Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-02

Mummy engaged a lot Of comedians with
very fair regulations They all fought to
interpolate gags and situations Of their own
devising. After arguing with them for a
fortnight 1 finally went to rehearsal with
the book of the piece in my hand about
ten days before the opening. Then 1 called
them all together and said: Here's the
book, boys. Go far you like.
"And maybe they didn't"
d
When Albert Chevafier and Charles Bert
ram were in Montreal in 1897 number of
medical students from the McGill college
took possession of the gallery and fixed
line from the region of the gods to the
stage, down which they forwarded tributes
of appreciation, comprising baskets of
flowers for the women members Of the
company and walking sticks and boxes Of
cigars for the Thespians of the sterner sex.
The audience at Saratoff, Russia, recently
proved that there are other tributes less
welcome on the stage, for in the course of
a play several political illusions were made
that displeased them, the members of the
audience pelted the actors with fans, opera
glasses packets of ammonia, bottles of sui
phurlc acid and vessels brought by stu
dents filled with noxious gases which
broke on the stage and half suffocated the
unfortunate artists.
In Philadelphia some years ago there was
a local amateur tragedihn, a DR.. lands,
who played for one week each year round
of Shakesperean characters. He was never
accepted seriously. but was regarded as
huge Joke People focked to see him, how
ever, and the situation became such that
for the last couple Of years of his appear
ance he performed behind n net, as did
James owen O'Conner, and. before his
time, the Count Johannas. The entire pros
cenium arch was covered with a net SINH
lar to that used by trapeze performers in
the circus. Each night everybody In at
tendance was supplied with all kinds OF
vegetables, which they threw at the net at
various stages Of the performance, as a
mark of their demonstrative enthusiasm
Just 10 prove that all comedians, and
particularly monologue comedians, do not
exaggerate when they relate at length
amusing conversations which turn upon a
word misunderstood Al Wilson offers the
following as having occurred within his
hearing in a department store: 1t seems
that a gentleman, whose name is Jepson,
had Just made a purchase which he de-
sired the clerk to send to his residence.
What is the name?" asked the clerk.
"Jepson," replied the man.
"Chipson?"
mo, Jepson."
"Jepson?"
That's it. You have it. Six eighty-two
Grand street"
"Your first name; initial, please"
"Oh. X"
80. K. Jepson."
Excuse me, it isn't o. X. You did not
understand me, I said Oh"
80. Jepson."
mo, rub out the o. and let the x
stand"
The clerk looked annoyed. and then said
with some asperity: "WiIl you please give
me your initial again?"
II said X"
81 beg your pardon; you said o. X. Per-
haps you had better write it yourself"
Il said o."
Just now you said X"
ALLOW me to finish what I started TO
say. l said Oh because I did not un-
derstand what you were asking me. l did
not mean that It was my initial. My name
is Kerby Jepson."
"Oh."
mo. not o, but X. Here, give me the
pencil and l will write It down for you
myself. There, l guess II is o. X. now
o
Recently in London Henry Arthur Jones,
playwright, and Beerbohm Tree actor at
tempted TO Justify their respective callings
and 10 lay the blame for some modern fall
ures where il by right belonged.
Mr.. Jones in this controversy praised
modern plays and sneered a little at mod
ern actors, and Mr.. Tree praised modern
actors and sneered a little at modern
plays
An American in London attended recently
dinner where Mr.. Jones told a story about
Mr. Tree.
Mr.. Tree" said the playwright. met a
friend OF his one afternoon on Regent
street The two stood and conversed a
little while, and then Mr.. Tree said:
Have YOU been down to see me act