The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-10
PUTTING FAITH IN oMENs.
French Actors RepOse Their Trust in
FatefuI Augurie,

From the Pail Mall Cazette)
Theatrical managers are said by those
who know them to resemble gamblers in
the matter of being superstitious How
ever this may be in a general way an ex-
ample of such superstition has Just oc-
| CURED at the Anbigu Theatre which Is
| the Adelphi of Paris. The Ambigu is now
playing new piece, ''L'Autre France" of
which the fate is somewhat uncertain.
Among the spectators right or two ago
was NJ Rochard. the manager OF the Cha
telet Theatre who had looked in to see
how his friend and brother manager. NJ
Grisier. was prospecting. At the close of
the fifth tableau NJ Rochard left his stall
in evident perturbation and went behind
/, the scenes to seek out NJ. Grisier and in
form him that he was counting disaster
NJ Rochard called the attention of the
manager of the Ambigu to the fact that
in the tableau just over, the scene OF
which was in Algeria, some of the "su.
pers" carried falcons, which, it seems. are
regarded in the theatrical world as birds
of iIl-omen.
II. Rochard was Mortified to find that his
friend had paid no heed to this well-ac-
credited superstition and would not rest
until NJ. Grisier promised TO return the
birds to the Jardin discrimination. from
which they had been borrowed
AuOlutr InaI Is regarded IN thea
trical circles harbinger of evil is the
peacock In this connection a rather
amusing story is told on the boulevard
There is manager on the left bank of
the Seine-his theatre is not the Odeon-
who Is noted for his strict attention to
economy. Some two years ago he found
himself under the disagreeabIe. because
costly, obligation OF redecorating his the
atre. The operation completed and the
scaffolding removed, he surveyed his re-
juvena ted house with such satisfaction as
the thought of the bill would permit of
The Improvement in the appearance of his
theatre was undenlable and he was almost
content, when his attention was drawn to
the ceiling, which he perceived. to his
horror, had been adorned by the artist
with frieZe OF peacocks' tails.
He was well aware of the unlucky sug-
niicance which is supposed to attach to
peacocks, and his first impulse was to
order the immediate obliteration of the
offending motif He promptly reflected.
however, that to effect the alteration the
scaffolding would have to be put up again
and he bitterly begrudged spending money
out of Difference TO what after all was
a mere superstition. On the other hand
he had no slight lurking faith In the su-
perstition himself and il WAS not without
many qualms of conscience that he de-
cided to avoid the outlay and let the pea
cocks tails be. His hesitation and IN
easiness have continued ever since His
theatre has not been smiled on by for
tune OF late. but, though he confesses to
belief in the evil influence of the pea
cocks tails. he has not yet been able to
make up his mind to incur what he tries
to persuade himself is a ridiculous ex-
pense. His fellow managers are well
aware Of his predicament and lose no OPP
portunity of chatting him on his struggle
between the calls of superstition and
economy.