The sun., 1903-12-06
"HAMLET" IN RED, WIHHHoRNS
A QUEERLY MINED SHOW THAT
4 SOUTHERN AUDIENCE SAW.
Faust Troupe Vas In D,iIlcalties, Tor "Faust"
Had struck for salary. but a Sn0Oths
TeRgued MephistO Joiltcd ~. Az.
Ciicnee and saved the Receipts.

Had Struck for salary. but SmoOths
TsRgued MephistO JOilied trn An.
tiienee and saved the Receipts.
MACON, Mo, Dec. IL was with a
Faust show once that was saved from
bankruptcy down in theee parts by
speech, said an old theatrical man, telling
stories in the hotel office. "We were headed
South when the manager was called TO
Chicago by sickness in his family, and
was ordered In from advance work to take
his place There were ten or twelve men.
including the carpenter and electrician,
and three girls.
-In Texas we had hard run OF luck, euch
as comes to all showmen once IN while,
but knew we would pull out OF the holo
when We struck the big towns on the way
back to st. Louis, and succeeded in meet.
ing salaries until we reached Shreveport, La,
where there was big lot of paper, c. o. D.,
awaiting us 1t took nearly everything
out of the treasury, but we had to have 1t.
1T was salary day and called the crowd
around and asked for two weeks eX.
tension. They granted it with apparent
Willingness. and we set out for Helena
Ark, where we were billed for Thanks.
giving night. The box Office showed
tain. But it didn't raise. l went back
behind the scenes.
whats the matter?' asked.
"'Fdsst has vamoosed' said Roberts,
who played Mephisto. and was dressed
ready to 60 on.
Il thought knew what the matter was
and ran over to the hotel on the double
quick. Faust was in the office. his feet
on the stove. putting cigar
What's your game, Davis' 1ah, asked. nss ..
don't go on said he.
He got the stage carpenter and Two
others to join him, and l couldn't do any.
thing with him. i only had a few dollars.
and II we didn't get our part OF the nights
ties into st. Louis we're good.
Il went hack and told my, troubles 70
Roberts, and it happened that Roberts
was a fine hand at speech. He said hs
would 60 out and Jolly ths audience q
the curtain. Roberts was dressed In red,
wore pair of horns ana looked horrible.
''Gent lemen and ladies' he said. we're
in a devil of q fix.
"He looked the part 20 we'll that the
audience cheered the joke.
.'Fdust has struck for his salary and
Marguerite declares there ain t another man
in this show she'd let kiss her. We hate
to have you go without seeing play. for,
to tell the truth we need the money!
There was good deal of cheering and
laughter at this, and guess it emboldened
Roberts for the audacious proposition he
made.
-We don't want to spoil your fun and We
don't want TO lose our money. Now, We
haven't any other costumes along, but II
you think you could stand for Hamlet
dressed in red, with horns and the gentle.
! man who produces the fiery fakes that fall
! into Hades, with a white sheet over him.
+, as the Ghost and girl with fluffy corn
| colored hair and white apron for Ophehd
| why, we II do our hest to deliver the goods.
Amid the yells that followed man
arose in the pit and moved that Hamlet
he substituted for Faust The motion was
carried unanimously.
| Every player who had stayed with us
! was familiar with Hamlet even the electri-
clan, who had been an actor before he went
into mechanics. being pretty fair de-
| claimer. OF course there was considerable
| doublingup, and some parts were necessarily
omitted, but the audience stood for it,
and was more generous than 1t would have
been if we were better prepared to present
the proper solemnity, with the grotesque
costumes, and the audience did more laugh-
ing than sorrowing over Hdmtsfs troubles
while the troupe was doing it's bes: to
earn what had been paid into the box Office,
got busy. First, telegraphed to Chicago
| FOR another Faust to be in Helena by Sat-
uriay night without fail, and got salts
factory answer. Then ! went with the
manager OF Jne tuedtTt 10 JubtNr vi lHo
peace and had an attachment issued against
our property in favor OF the manager, so as
to prevent the striking hands from tying
us up. l got back just in time to have
Roberts announce to the audience that
brand new Faust was on the way to town
and that the play would he presented with
all its magnificence on Saturday night.
Next morning the fellows who had left
us went to the justice to get out an attach
ment, only to learn they had slept on their
rights. Our new Faust got in on Saturday
afternoon, and he was a daisy-tall, fine
looking. and with an excellent voice. The
tickle Mdr0uerae took to him at once.
The house was packed and we left town
the next day with $500 TO the good. The
people of Helena assured us II we ever
came back and played Hamlet, in Faust
costumes again they'd do better by us than
that. Roberts's speech had turned dis
aster into triumph.
"Our disaffected comrades had hard
time of IT, One of them sold his gold cuff
buttons to get back 10 Chicago, and the
others had TO divide the journey between
riding and walking. They had no right,
under tie unwritten law OF travelling
shows, TO expect back salary when they at
tempted to ruin the troupe they had been
.,..l