The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-05

self
ibid you ever see farce at this thea
re on Monday night and then aga.n on
saturday evening? You don't know what
you've been missing. The author
wouldn't recognize his own play, for at
every performance something new has
been tried, and II successful, left In. Then
anything that is accidentally done or
said and makes an unexpected hit, Is LEFT
In. and familiarity with just how
everything Is going TO be received, In
spite OF what Is said about audiences
being hckle. makes US ready for every
20 4xible opportunity TO play Joke upon
one another, SO that by Saturday night.
the farce is almost recognizable. That
Ia why road company has the adYan=
tage OF stock production. Instead OF
one week to add and improve upon their
play. they have weeks and weeks.
That funeral scene in the last act or
| All The Comforts OF Home | wrote into
the play when We played it in Philadel-
pnIa, last season, and II went so we'll
that MIR. Winter kept IL for the pro-
! ductlon of that play here. It's a curious
fact that the same lines, or at least the
same thoughts. will suggest Themselves
| 10 several comedians playing the same
! roles. | was recently comparing notes
with Gus Weinberg. well known come
dian, who is a great friend OF mine. Last
winter ne played Maverick Brander in A
Texas Steer. so did /. and we compared
| notes. found that almost every line
/ had interpolated into the part had sus
gested itself 10 Gus as we'll
Have you ever thought OF any other
line OF work, song writing for instance?"
mo, not unless 4 might be photo
graphy. I've been very much Interested
I'm that. and have two cameras which
thoroughly enjoy In vacations and when
] get an opportunity I suppose ! like
photography because / take such bad
pictures myself Don't you think so?
The only decent likeness I've ever had
have been taken in this city. Song writ
ing? or course | am very interested In
that and l like muse very much. but
there IL no money in IL, except for an
exceptional few and it's not practical
except as a side line. I've realized quite
a sum from the royalties on the few
songs ! have written. but I'd starve 10
death II I depended on that for living
My father was a very fine musician, but
he was determined no child Of his should
study music. | guess / must have In
herited some of his love for It, however,
fo1 every time ] got a chance | used TO
steal over TO my aunt's and pick tunes
out one hand. In that way / taught
myself. quite a little. so that | was able
10 read music fairly well.
one day my father found me doing
this. HE threw his head back and gazed
reminiscently at the ceiling. and ] ask
ed, And what happened" "Oh he gave
me an awful talking TO, and I was con-
vinced that / hai done something woeA
fully wrong"
And had you no further training for
song writing?'' I asked astonished.
None. | used 10 pick things out.
have said. and many OF the airs were
from my own brain. ! never dreamed
that any OF them would admit OF their
being published. and simply did IT for my
own amusement Several years after
wards / was engaged 10 create the lead
ing role in new melodrama called The
Young Wife which was 10 be produced at
the Fourteenth street theatre. New York
We rehearsed the play and when we came
% the end Of the third act we found that
there was no ending for the act The
author said he intended TO have the come
dian, Claude Gilrngwater who was
great friend Of mine, sing a song for the
inish OF the act
we pooh -poohed" the idea, but he was
determined so. OF course he being the
author, had his way. After another
period OF rehearsing up 10 within three
lays before the opening performance
some one asked the comedian, who was To
sing. what song he had chosen. There
vas soue CONSERVATION at this, for the
song must be appropriate. He couldn't
Ind any that fitted the play. so I Of
cred 10 write him one. They questioned
my ability. and their incredulity spurred
me on. so the next morning at rehea rsal
after sitting up late into the night, !
5rought them down the pencilled notes
and the words for three verses. Those
concerned professed themselves very
pleased. and the song was accepted
The scenes of the play were laid on the
Bowery. and my song. which described
the action Of the play. was called Every
hing Is Lovely on the Bowery." The
opening night came, and the song made
an unexpected big hit, being encored sew
eral times. At every performance new
verses were added. until | had written a.
and on Saturday Of the first week
,very verse was being sung. The play
had run In New Iork and then went
on tour and the song was sold between
he acts. as is now quite the custom I'm
musical comedies After this | wrote
quite a few things. which have brought
me quite a little sum. but never startled
the world
My Ann Eliza" which Is perhaps one
OF my best known, was written on the
train between New York and Providence,
when | was with Mrs. Carter in The
Heart of Maryland / sat dreamily lis
tening 10 the monotonous whizz and grind
Of the train wheels. and unconsciously
began to whistle 10 their accompaniment.
/ mechanically jotted down the notes
This was on Sunday. on Monday | sang
IL to Flo Irwin. May Irwn's sister. and
In less than five days il was published.
sung by her at the Harlem Opera House
ard sold I'm the music stores In New
York That's the way with success in
life-it comes unexpectedly. and always
unlocked for just as an actor many
times makes a success OF a role IN which
he feels that he is going TO fall. and fails
In one. the success of which he has been
confident"
II was almost time for the matinee 20
begin. so feefing that I had taken up a
great deal Of the clever leading mans
time. | rose 60 thank him for the very
pleasant half hour I had spent. Before
going | remembered q question that sew
eral OF my readers have asked mo. and
I dueried. Have you published any
songs recently besides. ~ You but
Knew" "Ycs.-or at least I will
have completed one called Belle OF Dixey.'
which will be published this month some
time. also Diana, the little chorus I
wrote for The Lottery OF Love, here