The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-19
KITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
Links in a golden chain that binds the
drama OF the old days In st. Louis 20 the
present are supplied by two veterans. both
% whom live here and who have stored in
their memories the entire history OF the
local drama
They were intimately associated with the
men who presented the first plays by regu-
larry organized companies in this city.
One of the veterans is Charles A. Krone
Of No. 1911 Lami street. who. for fifteen
years was Ben De Bars stage manager.
The other is William c. Gleason. propNe-
tor OF the saloon over which Ben De Bar
had his private Office in a building adjoin-
ing the old playhouse, which was located
Lon the northside OF Pine street between
Third and Fourth streets
Not only were Messrs. Krone and Glea-
son close friends OF De Bar. great actor
and manager but for many years main
tanned q cordial relationship with n. II.
Ludlow, the father or the drama in st.
Louis, whom De Bar succeeded.
They also knew Sol Smith. celebrated &C
tor-mansger and later a lawyer. who was
LudIow's partner. Sol Smith died in st.
Louis IN 1863.
ST. Louis was the home OF both Ludlow
and Smith. the former dying at his home
In Caroadelet in 1856.
He presented the FIRST play ever seen IN
thiE city, in 1918.
Messrs. Krone and Gleason like to re-
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show business. when ST. Louis contaiped
only about 1000 Inhabitants. half Of whom
were French. and took little interest in the
English drama
Coming down to later days. the chief de-
light Of the old men is to talk OF De Bar.
who died in 1877.
VETERANS ARE TYPrs
OF HI CLASSIC OLD CHooL
Both men bear distinct. the stamp Of the
classic school.
This is pronounced. in Mr. Krone. for to
have been for SO long the stage manager
Of a theater like De Bars in the old
stock days means that he was familiar
with the entire range of comedies and
tragedies from Shakespeare's down to the
time when Doctor Bird wrote "Spartacus,
the Gladiator" more than a quarter Of a
century ago. and which was said then to
have been the only classic written by an
American.
That Mr.. Gleason should possess a fund
ct classic lore seems edo to men who have
to do with Iater-day saloon proprietors.
And he does not quote from standard
works inaptiy. but with feeling and fine ap-
probation.
Fresh from school in Ireland" Mr.. Glea-
son explained, 81 received a university edu-
cation in the saloon adjoining De Bars
Opera-house.'s
Gleason's cousin, the late Patrick Glea-
son. was De Bars treasurer and friend
from 1885 until the latter's death in 1871,
and that relationship caused William Glea-
son to embark in the saloon business next
door to the playhouse
There he saw the famous actors in their
lighter moods and partly absorbed the
learning which they possessed In great de-
gree.
There the actors often rehearsed their
lines. while walking up and down the floor
in front OF the bar. for those were the
days when a different play was presented
every night for weeks and months at a
time.
The great stars came unattended. depend
ing on the local organization to furnish the
support in any and all plays.
When, morning rehearsals in the theater
were over the actors often congregated in
the saloon. which had & stairway leading
20 the managers private office overhead.
and discussed scenes in the piece billed for
the nights performance.
GLEASONS RECOLLECTIONS
OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
MANY q time have 1 seen John Wilkes
Booth and others equally as well known.
uactnR the floor with book In hand and
YaumbIinE the lines. or else telling some Of
TIE stock actors how q certain part should
be- played" said Mr.. Gleason