The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-06-19

THE next time make q contract with
a manager 1t will be with the stipulation
that I'm not to appear in any part In
which l have to smoke" said william
lngersoll, as he came of the stage after
one OF his scenes In Rallies" at Keiths 3
yesterday afternoon. throwing a cigar
cite disgustedly away, and setting his
heel upon IL to emphasize his remark
And cigarettes. too. Cigars or pipe
are bad enough. but ciga arettes---" He
left the sentence unfinished as IL his dis
gust checked his eloquence.
Don't you smoke at ALP" inquired
Never. That is. except when I'm
playing a part that requires me to- The
is to smoke, and look as II | enjoyed IL.
1t reminds me-" he went on, with one OF
his characteristic sunny smiles. his good
nature returning, as II always does.
quickly, "of once when | was playing in
Brother Officers. One of my lines was
Why, l can't even smoke like a gentle
man. Some friends OF mine we're sitting
down, near the front, and when they
heartily that ii broke me all up and l
almost forgot my lines"
He laughed heartily as he spoke, and
there was q boyish infectious quality to
his laughter that made his listeners Join
him, just as one grows serious and
thoughtful in spite of ones self, when
his honest, candid. blue eyes look direct
ly and steadfastly into those OF the per-
son to whom he is speaking. when he dis
cusses some serious subject If one were
to ask what are William Ingersolls most
striking personal attributes one would
unhesitatingiy say his eyes. his smile and
his unassuming naturalness. Before Mr..
Ingersoll became an actor he was stu
dent OF mining engineering out In Colo
RADIO. Guess I never would have been
a mining engineer. though, he admitted
uyba ntl
life
Il was too young to have any serious
thoughts about life or the future. / just
took things as they came and enjoyed the
present My brother Frank was out there
and when left school In Lafayette, Ind;
whore my home was, went out TO Colo
rado to Join Frank and while I was there
/ studied at the School OF Mines for two
years. | had some jobly times during
those years living most OF the time under
the open ARA life that no boy with the
blood of youth in his veins could fail to
enjoy"
How did you happen to become an
actor" asked for from studying mining
engineering 10 the stage seemed long
jump.
Just one of those little twists of the
wheel OF fate that molds all lives. i
never had been stage struck at all. and
hadn't the vaguest idea OF ever going on
stage people-my father was a physician.
used TO go 90 the theatres occasionally
with the other boys. and when We got
home / was always the one to tell father
and mother about a. My brother always
insisted that ought to be an actor. Well,
when we were at Colorado, three other
fellows and myself had quartette and
used 10 sing a lot--just for our own
amusement A music teacher OF the town
was giving an amateur performance OF
The Pirates OF Penzance.' his Ispils 10
ke part. He happened to hear our
quartette sing and asked us II we didn't
want 20 sing in the chorus. We went In
and rchearsed several nights. when ten
DAYS before the performance, the fellow
who was 10 play the major general had
business call TO Leadville. and they urged
me 20 take the role. That ten days look
ed pretty short then--if we had ten days
to get up in a par row we'd th-S H
"Ans what b<xss seked. as the
speaker paused. as II at the finish OF his
story.
"well. after that" he continued.
Brother Frank was sure ought to be
an actor Guess part OF his conviction
came from the fact that he knew | never
would be a good mining engineer. SO
came East. 60 Boston. where I started In
he super room. moving on 10 the utility
room, then to
The super room'7 the utility room p
/ repeated wonderingiy. II don't under
stand"
In the old Boston museum The aress-