New-York tribune., 1903-03-08
STAGE FOOD.
Some 0fH Is Hard to Eat, but Actora
1f1Lst Not BaLk.


Audiences watching the stage meals that Ars apl
parently so much enjoyed BY the actors h&Ss - ~
notion what is the real cause OF the alacrity via
which stage people leave a stage table, says esnl'
H RosenfeId IN What to Eat
It Is because these feasts are left to the tender
merctes OF a creation OF the evil one known a.
the prODertv man. and because Il depends entirely
on this worthy whether the food and drink pro-
vided shall be At FOR consumption or otnerElSs-
In oIGen times people drank hearty draughtS OF
nothing from empty gOblets; nowadays. when real
ism Is demanded there must be food on the plates
liquid in the glasses and the actor must 1eaLiy4
eat and drink.
This rule IS all right enough in the metropolis,
but on the road the troubles begin, for II - tnen
that the property man gets in his deadly work +.
Willie Edouin had a specimen OF this genius 70
his company, who, besides being a property man.
Vas also a Dutchman. He combined the tnoorn
devilishness Of his calling with the natural cick-
Eeadedness Of his race, and take him all in al ne
was hard to beat.
..FuT'-his name was "BHT'-had to furnish the
nightly feast for the play Of Dreams, a simple
enough business for Mr. Edouiu carried the chick
en- a property bird with detachable arms and legs
and all Bill was called upon to do was 10 furnsh
some bread, apples and lemon soda For this ne re-
ceIved a nightly allowance of . cents, and It was
the belief in the company that BIZ used to pocket
this munifcent fee and secure his rePast from the
kitchen refuse Of the dollar day hotels at Wnlcn
he stayed.
Member after member complained to Mr.. Edouin.
but each was treated with small consideration
The star was not called upon to eat in the play.
only to drink the lemon soda. and he insisted that
| the members OF the company were full OF fads and
fancies.
As a rule "3fI' was particular to get lemon soda
for his star, but on one occasion when the COM
pany were doing their best to appear 10 eat the
stuff Bill had provided, taey noticed with delight
that when Mr. Edoufn, the Grandfather
pulled the cork cut Of the stage champagne bottle,
a whftsh smoke issued from the bottle. and with Il
a weird Odor that permeated the atmosphere '-hey
forgot the hOrrid fact that they themselves must
taste the mixture whatever it was, in the joy OF
knowing that the star was bound to drink IT. too
and that for once something had gone wrong with
the lemon soda
Without appearing to notice anything out OF the
way the star hlled glass after glass with thick-
ish liquid that smelIed Ike fermented cider.
Mrs. Edouin who was ever ready for fun, noticed
something wrong, and leaned forward across
! the table
You are going to give US treat tonight,
1 Grandma she said; don't forget yourself
| Mr. Edouin looked severely at her InterpoIatng
lines meant fine OF $, even for his WIFE, and
waving his naud that he could hold MS i've M
gers UP 10 her d sign that she WOULD oe HnetIs
he procee1ed to fiji his glass The bottom OF the
bottle was little thicker than the rest and as Mr
Edoun poured the liquid from II several Hes ap-
peared floating in his glass
This was much for mischieyous Mrs Edculn-
Spreading out both hands a sign that she didn't
care if she had SO worth Of fine, she sprang to
her feet with d new Interpolation.
"A bumper. Grandpa" sne cried. shaking the
gray curIs she wore as Grandpa's wife i demand
that YOU shall first drink a bumper to the health
OF the old wife who has stood at your side for more
than fifty years
The house appIauded. and there was no help for
H. EdOuiu with murder I'm his eye. Obliged
to drink the awful draught, his saucy wife keeping
up little cries Of Drain it to the dregs.' TIL 1t
Then before any one could take breath EdOuin
vanished, Il hope Grandpa ism [ taken i'll. Salo
fhs f STAR stare recirnd orSsu after HIM the aston
ished Bill who. dressed as a country lout' was
ready 10 drive tg- SteiEl ~ tte lsA one, 7yro
wants to drnk yoar health too. and. seLzlng
bowl he drained tIc contents Of the bottle into It.
and then deliberately emptying all the glasses into
Drink that my lad he said. chesrrily. and 4
the same time. under his breath: That's dead
earnest Is fu OF ss an ana T2ac2s' 55 e Hd 2o i 5 may
drink il up III never take you out or this town
rroTnB,i f,r must have bewiierrd the audi
cnce but for quite time after that the feast was
James + Powers vas a member Of EdoutE's com.
pauy at that time. and he was frequently victim
df fBn's' carrlcssue~s. One Of POwerss especial
acts the rapid s"@oFElnE OF q '.tFEe hq5loeI 45
the tart5 were property made he could swallow q
7 orI7aIf from rIs rfSs OF he curtain and
II was .RHIs" duty TO make the tarts afresh for
nest Kind Of waftfsh brown tissue paper finished on
" WIN = "a ut3 1 "l fr lS @ ,II -l, Min fFe si1T
esi moisture, and Mr. Powers could pack them
one night the Young comedian had friends in
front. and throughout the piece be worked lard
their approval but the moment he most LOnSed
for was when ne would u- swallowing the tarrs-
Nv the time his scene came En waS IN such a
FURRY TO show how smart Es was rhst he seized the
dish Of tarts ard craumei htIt "a dozen into his
mouth 5efu-t- diScUVs Ted that did not
COLLAPSE, as usual. and that he hId his mouth
stuffed full of stiff. solid UrtEgllE paper that
would neither crush -CojSt@U-
Between rage and m0rtlLIEat-1u Mr. Powers be-
gan 10 choke. and but that Ed0ui1 the
Stage and began pounding HIM the hack il Is
hard to say what might not have happened As Z
Powerss fell fiat. but "a clever comedian
was saved for the public