The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-12
Eight HorseIess Vehicles Filled with
Stage Stars Caught I'm Downpour d.
rectIy After the Start.
PAT REILLY DISAPPOINTED
IN THE EXCITEMENT HE sWAL-
LOWED A QUART OF WATER.
Little Pickani9nies, Dressed in Their
Best, Drenched to the Skin-Sorry
Procession 10 the Empire.

Pat Reilly, the Irish comedian. says that
he will never again pose as a weather
prophet-also that he will never again APP
pear in a street parade.
1t all happened this way. Yesterday
morning Manager Zimmerman. Of the En-
pire Theater. and Manager THESE. of the
Reilly and Woods burlesque show, which is
now playing an engagement at that amuse-
ment house, put their heads together and
decided that it would be a good idea to
give a big automobile procession through
the principal downtown streets by way
of letting the good citizens of Indianapolis
know what a big company the Reilly and
Woods organization is.
The weather appeared threatening and
the two managers hesitated in carrying
out their scheme until Pat Reilly. the star
of the show, came along. They confided
their plans to him, also their fears as to a
possible rainstorm. Reilly has always been
considered by the members of the COM
pany to be quite a forecaster Of climatic
conditions, and shutting one eye, he gazed
wisely up at the darkening heavens and
said:
Rain to-day? Never in the wild world,
my friends. If you want to give your pro-
cession, and if you think 1t will help bust
ness, why go ahead and give the thing
and count me in on it."
And so eight automobiles were secured,
the members of the company notified. and
promptly at IL o'clock all was ready for
the brilliant pageant. Pat Reilly. Richey
Craig, Nat lie Roy, Bonita and the other
leading members of the combination &C.
cupied seats in the first horseless vehicles
and the other vaudeville performers and
chorus girls. crowded into the remaining
automobiles as the parade started forth TO
startle the town.
AND THE STORM, CAME.
At the corner Of Washington and Penn
sylvania streets-scarcely three blocks
from the Empire Theater-the storm that
had been brewing for the last twelve hours
burst forth in all its fury. There was a
perfect cyclone of rain. 1t came straight
from the west at the rate of ninety miles
an hour, according to Pat Reilly, who also
declares that never before in the history of
the world has it rained so hard. Every one
of the performers was drenched to the
skin i'm the course of two minutes, and be-
fore the worst of the storm was over the
burlesquers looked more like drowned rats
than 'footlight favorites."
To make matters worse, the
in which Pat Reilly was sitting was of the
Lew Dockstader variety and everything
that could possibly happen to it happened
then and there. 1t wouldn't go. 1t wouldn't
do anything but make queer noises and
jump up and down like a bucking broncho.
When it was finally started off in the right
direction-thar Is, toward the Empire The
ater-the storm was about over, and Reilly
didn't care then what happened to him.
1t was a sorry band of comedians and
singers that dismounted from the automo-
biles. The little pickaninnies who appear
in a singing act with the vocalist known as
Bonita were the most indignant of all the
members of the company. They had put
on their very best clothes in order to show
off to the best advantage and the littlest
one of them had worn his white Fedora
hat-a wonderful top-piece-for the first
time. Their clothes were sights to behold
and the beautiful Fedora a dirty
flannel cake.
We'll" said Pat Reilly, as he made for
his hotel to get into dry garments. that
was the worst mix-up I've ever been in
during my entire career. And the worst of
ii all is that, in the excitement of the mo-
ment, / swallowed a quart of water. Ii
was a. terrible experience"