Omaha daily bee., 1901-03-10

social duties. They are clubmen and an
other portion Of their time goes in club
lounging. They draw large salaries and
too frequently they have to act In long
running plays that are made up OF smartish
wit and cheapest cynicisms-mere froth
and frivolity while the effective smashing
of the seventh commandment had been for
SO long time the principal motif OF both
drama and farce that one cannot wonder
much at the general tone OF hippancy pre-
vailing among the theatrical people of to-
day. They guy everything and everybody
and would jeer at their profession as readily
as they would at an old man on the street
wearing a last years hat
They are sober they are honest, they are
generous. but they seem to have grown
utterly fippant and l can't help wonder
ing IL this alteration can have come about
through the change in their mental pabu-
lum.
At all events, as watched and listened
In the old days, IL seemed to me as II they
were never weary OF discussing readings
expressions, emphasis and action. One
would remark. say at a rehearsal OF Ham,
let. that Macready gave a certain line in
this manner and another would instantly
express a preference for Forrest or Dav-
export rendering, and then the argument
would be on and only a call to the stage
would end the weighing of words. the plac-
ing OF commas, etc.
A sharp Snub.
One night / had been one OF the crowd
OF "wtches''-I had also had my place at
that shameless papier mache banquet given
by Macbeth to his tantalized guests, and
then being off duty was as usual planted. in
the entrance, watching the acting of the
grownup and the grown great. Lady
Macbeth was giving the sleep walking
scene. Her method was OF the old, old
old school. She spoke at almost the full
power Of her lungs throughout that mys-
terious. awe-inspiring sleep walking scene.
1t Jared upon my feelings-I could not
have told why. but It did. believed my
| self alone and when the memory haunt ed
woman roared out: yet, who would have
thought the old man to have had so much
| blood in him?" | remarked "sotto voice
| "Did you expect to find ink in him."
| A sharp 'ahem!" right at my shoulder
| told me l had been overheard and turned
| to face-oh horror! the stage manager
He glared angrily at me and began: "Sinc,
when have the ladies OF the ballet taken
to criticising the work of the stars?"
| Humbly enough, | said: II beg your
pardon, sir-I-I was just talking to my,
self, that was all"
| But he went on ooh, you would no
criticise a reading unless you could bette
it-so pray favor us with your ideas on thi
speech"
Each sIeering word cut me to the heart
| Tears filled my eyes. l struggled hard L
keep them from falling while Just mur
mured II beg your pardon." Again h
demanded my reading. saying; "They wer
not too old to learn and in sheer des
peration l exclaimed: II was only speak
ing to myself, but | thought Lady Macbeth
was amazed at the quantity Of blood tha
flowed from the body of such an old maj
for when you get old you know sir, yol
don't have so much blood as you used 4
and l only just thought that as the sleep
ing men were laced and the knive
smeared' and her hands bathed' with II
she might have perhaps whispered; Yet
who would have thought the old man 4
have had so much blood In him. | ddn'
i mean an impertnence and down fell tn
tears. for | could not talk and hold then
back at the same time.
He looked at me in dead silence for
few moments, then he said "humph" an'
walked away while rushed TO the dress
ing room ana cried and cried, and vowet
that never, never again would ! talk 4
myself-in the theater at all events.
II the family theater was disliked b!
those who had already won recognized
, positions. It was at least an ideal plae'