out and get loaded with
gallon of Yankee rye.
And teach John Bull to whoop her up on
the Fourth dag OF July.
I'd Hike to Danish tho chilly stare and the
walks so stiff and slow.
And to march the way our fathers
marched hundred years ago.
Your Scotch may boast Of Ben Lomond
and their Scottish everglades.
But I tell you old Mount Rainier can
give 'en all cards and spades.
Your English may boast OF your porter.
your stout and your bitter beer.
But the dnndelions down on Puget Sound
are sweeter than roses here.
TT was rather foolish thing to do.
and resulted in my being dropped from
the list OF club favorites few days
passengers on tho boat was Lieut.. Gov.
Shinn. of New York. We became quite
well acquainted. and. when I reached
New York. he introduced me to some Of
the best clubs, and / was soon doing
fairly well at my old business OF telling
stories.
zone night a man came to my lodgings
and asked me to Ill vacancy
on the programme at Roster Il
Biars. one OF the people having been
suddenly taken sick. He took me there
In a carriage, / walked on the stage In
my street clothes, announced that l was
there TO take the place of the man who
was to have recited The Curfew Shall
Not Ring Tonight and told four stories
before they would let me get through.
left the theater as soon as finished my
act.
I'm the audience had been seated
Charles II. Hoyt. the popular but unfor-
tunate writer OF comedies. He had taken
note OF me and had made a mark oppo-
site the name that appeared on the pro-
gramme James Van Leer. Hoyt started
out the next day to find Van Leer and
located him in his room. still sick. Van
Leer was a lttic dried up fellow. and
Hoyt had some doubts as 10 whether be
Are you the man who is playing al
Roster 4 Biaisf he asked. In his queer
nasal drawi.
Yes am under engagement there
replied Van Leer.
Then. by -. you've shrunk since
last night said Hoyt
Van I,eer explained that he had been
siok and unable TO 60 to the theater and
did not know who had taken his place.
rt.I.
Biafs, but Klein had never seen me and
ala not even know my name Hayt
placed the search IN the hands of the
atrieai agency. but the manager OF that
conesen was unable to place the deserip-
ton. 10 was not until several weeks
later, when Hoyt happened to mention
20 penman Thompson hls desire TO md
me the, he received the Information he
wanta1. Den knew me well. and imme-
dlately gave Hoyt my name. He sent
note 10 me. and a few days later we met
In the office OF his thonter
mir. Hoyt explained 20 rue that he
had written play called a Black
sheep, and he wanted man To play
the part OF a Western editor was
rather surprised that he hunted me up
abou, the matter and so expressed my
self
Why, Mr.. TIoyt am no actor 1
said.
Mfr. pevere that is bst What /
want can act million actors. but
need and must have an original charac-
tar. Name your price amt We win make
the contract right here.
Wei We started rchearsais and I was
pretty shakS' about my part I had been
on the stage many years. bat most Of
the tluse as a story teller and had Iitua
hopc % ever taking part IN a New York
production THE thing that bothered me
most was the question a. makeup. I
studied the problem long and rsriousiy
decided % several thiugs ana Huapv
ended on the night Of ths Grst production
nv walking on the stage On mv street
clothes That sdea seemed To take pretty
well go New York city snd ! have kept
n aQ ever since.
%" A hiaoR Sheep f. now In It's savenih
successful season and, ffaua The busine4s
We are BOW doing I russs 10 a eosd Tor