The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-08

Keiths yesterday afternoon TO get a
photograph OF Mr.. Williams II was aw-
fully warm, and only picture OF that
popular actor would have attracted me.
However. when entered the pretty thea
tire and found how delightfully."- cool II was
! was really glad had gone, for Il was
cooler there than outside. All the girls
were there, and the house was filled 10
overhowing by daintily gowned ladies and
young people Between the acts | wan
dered around behind the stage hoping
10 nave few moments conversation
with Mr. Webb.
was fortunate I'm finding him alone
and not busy, putting away at freshly
| III cigar which he threw away at my
approach and gallanty offered me a
chair. Secretly l have long been a iesp
admrer OF this young man. and | pre-
diet brilliant future for him. He is a
Southerner by birth. and has the soft.
deep. rich Southern voice and several
Southern characteristics, chief among
/ which Is an Unborn chivalry and cour-
| tesy which manifests itself In his every
word and action. Indeed, | can readily
understand his great popularity with his
fellow players. and do not wonder that
the matinee girls have succ dmbei one
and all TO his beautiful voice, glorious
eyes, and fascinating charm % Mariner.
In the midst of these observations
heard him say, with soft irony, These
long parts are killing"
"A short role like this gives you some
little time to spend outside of The thea
tire, does IL not?' | ventured Before
!1r. Webb had time to reply, Mr. WI
liams' voice was heard sotto voce through
the transom, "Fie. Austin never spends
anything but money outside or the thea
t:e. do you, little boy?' After laugh.
Mr. " ebb responded, You to the nice |
warm little footllghts. while / bask IN |
tie lovely breeze OF this fan Then TO |
me seriously, Yes, ] do have quite a lit |
tie time outside OF the theatre this week, |
and | heartily appreciate It. But then, |
considering the fact that We rehearse i've /
mornings a week and play II performan-
ces each week, we have quite little
time 10 ourselves, that is, comparatively
speaking Mr.. Winter makes everything
as easy as possible for US and every
thing is done TO make our work light by
the management.
IL you ever hear an actor grumbling
about stock work being hard, ten % one,
he has never played with Western rep
ertoire company, playing one night
stands. That's work. and beside t.'st,
everything else is a play" You have
had such an experience?' ! inquired.
Yes, once. Never again | just about
lived through 1t. But, seriously, IL was
an excellent thing for me in several ways,
besides developing my bump of humor.
You see, my father was a typical South
erner. and always wanted me 20 be either
a doctor or lawyer. Ny tastes didn't
run that way and | persistently refused
TO go TO college. At last father said that
must either go 10 college or get an en-
ssgement with some theatrical company !
There was a small repertoire company
playing our little town that week and !
N
1t was a very small part. but I was
very confident Of success. / was TO open
IN my home town, the very night after I
got the engagement, and all my school
mates went 10 see me make my debut to- !
yether with my family When 1 made my I
appearance and started TO say my few
ines, the boys in the gallery, under the
impression that they were encouraging
ne, began TO shout and stamp. swelling =
very time | started 10 talk They kept
his UP so long. that | finally became so q
distracted that ] rushed from the theatre
idn't go on the rest OF that week, but
oined the company at the next town.
hen began a series OF what then SEEM
d TO me the most troublesome times OF =
ny life. but which now / look back up . .
n as intensely funny. ] remember once y
he repertoire was Othello. 'Daman & >, -
'ythias. and something else, and we -
D N.25. We were jumping from Muskeo- =.
A. Iowa, 10 Marshall Town, a distance W Uo
Z over 300 miles. and had started some :"
me near midnight from Muskeoga, in ID
n old dingy coach. with old-fas shioned =,
orings. which was TO carry us TO the a. n
inction where were 10 get a train. r.
I'VE had gone but short distance p,
hen one OF the springs broke, and the \,
'mpany was obliged 10 get out TO allow a,
pairs 10 be made by the driver. Wait ~,
& soon became tiresome. and one OF the
entlemen and myself decided to walk c,,
I'd let the coach overtake US. We start y,
;, every once In a while looking back ~,
see II the coach was coming. but no -.
ZACH. We kept on walking undiscour- "a
red, and finally came 10 n junction OF
70 roads. We didn't know which we
ight To take, and at last Tipped up a
my 10 help us decide. Fortunately, we n,
ok the right road. but the anxiety OF IN
u knowing whether or not We were IL
sht made us almost unit for work The tn
ach didn't get 10 the train in time so an
, had to skip Marshall Town Several tic
stances OF this kind succeeded In some
1at straining our finances, and for FIVE -
'eks we received no salary at all Final -
I'm the midst OF heavy snow storm
: landed I'm Miami. a town Of consider
10 size The storm had prevented any u
vance work being done SO when We ar
ed nobody knew or cared anything
out US. II was bitterly cold and In
lie OF the fact that our contract called
: lights and heat. the dingy little thea
I'm which We were TO perform was
ezingly cold.
We hunted up the manager with tears
our eyes, and wrath In our voices and
handed heat, Soon rousing big fire a..
an old fashioned stove made things VII
re com Portable. and We secured a small
as crier TO go about the streets with
big bell which we told him To ring N
NNV f1aa \ I'm al hANs
". The boy soon forgot what We had
him 10 shout. and In its place sub
uted something that sounded 10 our
rtled ears Ike: Hot opry tonight -
.opry tonight In the town hall" Evil
lily. the word not" appealed to the
,nsfolk. for that night the hall wSs
ked, as IL was the two following
hts. For another week we PLAYED 10
business. and then tho manager paid
three ~ the five weeks salary he
"a me. I made a slight kick for the .
Nr two. but remembered that half a
Is better than no bread and handed
ny notice on the spot. Three months
M fe1se A. - n -.