davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1907-03-10

his enormous productions he depended
on their skill and experience to a great
extent to supplement his own stan. He
never took them for granted, as so many
actors do, as IL they were furniture or
part of the properties but realized to the
full that they represented large class OF
fine men. They have a double staff to do
the same work in England.
-ThS relation between an actor and his
working staH is a close one. You can't
travel thirty odd weeks with lot OF men
without getting to know them well, II you
have any interest outside a limited sphere.
In q sense the leading man is the father
Of his whole company and ought to feel
a paternal interest in the humblest one.
II he does not, If he is captious, disagree
able, fault finding, the probabilities are
that when he starts out the next year ne
will find himself with an entirely new outfit
OF workers to break in. / know OF no
greater satisfaction than to find, when you
start out ON your seasons tour, the same
working stan that you have travelled with
for years
Mrs. Faversham takes advantage Of
moment of reminiscence in which her hus-
band plunges to say:
Il like the boyish way they enjoy little
things, the zest that no hard knocks seems
able to destroy toward primitive pleasures
They don't get dissipated and their lives
away from their homes don't make them
forgetful. Occasionally / see the blond
electrician with particularly shiny eyes
and l know that his best girl is in town
or perhaps the carpenter tells me that
he's glad we are playing in New Haven
because his wife lives near and she will
bring the children to see him.
Last Christmas we were playing in
Philadelphia and was homesick and un-
happy. i wanted TO get home and could
not, and the fact that the house was sold out
for the day and night did not seem to affect
me with any special joy. 1t seemed TO
me that every human being ought to have
Christmas Day. l walked toward my
dressing room in this state Of mind and
when / opened the door l found a big
placard reading, For Mrs, Faversham,
from the Working STAFF and that explained
tho bower Of green dotted here and there
with holly and mistletoe, really an artistic
decoration into which the room had been
turned. l was ashamed. l said 20 myself
If these men-just as far away from their
homes as l am from mine-could think Of
the happiness OF others l certainly ought
not to go around with forlon face"
The sun., 1907-03-10


q leading lady in more than one meaning Of
the term. Beside being famous actress
and a beautiful woman she Ia tactful as
well. and whenever in the interview her
opinions coincide with her husbands she
has her own way and freedom OF speech;
when they do not she slips upstairs to sec
that Billy does not swallow his last three
act play.
Mr.. Faversham, unlike many Of his pro-
fession, is not eager to tell bis views on the
need Of a subsidized theatre, the Ibsen cult
or theatrical syndicates. So. instead OF a
pink tea talk, the opening sentence acte like
a cold shower bath to the sensibilities Of the
interviewer, for having played for the
third time with the baby. disposed Of some
strenuous playwrights and arranged some
domestic and dramatic details. he says.
systematically;
Stage hands and fremen are the heroes
Of America"
Before you get your breath he continues
with an absolutely primitive sincerity:
The sun., 1907-03-10

sitting shows no inclination whatever TO
move, in fact betrays by not so much as
the flicker of an eyelash any knowledge
Of even the other woman's presence in
the car, what then, does this incoming
woman do?
why, when she comes in she sits down
on the edge Of the seat in that widest space
coOlly and calmly, and as if that we're the
sort OF seat she would have selected If she
could have chosen. She Is perfectly com
Portable and at ease there, and she wouldn't
move back if she could for fear of mussing
her gown.
so she sits there not only comfort
able and at ease, but in a repressed sort
OF way, buoyant, pleased with herself
and with all the world, ignoring her next
seat sister who had failed to make room
for her as completely and absolutely as
her next seat sister had ignored her. and
accomplishing thS absolutely without os-
tentation.
"She doesn't look at the other woman,
nor over her head, nor stare straight across
at the other side of the car nor iixediy down
toward the other end, and' so she sits there,
careful only-but in this showing no sign
of oarefulness not to disturb her gown
pleased with herself and intent only on
her own thoughts, apparently without so
much as a glimmer of com ciOusness of tho
presence Of the other woman, and all this
she carries out with "a beautiful and un-
conscious perfection of detail to the final
finish.
IF the woman who had failed to make
room for her as she might have done gets
up and leaves the car before she does the
newcomer does not then settle back into
the then free SPACE Never. She con-
tinues to sit there on the edge of the seat
as she did when she first sat down. as though
that were her choice and so she sits, calm,
unruffled, pleased, bound on pleasant
errand, and when she gets up to go II is as
Nhlsrrrh har In. hot a
as though that were all she had in mind, by
the other door.
so with a woman when she encounters
another woman who declines To movo a
little and give up to her the space that
rightfully belongs to her. In sheer nerve
and absoluteness of self-cOntrol, AZ in 70
many other things, woman has man beaten
by about 700, 900 900 ldlOmetres.'
The sun., 1907-03-10

with every company and when the actors
get through and go TO their hotel to get their
rest before starting out again IL takes a
pretty Indifferent or pretty Calloused in
dividual not to have before him constantly
the comparison of his lot with that OF the
men on whose fidelity 80 much OF his success
depends.
AWhen the curtain rings down at II, then
their trouble begins. All the scenery, bit
by bit, has to be taken down and every piece
OF property has to be covered in wedding
and excelsior, if il il breakable. Some
times there will be hundreds of dollars
worth of china. glass and bric-a-brac to be
moved. After this is done 1t is placed on the
trucks and taken to the station, which may
be across town. There is no time to lOiter;
agility and carefulness are requisite quail
ties. The scenery may be on board the cars
by almost superhuman effort by half past 4
or s. and the probability is that the train
starts at 8. There ia an hour or 80 in which
they may get a cup Of coffee and a snatch of
sleep, taken wherever they can find place.
1T Is not we actors alone who appreciate
The sun., 1907-03-10

the importance OF these people; sometimes
thcy appreciate it themselves. l remember
on the occasion of the final rehearsal Of
'Aristocracy' in New York there had been a
great deal of trouble in getting things into
running order, owing TO various unexpected
complications that arose.
FINALLY all the difficulties were adjusted
and heard tired at last from Mr.. Froh-
mans lips as we sat side by side in the audi
torium. just at that moment one of the
carpenters came down the aisle and. as the
curtain slowly rose and the first syllables
fell on our waiting ears he leaned over,
tapped Mr.. Frohman on the shoulder and
said, eNultantly:
They're off, Charlie they're off,
~To return TO the working staff. The car
that leaves a station at o'clock may be duo
at the next stopping place at II. the tired
men have ridden in passenger coaches. All
very well if it was for one Journey. but when
you think that they take That kind of trip
without having had sufficient sleep al
through the rush and roar Of a season on the
road, you appreciate the lack Of complaint.
The sun., 1907-03-10

Good beef and mutton at the most trust
worthy stalls in the market bring the same
prices as are asked uptown, with the possi-
pie difference of a cent or two a pound.
Good beef usually sells for the same price.
Porterhouse and Delmonico cuts bring rs
cents down in the market just as they do
at the uptown stores.
With poultry of the highest grades, there
is much more difference in price. fowl
that costs in the uptown shops from % to %
cents, according 20 the conscience Of the pro-
prietor, will not be more than 10 cents in
the best stands in Washington Market.
That difference makes fowl weighing five
pounds cost 80 cents instead Of a dollar and
ten cents. a difference that would seem
worth while to most persons.
Capons that cost 30 cents a pound in the
uptown shops are from five to 10 cents
cheaper in the market, and ducksrange from
five to eight cents cheaper. Turkey never
goes above rs cents in Washington Market
whereas the shops in the smart nelghbor-
hoods are rarely known to ask less than ~
cents, and 30 is their usual figure.
The largest poultry dealers in the market
will deliver goods uptown on the day they
are bought. The quality Of fowls and wild
ducks bought at these places is Of course
very high. Prices for game are proper
tionateIy lower So there is an advantage
in buying fowls and game In the market.
The same Is true Of vegetables and fish.
The knowing householder who is not above
doing his own marketing at times has
learned the wisdom OF stopplnR on the
waV uptown TO buy fish for dinner. He
will get something much fresher and better
than he could have by buying uptown in
the morning and the fish will be so well
done up that nobody.-except another
purchaser in the market-will know what
he is carrying.
FISH averages from three to five cents
a pound cheaper when the best qualities
are demanded The difference between
the prices for the best fiHh uptown and down
town is very much greater when one takes
as the standard the prices OF the fish sold
on the streets outside the market. They
NAV he 10 cents a pound lower, but in
MANY cases the fish offered is high at any
cost There are times, however, when 1t
is very good.
An experienced purchaser, by picking
out the less pretentious stands at which
things are sold very cheaply, may get just
"a good IA the others offer at much less eK-
penae. This buyer will have to be eX-
Dsrienced enough to know what Ia good
and not be compelled to rely on the recon-
mendations Of the salesman.
Then there will be the necessity of carry
ing home what is bought or trusting u TO
one Of the expresses which deliver goods
for 10 cents basket to any part o. the city
south ~ Fifty ninth street. The large
fish dealers deliver TO any part of the city
and. In addition TO carrying larger variety
The sun., 1907-03-10

Il mean it and jolly we'll know what I'm
talking about in making the assertion. II
we're Roosevelt and the country should
be plunged into a war without any time for
preparation would choose some theatrical
managers for Generals, take the actors for
non-commissioned officers and the working
staff for my fighting men. Victory would
perch on the banners then.
Seriously, we hear a great deal said about
the hard life of the soldier and sailor.
They're fine men, but they aren't in it with
the men Of whom speak, for they enjoy
their sleep and their pleasures in a way
that the millionaire does not know and
could not buy, while the working staff Of a
theatre drop and rise to fight again drop and
rise, like the soldiers under Wellington.
MANY time have seen one Of these
chaps fall right down, too tired TO hold him
self erect. Often they will prop themselves
against a piece Of scenery and take the nap
that exhausted nature demands. In dark
crannes and hooks behind the scenes. are
often the only resting places they know for
days at a time.
"A working staff, as the carpenters, scene
shifters, electricians are called, travels
The sun., 1907-03-10

order by postal card from the market and
find il excellent.
IF / attempted to have such good things
and ! order what il good il not most eX-
travarant in the market-and buy them at
the prices asked in my neighborhood,
| would Toe bankrupt. The only requisite
to such satisfactory housekeeping Is
knowledge in advance OF what VIII be
needed.
instead of thinking Of the menu every day
il is only necessary to arrange the orders
for the whole week. That ia not difficult
when one is accustomed to 1t, especially at
this season Of the year when the list of
vegetables is not long one.
The most extravagant way OF living,
and one that is luckily possible 10 few per-
sons, 10 to have a steward. tie can get away
with almost as much money as his en-
ployers can provide him with.
For several years there has been seen
every day in an expensive market on Sixth
avenue a coIored man whose large orders
led a listener to suppose that he must De
the steward of some club. From the num-
ber OF chickens, the steaks and the roasts
that he called for il did not seem possible
that he could be ordering for a private
family. But he was; and all this supply
was to be eaten by five persons besides the
se.yants. , A.. ,,.,.., u.h Lo
was asked about it, ~ThaC is the steward
for a family over on the avenue. The
steward never ordsrs less than 800 a month
in vegetables and meats.
She's the best customer We have eX-
cept a lady who also lives in Fifth avenue.
With her there's only two in family, but
We never have less than $500 month for
her account"
Such reckless expenditures are Of course
possible only to the very rich, and the ser
wants who give such orders probably re-
ceive comm issons from the dealers. There
is a similar kind Of extortiOn 10 which more
modest housekeepers sometimes subject
themselves
They have a book. When the book is
complicated with the daily visit OF the
grocery boy there is no telling to what
heights the bill may soar by the end OF the
month.
The grocery boy does not of course give
commissions of money for the order
but he makes presents on behalf Of his
employer in the same way. Perfumes,
scented soaps, candy. cologne, dozen
bottles Of beer. all these are very welcome
tributes from the tradesmen To the ser
wants; and they all cost the housekeeper.
The sun., 1907-03-10

THAT opinion, too, was corroborated by
the public.
The last role / have taken was in the
translation of 'El Gran GaleotO, 10y Charles
Nerdlinger, called The World and His Wife.
which we gave before a very representative
audience in Boston. The Governor of the
State and his wife, many Of the most proml-
nent society, literary and artistic people
were there, and critics as far ated a. New
York came to hear it. During the re-
hearsal | saw some of the staff stop their
work. watched their faces and noticed
the reluctance they displayed 10 get out Of
earshot. | said to myself It's all right.
and it was so much so that it is to be added
to the T pertoire next year.
Criticism does not necessarily imply a
groundwork of solid fact, for occasionally
their comments are very amusing. One
of them asked Forbes Robertson recently il
Hamlet was written for him"
The sun., 1907-03-10

than the uptown dealers offer. sell at prices
ranging from 3 to 10 cents pound
lower.
More striking even than in the case Of
sea food is the difference in the price OF
vegetables between the markets and the
uptown stores.
II have come TO the conclusion a house
keeper said. that it would be impossible
for me to keep house If l were compelled
to buy at the uptown markets in my neigh
borhood I order twice a week from Wash
ington Market.
paid 20 cents a head for rOmaine. Down
town l get six heads Of exactly the same
salad, and il possible fresher and fuller for
so cents Washington Market is therefore
a necessity to me-"
So it is in a way to most persons who are
in the habit of making their purchases
there II they are inpelled 70 do u from
motives Of economy The cost OF all vege-
tables is about in the proportion OF the
figures cited here. -,
Oyster plant costing in the high priced
uptown stores 20 OF at the lowest 10 cents
bunch sells down there at the rate OF three
punches for a quarter. Mushrooms that
cost uptown $50 pound rarely go
above IS cents I'm the market. Ihere are
mushrooms to be had uptown at that price,
but they are not the best and SO cents
means the highest quality.
In dairy products the same advantage
When eggs-the quality was in both cases
the same-were selling uptown At 30 cents
a dozen, they cost only IS in the best OF
che diaries. The finest sweet butter never
goes above 38 cents in the market and
Is often cheaper. The same quahty up
town is never less than 90 cents pound.
These are about the usual differences in
price that always obtain between the up
town establishments and those in the
market. There is the inconvenience, though,
that the dealers in dairy products do not
deliver goods.
Let one housekeeper tell her story OF the
downtown marketing.
Il have a family of two, she said, that
never sits down at any meal without one
or two guests Then / have two servants.
Like all persons who live in apartments
have very little room for storing anything,
30 / must buy in small quantities.
Il send my order for vegetables down
every week. That il on Friday II is de-
livered 60 me on Saturday. 1t includes
ALWAYS mushrooms and some fruit, and 10
never has yet exceeded $3.50. That means
all the vegetables for the week
Il order my fowls by telephone OF postal
and once a month put in an appearance at
the market in order TO show that am not
negligent When a thing has not been
good, complaint by letter rectifies IL
Immediately. q
Poultry I order in the same way. 7 find
in both Of these items a great saving and
a quality superior 90 the average uptown
market and as good as the best
Meats order uptown, as there Ia really
no difference Of a decided character in
the prices and am not willing TO buy meat
without . personal inspection. Fish
The sun., 1907-03-10

The criticism of the working staff on
the production" continues Mr. Faversham,
-s usually just one ! know that | always
wait for it with great deal OF anxiety
for it represents 10 me the criticism of the
man in the audience who pays IS cents or a
81 for his seat, and il is that man who is
the backbone of the theatre.
When Lord and Lady Algy' was re-
hearsed there was no dissenting voice
among them. Each in turn came and said:
Mr.. Faversham, that plays a peach.
You're all right in it. It's winner
"They were right; it was and still is, for
that matter.
But when with the same eagerness I
watched for their expressions of good will
in regard to 'Elizabeth's Prisoner play
on which I had placed some slight hope,
all I could get from them was:
It's pretty little play, MIR. Faversham.
Nothing more.
The sun., 1907-03-10
Woul,In't interrupt tho NrEumcnt
From the NGshiNe Banner

justice are administered by judge Edwards
who is also az enthusiastic farmer one
cloudy spring NternoOn court wgs convened
TO try "a peculiarly tOTtuOus aud rPri!C Ning
case. Judge Edwards listtucd with GROWN
unrest. lie was observed at last to seize a
slip Of paper. scribble few words. place the
document beneath heavy paperweight aud
reach for bis hat
"Cartain," he called cheerily. excuse me
fur inteTruptin' you, sub, YOU go right on
with your argument, which is a darnCd good
one. It's suah gon' TO rain this evening,
gentlemen, an ! got TO set out my pota tOea
right away, But yCu 40 right on, Captain
When you an the Major get thru you all II
find my decision under this heah paper
weight"
The door closed upon an astODished orator.
The sun., 1907-03-10
ENGLISH .AHIABJLITY.
An Accusation Of GrumpIncss When TraVeS'
Hing Pronounced Unjust.


Listen TO this.' exclaimed a woman
who has travelled all over her own country
and Europe These purport to be words
of wisdom from the lips Of a Phiadelphian;
~'You may travel a thousand miles on
a railway in Europe ha says, end never
a man will open his mouth to speak
to you if you are a stranger. For a total
freezeout | accord the palm to the Eng
lish.'
"Of course" continued the woman, II
don't pretend to know the reason Of this
discrimination but l wouldn't say too
much about it. 1t almost seems pointed.
AS "a matter of fact the English are de-
cidedly friendly to fellow travellers. In
their own country they respond so quickly
to any courteous advance that they seem
to have been waiting for you to make it.
Il have travelled hundreds Of miles
on English railways. Whenever / have
shown the slightest inclination TO lay aside
my Own reserve found the English ready
TO meet me more than half way. l have
heard plenty Of Americans tell Of having
the same experience.
when il comes to explaining any OF
their customs, AZ, for instance, the luggage
system, they are 80 patient and kindly
that l confess To n sort of shanefaoed
wonder when / remember how brutaHy
sophisticated.
"As for the English whom one rleets on
the Continent-or at any rate the Engliah
] have met on the Continent-I wouIdn't
ask for peasanter travelling ac1ualntanoes.
80 faT as my observation goes the Americans
were much more stiff and awkward about
breaking the ice than the English were.
"Of course one doesn't expect that Eng
lish fashOnableS are going 20 have much
TO do with strangers, any more than we
would expect our own society folk 10 play
the bon ami to people whose only claim 10
notice may be that they are sitting in the
same parlor car. Maybe the Philadelphia
tragellsr made up to the big swells. with or
without knowing it, and was therefore con-
sidered to show a manner, as he says.
reeking with effrol.e-J-'
Il once had reason to suspect a very
amiabls English dame. who shared our
compartment for several hours, Of being
a. dLCAe ess. But it was balm TO my soul 70
remember that 1t was she who spoke first
The sun., 1907-03-10
ECONOMY In MARKETING.
MONEY SAVED By THE HOUSE.
kEEPER DOWNTOEN.

Prices Lower Than In the DtOwn shops for
Many hlnds OF Prov IslOns But the
shopper I'm the Market Must Know How
10 Buy-When the Servants Bay.
One Of the first impulses of the New York
housakeeper who wants to reduce expenses
Is TO investigate the markets. The usual
opinion is that they are cheaper than the
FETAL shops uptown.
Some Of the largest dealers in the markets
have large trade with persons who never
come to their stalls. The trading is con-
Quoted altogether by telephone or by the
mail. Orders may be given once week or
twice week
That there is undoubted economy in
buying certain things in, say, Washington
Market. and that they are Of excellent
quality there is no question. The difficulty
with the housekeeper who lives in an apart
ment is the lack Of space for storing pro-
visions.
The ideal way of shopping in Washington
Market was the style that prevailed several
years ago before any Of the dealers there
delivered their goods Then the house
wife took her maid and her market basket
and EcIght what she wanted for two days
or three and had the advantage OF buying
things very cheaply and getting them home
without any trouble. Now that style OF
marketing has all but died out.
To buy goods Of the best quality in Wash
lngton Market one must pay prices that
are not much lower as a rule than the mod
crate priced retailers charge. Even the
highest prices are very much lower than
the so-called fancy shops uptown ask.
Meats show the slightest variation in
pricc and for the best quality there il only
avery small difference in prices. II people
tell you that they bought the best chickens
IN the market for 10 cents pound do not
neleve them. The fowls sold for 10 cents
are not worth any more. The same holds
rue ~ most OF the cheap meat sold there.
II not Of the best quality.
Only mex perienced housekeepers buy il.
They ara surprised at its price, because
meat Of this quality is never shown 10 them
~ the butcher shops uptown. They think
very cheap, and suppose the price due to
me fact that il is bought in a market.
Experience soon teaches them that meat
u this quality 10 not cheap at any prics.
The sun., 1907-03-10
STRENUOUS FAVERSHAM LIFE.
UTRE SOT W VAN" TALKS OF
>TtGE HANDS AND CRITICISM

Uuh Interruptions From Mrs julie Opp
Ta,erSham and Bills EaNerSham
-?ralse for the Wording stan as the
Wen WhO Really Make the Play.
II Is said that a Boston girl, who was
abroad last summer. travelled down to
ChddlrJfod, SuTr1y. the vacation home
or William Faversham, with letters of
Introduction and well defined picture OF
him IN her mind sitting in a rose garden,
s,pping nectar with an adoring following
cf femininity to pick up his handkerchief
when he dropped it.
She found the lord of the manor house,
n Is true, but not in the picturesque garb
she had dreamed of. Instead, she was