The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-24
WOULD BE AN ACTOR
YOUNG MAN ASPIREs TO A LIFE
ON THE STAGE.
PLAYED PART OF POLICEMAN
Leaves Stranded Company in Dakota
and Comes aBck to Butte After
Clerking in a Livery
Stable.

When he walked into the corridor Of
the Butte this morning his eyes looked
like an autumn sunset and his breath
threw the odor of whisky out into space
like an inrolling fog. His hair. which
hung down almost to his shoulders.
looked like weather-faded cornsilk. He
carried an old paper sripsack IN one
hand, and his overcoat llSNed as If 1t
might have done recent service as a
pillow. He sat down in a comfortable
chair and pulled the butt of a cigar
from his pocket and proceeded ito finish
a smoke which some Other ftllow had
begun yesterday. By the time he had
q cloud Of ''snipe' incense about him
he had attracted the attention of a
group of gentlemen who were sitting
across the corridor from him. and one
OF Them who evidently recognized him.
turned to the others and began:
do YOU see that fellow sitting across
the way? Well, l can tell YOU little
story about him that may be Of some
interest. He is the son of merchant
who lives in prosperous little Minne>
sofa town, and was given a good edu>
cation. While in school he took to elo>
cution. and some of his friends told him
that he was cut out to adorn the boards.
His father was willing to set him up in
business, but the boy wanted to see the
west before he settled down. He came
out into this country about two years
ago. and during his travels fell in with
theatrical company. The Old longing
to go on the stage took possession of
+ him and before many days he was doing
stunts as property man with the COM
pany. That was not much of job, but
"a ~
some of the actors quit because they
were not paid and the new baggage
smasher was given an opportunity to
shine before the footlights. 1 think he
was given thinking part first. and then
they put him on as a policeman. He
was all right so far as size went, but
when it came to acting he was about
as high up in the business as the aver
age copper on the street. Nothing could
do away With his enthusiasm, however,
and he used ito sit around the hotel cor
ridors and tell people who would listen
to him how he was dreaming about the
days when he should appear as a star.
Things went from bad to worse with
the troupe that he had Joined, and finally
the outfit stranged at Fargo, and the
policeman Of the stage had to do a
turn on the railroad ties in order to
reach town where he knew some :tae
who would help him out Of his troubles.
He worked for a time in a livery stable
in small town in Dakota, and in that
way accumulated the price of ticket
back into this country. He still thinks
he is great actor, and all this time he
is spelling what would be good ranch
hand to look for position on the stage.
His bulk Is in his favor, and possibly he
will be able to make a hit again with
some company that is in need of handy
man to toss trunks about.
Like many another man who has
tried to hitch his chariot to a star and
does not know when to unhitch it, this
young fellow imaeines the world is fail
ing to appreciate him. He made a win
ming at the literary society in his home
town and read the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence at Fourth of July celebra-
ton. and now he thinks people don't
know what good acting is because they
will not give up 81 for a seat to hear
hin, use a voice that is keyed for calling
hogs to their feed. I was talking with
him few days ago, and he said he was
going to New York, where the public
appreciated talent. He wound UP by
borrowing a dollar from me, and guess
he must have invested it all in cheap
whisky, for he seems to be pretty well
hooked up at The present writing.
THAT fellow can tell you more about
stage life in half a day than Henry
Irving could in week. He is simply
the limit. If there was anything ever
happened on the stage or among actors
that he does not know about, Or does