The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-11

tie EAAEIkS 0L q AAAAA0c4 4LAlAEHA. 81 as
in san Francisco during this season
with the western "FlorOd0rar com
pany. He relates the following story
which. he says. has at least the merit
OF being true:
During my recent stay in Frisco I
had a suite Of rooms uptown-sitting.
room. bedroom and bath, neatly fur
a Chinese servant. He was
a good boy. who had ideas Of his own.
l used 10 exercise my voice a good deal
in my rooms and supposed that I had
made a great impression upon my Chi
naman until one day I was expecting
a friend and had asked my boy to clean
up extra early. He did so, and I was
pleased.
4 resolved to show my gratitude. I
went up to him as he was on his hands
and knees giving the finishing touches
to a well polished stove, and, handing
him half a dollar, / said:
Here. sam.
THE boy slipped the coin into his
blouse. said All light, boss, and went
to polishing again.
Presently, I said:
Like TO go and see "Florodora"
tonight Sam?'
Sam stopped polishing for an in
stant looked up and asked, 'Flollodol-
la? What's that% / replied.
oh, pretty girls, beautiful scenery,
nice singing.
Where thatg continued sam. still
industriously polishing the stove.
At the Columbia theatre
Near Baldwin hotel; all burnt up?'
Yes.
Polish polish. polish. Then, from
Sam. What time go I'M
About s.. / replied.
A few more rubs, and then: What
time come out?
oh, about IL
Sam polished away thoughtfully for
a moment and looked up, with, You
sling there?
OF course replied. with some
pride
Hunt I guess not. returned Sam.
and went back to polishing and took
no further notice Of me.
Sans idea Of music was strictly
Celestial" says the New York Tele-
gram.
Presence of mind says William
Norris lis necessary to every one who
goes on the stage. There is always
some fresh young man in the company
who viii try and break you up if he
gets a chance. 1 remember that once
in very serious drama a prisoner was
obliged to read letter which the actor
had not committed to memory.
"One night the funny young man
who played the jailer thought it would
be a good joke TO hand the prisoner e
blank piece Of paper. The prisoner
started to read it, and for the moment
was thrown off his balante He soon
recovered himself. however. and replied
with the most serene calmness;
'Jailer.'
Sir.
II am obliged to make an avowaI
to you. I was brought up by humble
parents. and do not know how to read
beg that you will have the kindness
to acquaint me with the contents Of
this letter.
The snarer was shared. the tables
were completely turned on the joker
but his presence of mind and natural
wit saved him. too. After nervously
fumbling the letter for some time, the
jailer said: Willingly. but must go
and look for my speetacles.'
Naturally he brought back with his
spectacles the real letter.
o q -
Before willie" Collier became Will
liam, and while he was with the CITY
Directory" company, his manager. the
late John Russell. used to allow him to
take all kinds Of liberties with his lines
One result was that Paul Potter who
wrote the book. asked Russell one
evening after they had sat through the
show who did you say wrote that
ID.
ought to know. If my memory serves
me it was an alleged dramatist named
Paul Potter
Not a word OF it did write" said
Potter, and he put on his coat and
walked out.
One night before the curtain rose
Collier asked Russell to be sure to have
a physician in the audience that night
What for?" Russell asked.
Never mind, said the star. 81 want
a doctor"
Russell didn't get a regular physi-
cian but he put "sIpe" in front with
instructions to answer when a doctor
was called for. In the middle Of the
second act. when Collier was in the
center Of the lime-hght a tremendous
crash was heard "off," and Collier
stopped in the midst Of a line and
rushed behind the scenes. Presently
he came charging back, his hair on
end. and advanced to the fOot-lights
rs there a physician in the audi
ence?" he asked in a voice which was
trembling with emotion. He was evil
IDENTIFY terribly shocked. and the audi
ence held their breath.
At the word the ''supe." who had
been planted" for the purpose. jumped
UP, and, announcing that he was a doc
tor, started for the stage. But Collier
waved him to his seat.
Il am glad you sre here. doctor. -
said Collier. for I am about to sing.
and it might prove fatal to some one
in the audience"
The joke made a great hit, but the
suspense was so nerve racking on the
audience that after a couple of women
had tainted when the doctor was called
for Russell cut it out"