The San Francisco call., 1908-04-05


on something new. Until then we had
done 1.-The regulation song and dance,
the uniform three steps backward at
the end Of each verse and then the
dance. gesturing more or less grace
fully meantime with outstretched arms.
You recall how il was done. Remember
-Delehanty and Hengler, the latter the
father of the Hengler sisters. They
Were the aristocrats in this line Of
work and their salary was $3.50 a week
for the team. That was, in those days,
fabulous
But our conversational stuff brought
attention TO as and finally the height of
our ambition was realized. Tony Pas
tor wanted US, and the salary was $50
a7week for the two of US. We were
getting on in the world. But my part
ner died in 1882, and that was the end.
1 thought OF my fine things.
'ffoey. was. my. next partner, and we
were together for II years During
that time our professional association
was made even closer by our marrying
sisters Minnie and Helena French.
am tiie only survivor Of that happy
quartet. Minnie. who was my wife.
PLAYED ipgenue and kid parts. Both
We're dancers. as no doubt yon remem-
bcfs Hoyt had written but one play,
The Bunch of Keys when / suggested
TO hiip that he expand our sketch The
Book Agent into three act play. He
did, SO and The Parlor Match was the
result. We played IL $500 times. Inc
Corker and Old Hoss are now traditions
Of -the American stage.
.Nould the play go now2" / asked.
TT most certainly would; but / have
no heart TO try IT.. The success Of those
days was the result OF hard work,
young spirits and ambition. 1 have not
the &c to tackle IL anew. even If
there were not sentimental reasons for
keeping it in lavender.
.sit is a fact well known that none
Of 95byt's PLAYS were successful in re-
hearsaL though bis central ideas were
great. Think them over and tell me if
anybody Is evolving such plays now; /;
but they had TO be worked out, and
that took energy and youth ] believe
that The Psrlor Match is right up to
dste this minute. The only changes
which time would impose on it TO
make IL go now would be the interpola-
tion- Of new specialties which. some-
how, or other, ali OF 15oyts plays ex-
cepf The Texas Steer easily permit
Their fun and satire, as created by
Ifoyt are not of this year or last. They
are perennial But / do not expect
ever again to play in The Parlor
Match which is the only Hoyt piece
] ever did. Maybe after I have fin
isI3ed my act and the curtain is rung
do7vn. some one else may find a Hoey
and revive the original tramp and the
book agent
after Hoey's death I went to New
York and rebuilt the old Park theater
and called it the Herald Square There
we produced Belasco's Heart Of Mary
land for the first time; DeKoven's Rob
Roy and French Maid Then man.
aged Frank Mayo, with whom, years
before, 1 had made my debut. His ca
reer in Puddinhead Wilson was cut
short by death In 1896. as you know
We would have made fortune out of
IL had he lived
and the house was quiet. There was a
rap on our door and Mrs. Evans en-
tered
This is my wife" said he "She was
.seye- vjtb Oavid Warfield in The ASs-
.Soneer' 1--WE years or so ago.. Her name
flfena was Miss Helena Phillips, the
same -as it is on our bills this week at
the. Orpheum ia It's Up TO You. Viii
Ham.' You surely remember her
<I've been listening next door," said
she with charming smile, and /
thought If you were going TO tell the
story Of your entire life I'd go and get
something to cat and come back in
time for the show tonight"
Wen go together" said Evans, and
IL was curtain" for the interview with
the book agent" who has seen much of
The unhappiness of life, but who has
kept his spirit of fun and good cheer
intact.
Oh yes: there was something he told
me which he asked me TO publish. IT
WAS about his sketch ITS Up to You,
William. Evans says wherever he
goes critics find in his sketch proof
that many = three act play may be con-l