davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08
STAGE PEOPLE AND OMENS
The Superstitions Of Actors and Actresses

II had heard a good deal of the SUI
perstitions of player folk" remarked
the embryo actor to the Detroit Free
Press after his first tour, but 1t
takes the actual experience with a
road company to realize how firm a
hold the supposed good and i'll omens
of the stage have upon it's followers.
Few are free from them. From the
lowliest chorus girl to the most exalted
star-all have their presentiments and
superstitions. / had them brought
home to me in emphatic and malig-
nant form before / had been out very
long. Right at the start l committed
a very serious breach of theatrical
behavior, though / was entirely inno-
cent of any intention to offend. When
we had all assembled at the depot pre-
paratory to beginning the tour / no.
ticed that the baggage seemed to at
tract considerable attention and the
side remarks that were directed to-
ward one particular trunk aroused my
curiosity. / saw one Of the actors
shake his head solemnly as he OBJ
served:
That's bad--a Jonah right on the
start. / wonder what chump brought
that thing along?"
we rehearsed another half week at
the town in which we opened, and
soon learned the cause of the pessi-
mistic expressions. l happened to be
in the theater one afternoon before
the opening night and l overheard a
conversation between the stage car
penter and the property man which
ran something like this:
We've got to fix that guys trunk
the first chance we get said props
The idea of his totin' along a round
top trunk. Shows he hasn't been out
before
Well said his partner in crime,
wen fix IT all right, all right. That
trunk won't last a week. or / miss
my guess. It's a very easy matter
to place IT at the bottom of the heap
every time and with a little judicious
handling, between ourselves and the
transfer men, we can soon put IL out
OF business.
Il didn't need to hear more. 7 was
the guy with the rOund-top trunk. II
was the only one had az home and
as ] hadn't been instructed as 10 the
style OF trunk TO carry, OF course
The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08

sure Jonah, you know. We are sure
to nave bad business in the next town.
Il found that the leading lady had
an extended repertoire in the matter
OF superstitiOns, some of which / took
pains to remember for future refer
ence: A few of them have seen
published; others / think the reading
public are unfamiliar with. Here are
some that ] recall, in addition to those
mentioned above:
Never put your foot on the roll of
a curtain or a drop.
Never look through a broken mir
ror
1T Is considered extremely unfor-
tunate for a person to look over an
others shoulder into a mirror. ut is
said that Booth and Barrett believed
in all the mirror superstitions)
ut is considered unlucky to leave a
hat on the bed. 1t must be removed
and hung elsewhere before it is worn
and must not be touched until another
hat is on the wearer's head.
Avoid meeting cross-eyed people
on the way to the theater.
Don't return to your DRESSING
room If anything has been forgotten.
Never quote Macbeth in the dress
ing-rooms.
Few actors are brave enough to
walk under ladder. 1t means GER
tain misfortune.
IF the figure 81 is seen on a locomo-
tive the actor should turn his back to
1t.
ION coming out of the hotel to go to
the theater the sight of load of hay
assures one of prosperous engage
ment but the sight of a load of empty
barrels will fill the stoutest heart with
gloom and foreboding.
"A few actresses believe that GER
tain cities are their Jonahs. as they
have never played those cities with
out misfortune of some kind.
The most prominent people in the
profession have their superstitions 1t
is said that John Drew is careful al
ways to take the first step from his
dressing-room with his right foot.
Maude Adams, it is claimed, held the
curtain during the first performance
OF L Aiglon' so that she could return
to her dressing and leave il
stepping first with the right foot.
William II. Crane is superstitious in
regard to the number thirteen. Anna
Held believes it is good luck to pick
up pins and it is said she is a verita-
BILE human pincushion.
Certain things which are all right
during a regular performance must
not be done at rehearsal, such as
speaking the tag or last line of the
play.
Managers are also superstitious.
though few will acknowledge II. They
consider il disastrous to enter a thea
ter with an umbrella raised. Some OF
them are also careful that the first
person entering the theater shall have
paid ticket of admission.
The leading lady told me that she
once worked for manager who would
not allow an opal 20 be worn by any
member of his company.
Am ! superatitiousT repeated the
actor. Well, / guess tn have 70 be
n J want 20 have a comfortable career
I'll have 10 observe some Of the popu-
lar ones anyway. No more round tor
or rope bound trunks for Tne.'S
The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08

brought 1t along. But l now saw
/ that it was clearly regarded as a Jo-
nah. / went Immediately to the man
| ager-star and quizzed him on the mat
/ ter.
Well said he, L am not overly
superstitious myself, but a round-top
is believed to be one of the biggest
Jonahs in the business. l guess the
best thing you can do is to ship it home
before you lose 1t. You can put your
stuff in someone else's trunk until you
get a new one. And don't fail to get
a square-shaped trunk when you buy
! one
"Well, I shipped the old family trunk
home right away, you bet. Another
/ popular superstition in regard to bag
gage is that a rope-bound trunk is a
sure Jonah and ropebou trunk will
not be tolerated by the majestic per-
| sons that handle the baggage.
About the third night of my appear
ance was severely called to account
for whistling in the dressing-room. l
| had trilled about half bar of a popu-
: lar comic song when my dressing room
mate looked up with a Mortified express
sion that was greatly accentuated by
the pale shade of grease paint that he
was just then applying to his face.
That settles it, he gasped; I won't
last with this show a week
What's the matter? / asked inno-
Gently.
Matter Don't you know you
oughn't 10 whistle in the dressing room.
That means that the man nearest the
door will be sure to get his two weeks
notice"
"Wel1, IS a matter Of fact that fell
low Che was nearest the door in this
instance) did receive his notice after
we had been out a month or so. OF
course, he laid it TO me. / didn't, for
the way in which he butchered the
English language convinced me that
he would have been more suitably en-
ployed on the section.
Not long afterward I was called
for looking through the peek hole be-
fore ] had made my first entrance.
"One day as we were leaving a town
in which business had not been partic-
ularly encouraging / noticed the Lead
ing lady shudder.
Ugh" she said. drawing her kimo-
IA closer about her shoulders.
Thinking she was about 20 have a
chin. J asked her II there was anything
] could do for her.
" oh. it's nothing she replied rather
dism8lly. But didn't you see them put
ting that corpse on the train? That's
The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08
SIDNEY HERBERT'S LETTER.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE "JOE
BROWN PIXIES"

A Critic who Is in Danger of Rum
ming Against Snngs-Facts About
Gen. AIcantara, the Commander of
the Venezuelan Army - Society
4. Pryor-The Question of the
birthplace of the American Flag.
other Matters of Interest.
Pine Crest Villa, Maitland, Fla,
Feb. 7.-One of William Nephew
Kings old schoolmates in Savannah
writes me a word of thanks for cor
recting his name, from which ''Neph-
eW' was left out. He says King was
bright, active, ambitious boy, and
they used to call his "Neffie."
The daughter of an old Confederate
soldier wants to know about the Joe
Brown Pixies used in the Civil War,
as she has one her father carried. 1
have only space to state here that
they were not really Joe Brown
Pixies" as the idea was suggested by
President Jefferson Davis, but carried
into execution by Gov. Joseph E.
Brown of Georgia, the greatest war
Governor, North or South, during that
bloody struggle In a future letter l
VIII explain why the pixies were issued
TO the Georgia troops. L never
knew before that a military commits
sion is sufficiently elastic to be used
until a successor is duly commissioned.
NO officer, l had supposed, could exer-
else authority beyond the date of his
commission.
1 have a letter from my dear friend
zen. John B. Gordon, who is now at
ms winter home at Biscayne, in Dade
county, Florida, on the famous East
Coast, which indicates that the old
warrior is in feeble health. The death
OF Gen. Norman, who was his very
eIncient Adjutant General, and car
req on his broad shoulders the heavy
routine work of the United Confeder-
ate Veterans organization, has had a
most depressing effect upon Gen. Cor
uon, as he was devotedly attached to
zen. Norman The u. C. V. owes
us rapid and surprising growth to
Glese two jealous and efficient OFF,
.lals, and now that one is dead and
me other enfeebled-if only for a time
mere must be greater activity and
.ofe united action on the part of the
-+Sh subordinate commanders. Few
ptople-not excepting the members of
,ne ganization-realize the vast
mount of work. and the weighty re-
disabilities that have devolved upon
.'e commanders in chief and his deeply
n'urned Adjutant General. fear
nat the New Orleans reunion will
"e the saddest and perhaps the largest
Yer held by the Confederate veterans.
ne claim that Brig. Gen. Ed. NJ.
hayes, u. S. A., late colonel OF the
thirteenth Cavalry, holds the Oldest
commission In the army" made by the
The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08

Gil B. Mosley, teacher of the colored
school near Brewton, Ala, has rot
ten way of using it in order to get a
rhyme for cotton. Here is his verse:
"I love her fields of cotton,
Sweet songs that are ne'er forgotten,
Sung by my fathers, now rotten;
Their souls are above"
"The Birthplace of the American
Flag" is the misleading title of an
illustrated article, by Arthur Brans-
combe, in the February issue of the
Woman's Home Companion. 1t repre-
sents the "Sulgrave Manor-the Home
of the Washingtons in England" The
claim that it is the birthplace" of the
Stars and Stripes, as our National Flag
is called, is based on a shield of the
early Washingtons containing stars
and stripes, thirteen of each. 1 don't
attach much significance to this claim,
for the groundwork is very faulty. The
real birthplace of the American Flag
was in Philadelphia, where the Bet
sy Ross House" is being preserved as
! the place where Washington, Morris
and Ross inspected and accepted the
flag made by Betsy Ross. She was
the sole designer of the five-pointed
star used. 1t is possible that the
Washingtons of England may have
used stars and stripes before Column
bus discovered America, as is claimed
in the Companion article, yet that does
not prove that the birthplace" of our
National Flag was in Old England and
not in Philadelphia. l shall refer to
this matter more fully in a future let
ter.
see in a sketch of Gen. U. S. Grant,
IN, nov OF ha faf
1.-THE rank of generala rank higher than
had previously existed in the United
States, was created by Congress- and
Grant secured the commission" But
this is not fair statement of the mat
ter. 1t is true that Grant was the first
officer in the United States army to
accept the commission of full general,
but he was not the first for whom the
rank of general was created. Congress,
in March 1899, first created the rank of
full general, but Lieut.. Gen. George
Washington declined the proffered pro-
motion and died holding his lower rank
Both ranks-general and lieutenant
general-were again created in 1854 and
1866 for Gen. Grant, the rank given
Gen. Scott in 1S47, being only that of
brevet lieutenant general, and he is
still referred to in some semi-ofIicial
records as Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott.
Grant was the first full general and
the second full lieutenant general of
the United States army. Both these
ranks were also later conferred upon
Sherman and Sheridan, by act of Con-
gress, and that of lieutenant general
upon Scofield and Miles.
In view of the fact that President
Roosevelt has the appointing of a lot
of cadets to West Point and midship-
men to Annapolis. it has been sug-
gested that he might put in few col
ored young men. Well, perhaps he
may but the standard at West Point
has been raised since any colored ca
Diet got in there. and II is possible that
no more will be so successful. As TO
the Naval Academy. no cOlored cadet
has ever succeeded In getting into that
exclusive institution, and 1t is not
The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08

small reunion band the u. C. VS.
have grown into an immense assem-
bly,, nearly fifteen hundred camps.
and with the Sons of Confederate
Veterans and the u. ID. c. they tax the
most generous hospitality of our larg-
est cities, the building in which they
meet costing, often. more than $4,000
in cool cash. The one in New Or
leans is to cost less, yet the city is to
raise $100 900 to meet all expenses Of
the next Reunion. Sidney Herbert.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08

uniform, in showing the veterans over
the battlefield of that historic war
city. There have been larger reun-
ions since, and some very enthusiastic
ones, hike that l attended in Charles
ton a few years ago, but not one that
possessed more real interest to the
long-separated comrades of the Con-
federate armies, meeting on their first
reunion, and that, too, on some of the
bloodiest and most historic battlefields
of the South. Out of that somewhat
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-24
MATER IN ANOTHER LIGHT
We're the Acts of ElkO Auth
critics "lnhumdn"?

Referring to the individual who
claims to be the victim of misfor-
tune. and who was recently hustled
out of Elko by the authorities, be
coming a dependent upon Humboldt
county. the Elko Independent says:
The story told by Sullivan or Bald
win if true would prove DR.. Hood and
Commissioner Rigsby to be very
heartless creatures, indeed. but for
tnnatelv for them his story is com
posed principally of lies. In the first
n1ace he is not a laboring man but
has the reputation of being an all
around rounder and dead beat. He
has been in the hospital several times
and when discharged was advised to
go to California to his people. once
be cot as far as Palisade and was
Skinned from there back to Elko. He
was taken to the hospital AGAIN
where he remained until discharged.
In a few DAYS he was back again ana
remained until last Sunday when ne
was again discharged. He laid around
town until Tuesday when he again ap-
nlied for admission to the hospital.
This time he was refused and ticket
was purchased him to Winnemucea 70
assist him to his home in California
He was not carried aboard the train.
hut went aboard himself. Sullivan or
Baldwin, whichever is his right name
has no claim on this county Tor sup
mort and its authorities did rlght III
Getting him out of town. lie belongs
- that class that lives off the public
and gives nothing in return. Inc
claim that he worked on the railroad
a. Rvndon is said to be false by those
,ho know He was a tin horn gamo-
10. and rounder there. He was righuy
sbinned from here and the lndepend-
ont homes the Humboldt county a.
thorities will soon get rid of him.
Since the above was put in type
we learned that this man was hu-
isance in the hospital. While there
he was treated kindly and had every
attention Stewart Able could give
him. This kindness he repaid by
shifting tobacco juice over the walls
bv his bed nearly running them. Hao
this fact been known to the author
tiles he would not have been assisted
TO Winnemucca neither would he have
been admitted to the hospital again.
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-24
IN FAVOR OF
CELEBRATING
WinnemuCCa Viii Doubtless
Decide to Observe
the 4th.
PROSPECT is ENCOURAGING
Mass Meeting Called for Mon
day Evening, in Justice
Ro5in's Office.

A movement started this morning,
and before noon had gained a lively
impetus backed by some of the most
enterprising of Winnemucca' younger
business and professional men, look
ing to the holding of a big celebration
in this city on Independence Day A
self-appointed committee took pre-
liminary trip out among the business
men and report that each interview
disclosed a strong sentiment in favor
of a celebration and not word was
said in opposition to the plan.
Without being asked, number stat
ed that they were ready to donate
literally, and the committe received
assurances sufficient to guarantee
that there will be no lack of funds
il the celebration is decided upon.
Finding the sentiment of all who
were seen so favorable. in view of
the fact that times are good, money
plentiful, and that no celebration was
held here last year, the committee is
sued the call for mass meeting Mon
day evening, the call reading
CITIZENS, ATTENTION!
Are we going to be dead or a back
number as we were last year. or are
we going to have life and patriotism
enough in us to give one Of the grand
est celebrations on the coming Fourth
ever witnessed in the towns history?
Our western towns are making great
arrangements for a celebration Why
not let us join the ranks and enter
tain our neighboring towns as well as
ourselves? We have the promise Of
one of the greatest baseball games
ever played in the State for $3.50 a
side. Also bicycle races, horse races.
etc. There will be meeting OF the
citizens in Justice of the Peace Robins
Office at s p. m, Monday, April 9th.
Everybody come and express your SEN
timents on the subject of holding a
celebration. COMMIT EE'
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-24
PRESIDENTS TOUR ENDS
His Visit to the Yellowstone
Park Is Completed

CINNABAR, Mont, April %
President Roosevelt has completed
his tour of the Yellowstone park. He
arrived at Fort Yellowstone about
noon today from Norris, and tomor-
row will inspect the post. Secretary
Loeb met him this afternoon and re-
ports that he is in the best of health
and enthusiastic over his trip through
the park. The secretary tonight is
sued the following statement:
Maj. Pitcher states that the Pres
ident and he have just returned from
their six days trip in the interior
of the park The party went on
sledges, but used horses between Up
per and Lower Geyser basins and
skis around the canyon, where it was
impossible to go anywhere without
them. The snow was two to five
feet deep on the level throughout the
country traversed. 1t was getting in
t) bad shape This is the first time
the interior of the park has ever been
visited before the snow went off by
any one except the scouts or soldiers
on duty at the various stations.
LOEB. Secretary to the President.
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-24

that something had broke inside and
the doctors Immediately knew that
his stomach had been perforated An
immediate operation was the only
hope of saving him. They found a
perforation in his stomach about the
size of bullet hole. The contents
of his stomach had escaped into the
abdominal cavity. They removed the
foreign material, sewed up his stom-
ach, and there are now hopes of his
recovery.
The bodies Of Mr. and Mrs Charles
Fair have been deeapitated and the
skulls will be used in the New York
courts to refute the evidence of the
Frenchmen, Mas and Morane. thai
Mrs. Fair died first. The bodies were
brought to San Francisco. but were
never buried, as the attorneys sus-
pected this move of Mrs. Nelson, Mrs
Fairs mother, to claim the estate. The
secret of the decapitation leaked out
Wednesday and caused wonder
among the friends of the family. One
of the attorneys said that the emf
nent surgeons who mad examined the
skulls will testify that it is impos-
sible for Charles Fair to have died be
fore his wife.
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-24

to Hugh Holmstrom and Anna Berg,
beth of Lovelock
Amos Harding of Willow creek is in
the city on business today.
Bert Bracket of the Standard went
to Reno last night on No 5 on busi-
ness
Floyd McReynolds, foreman of A.
w. Riley's King river ranch. is in
town today, placing an order for sup
plies.
Reese Evans returned TO Willow
Point this morning, where the shear
ing of the band of 11,0OO sheep in
which he is interested is going on.
The Silver State was informed to-
day that A c. Burke. the man who
was slugged and robbed in Reno yes
terday morning, was known to have
about S400 on him in checks and cash
when the hold-up occurred.
In anticipation of big crops and
rush orders. E. Reinhart & Co. or
dered recently another carload of
Deering mowers, which arrived today.
The firm also received a carload OF
finishing lumber and lath this morn
ing.
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-24
PICk-UPS IN
PARADISE
Usual Budget of interesting
News from Cur Cores
pOndent.
Paradise. April %. 1903

DR.. Bice is planning a trip to Chi
cago He expects to leave Friday of
this week and will be absent about a
month.
Este Austin went 10 Cain Springs
Thursday for load of freight for Al
phonso Pasquale, the freight to go to
Winnemuea.
A social will be held at the church
Saturday evening, May 2. A nice pro
gram is in preparation. Refresh
ments will be served.
Up to Thursday of this week not
a drop" of water had come down to
Willow Point. so a resident of that
place was heard to say.
Miss Fannie Case is preparing a
program of suitable exercises for
Arbor Day, Friday of this week, at the
school house. They will plant trees
on the school grounds.
Mr.. Bryant, a carpenter of Reno,
is working on the new hotel
Alex. Shaw will come up Saturday
night from Willow Point to attend an
niversary exercises at the church with
the |. o. o. F. and D. of R. Sunday
morning.
A letter from Rev n. E. Gibbs. of
recent date. states that Mrs. Gibbs
is greatly improved in health by the
change of climate. They are now at
Guerneville, Cal.
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Bradshaw S baby
is sick and under the doctors care.
They moved to the stone house sew
eral miles south. last week, and
brought the child here for treatment.
Spring work is well under way and
the outlook is good for a prosperous
season here. unless grass hOppers
should appear. Considerable anxiety
is felt about this. and Sunday when
a shovel full of dirt was spread out
on the ground by the hotel thousands
of grass hopper eggs were worked TO
the surface. many wondered if any
or any large part of these were fertile.
If all are fertile, grass hoppers VIII
be a big crop, certainly. The culture
for their destrution. provided by ,ae
government, has been sent for by sew
eral men. So far. we believe, no grass
hopper eggs have hatched
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-24
He Tortured Children

ST. LOUIS, April 2S.-John Earl
who was arrested yesterday for tortur-
inc two children whom he had adopt
ed was today fined $1,000 1y Judge
Pollard in the court of criminal cor
rection. and in default of the fine was
sentenced to the work house. Testi-
mony showed that Earl, who is show
man heat with sticks and straps and
burned with a hot iron little George
and Florence Miggs, whom he at
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1903-04-24
TO RETURN TO WORK
Thirty thousand Mine-WOrk-
ers Tor Reading Company

POTTSVILLE, Pa, April 23.-An-
was made here today that
the 10000 e-workers who were lock
ed out by the Reading company be-
cause If their refusal To work nine
hours on Saturday will be permitted
to return to he mines tan'orrow. pro-
vided they pledge themselves to work
full time Saturdays General Super
intendent Luther says the company IN
sists on compliance with this regula-
ton.
Following the instructions ISSUED
Yesterday by President Mitchell the
miners employed by the Reading com
pany in the Schuylkill region today
reported for work. but were told by
the superintendent that no orders to
resume operations had been received
II is expected that the miners VIII
accept the company's terms and re-
turn to work tomorrow to await the
result of the conciliation boards ac-
tion.