The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-07-10

--- A ~ -
aavasaah (oa.) Nsws; rns old 81
v;SScH ShSatSr $3.50 10 bear ! charm.
- 1lfA Time end ooaln e has bcen
oAsoolene6 Wieh destruction By nre. aa
ie Woe one rooont Sunday morning, and
juG4 - eftsa n SaA escaped.
A. b known, the theater. a. theaters
-, q crowned with q venerable an
tiQuity. being the oldest IN this coun-
~. Tradition has Il that the ghosts Of
some Of the old stage favorites. who
trod its boards In SOCK and buskin, still
hover around the place, where, to the
applause Of delighted audiences, their
genius once illuminated the lines Of
Shakespeare and Sheridan. To these
shades OF departed genius those who
have lived near the building and In the
shadow Of It's traditions ascribe lie
seeming immunity from destruction by
hre.
Possibly no ono knows more about
the building than Tomlinson r. John
son. who for more than a decade was
tho owner and manager of the theater.
In his retentive mind are stored away
many OF these old legends, some alto
sether true, some perhaps tinged BY the
careless play Of the imnginat tion--not
Mr. JohnsOn's. Of course. but part Of the
mental equipment OF someone else.
There wasn't any real use for the
nre department" said Mr.. Johnson. re-
ferring to the hrc; that old building
viii never burn down. II bears q
charmed life. One incident may illus
trate my meaning. Years ago this hap
pened. The theater was locked one
night. every door except the stage door
from within; that was locked and bolt
Cd. when the stage manager left the
building When he visited Il In the
morning he found every lock and bolt
Just as no had left Il; there was no indi-
cation that anybody had visited the
building. nothing was disturbed; there
had been no hre the night beforehand
yet In the center Of one OF the dressing
rooms a hole had been burned clear
through the floor. Why the fire had
gone out without doing other and more
serious damage was as great mystery
a. the maner In which II had started.
But all the old theater hangers -on
swore the nre and It's extinguishing
were alike the work Of ghosts. The
old hostlers In Harmon's stabl6s, across
the way. ere accustomed 30 tell Of the
times. during the early morning hours,
when they have heard in the theater
the roar OF thunderous applause, fol-
lowing the dying echoes Of some BIT OF
tmpassi0ned defamation. Ghosts, these
Old fellows say. and am half inclined
to believe the stories myself"
Mr.. johnson had drifted into rem
iniscent mood. and from the depths of
his memory brought up other stories Of
the old theater.
II remember" he said. IAN incident
that happened while I was manager. I
was having some repairs and improve
ments made to the Interior OF the house.
and among other things had directed
the removal OF United States coat of
arms that decorated the center OF the
proscenium arch.
II was on the stage, and there was a
carpenter on a scaifolding near the coat
OF arms. told him to remove Il. and
be placed the claw Of his hammer be-
hind u and began to tug away. Instead
Of the customary pairs Of brads used TO
hold In place such articles Of theatrical
adornment. the coat OF arms was fas-
tened to the arch by number Of nails.
Az the man finally lifted II away, he
said:
There is something written on the
back OF this and threw II down 10 the
stage. $500, 49,. ,.
though ! had read Il yesterday. In a
plain and legible script had been writ
ten:
"'For every state in the American
union we have driven q spike In this
coat OF arms, with the exception OF
Massachusetts,. and when she proves
her allegiance TO the general govern
ment we'll drive spike for her. The
inscription was written at time when
Massachusetts, was threatening TO &C.
cede from the Union, and was signed by
Forest, Fanny Kemble and dozen 9TH
ers OF the foremost actors OF that day.
Il kept the old coat OF arms, intend
ing to give II TO The Georgia Historical
society. until Charley Bishop. at that
time celebrated comedian, came %
Savannah. showed him the curiosity
and told him its history. and he. an en-
thuisastic collector Of relics, theatrical
and otherwise. became mt once inspired
by q passionate desire to become ita
possessor. He begged me To give Il Ia
him or sell II to him. or exchange Il for
Q sword. with a history M long M my
arm, that he had In his collection, bu,
! thought Il should stay in Savannah
and refused.
II thought no moro Of the matter un.
til some days after Charley had left
yhen received letter something tc
the following effect;
"'Dear John: The coat Of arms now
rests In the bottom Of my trunk.
have n1ched H."
"Poor Bishop n dead now. and thit
letter from him Ia the last ever heard
Of the coat OF arms"
Poor Prospects,.