The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-05

shouting at me: 'Confound youl Don't you
ever dare to show your face in this theater
again! "
AN INCIDENT OF OTHER DAYS.
Wright Kramer. of the stock company.
told an incident Of the days when theaters
of the modern kind were utterly unknown.
I'm those times" said Mr. Kramer, 1.-The
actors gave their plays on the level floor.
in the midst of their audiences. On one
occasion Hamlet was being given in
small room directly over grocery store
The stage carpenter had cut a hole in the
floor to serve as the grave. and fixed
boards a short distance below the aperture
to prevent the body from falling clear on
through into the store below. When the
time came for Laertes TO leap into the
grave he accomplished the feat well
enough, but IL was followed by terrif1c
crasm caused by the frail boards giving
way and letting him fall into a pile of gro
cerfes underneath. The king rushed to
the opening in the floor, and, forgetting
both play and audience in his excitement,
cried out TO the unfortunate Thespian be-
low: Bob, you hurt? A volley or
oaths could be heard above the noise made
by the man scrambling TO get out OF
heap of boxes. barrels and cans in which
he was entangled. In about ten minutes
Laertes appeared at the door in the rear
of the hall, covered from head to foot with
molasses."
Carleton Macy said his first role was that
of an Irish policeman who had barely a
ter by his ludicrous makeup. In his char
acter of the Celtic guardian OF the peace
he was tempted by the offer of five-dollar
bill to wink at some violation of the law:
Drawing himself up TO the full height or
his red-whiskered dignity. he Numbered
out: I'D have yez know that not all the
money in this country could make Barney
McFlynn unfaithful to his trust. The
memories of Transforming days evoked
by Mr.. Mays recitation created consider
able laughter
At this point Mr.. Macy suddenly remem-
bered that he had during the day received
a very curious and interesting letter from
a young lady in Chicago who has amDi-
tons to be a playwright. Upon receiving
his solemn assurance that the communlca-
ton was funny, the crowd consented 10
listen to him read it. The letter proved to
be decidedly unique. and, with Its pecullarl-
ties of spelling and punctuation, is as fol
lows: my Dear Friend, Mr.: Macy, write
to you hopeing you are Mr.. Macy who was
at Hopkins Theater State St Chicago II
so / am going TO ask favor OF you. L
Gave wrote three plays but L don't know
one at home TO know that | am writing
plays until If they are success. They
have asked me time and time again what
| was writing but l did not tell them. l
thought it would be best 20 consult some
actor about them. L saw your ADDRESS In
the New York Dramatic Mirror and
thought / would write to you. L would be
very thankful to you for your ADVICE as
are 1.-The Misunderstood Friend. THE
Gathering of Sinners" and The Cross Set
In Diamonds" | started to write them
March 20. 1893. Two very easily under
stood, they all have good plots, they end
well and have long acts but still they may
be failures In 1.-The Misunderstood Friend
their is great deal of plot but the play Is
not easily understood there are four acts
and only eleven in the cast. 1.-THE Gather
ing of Sinners has five acts and twenty
three In the cast and 1.-THE Cross Set In
Diamonds has twenty in the cast and four
acts. / hope you will please answer this
letter This is some of my play paper.
hope you will excuse it,"
Three O. clock having arrived. the 'Topsy
Turvy'' guests were compelled to leave In
order to make their train for Toledo.
With a final toast to Herman Sheldon, the
genial host, to the stock company and to
the press, the party made a rush for the
depot everybody expressing himself as
thoroughly happy and DESTROYS of renewing
the delightful experience at an early date.