Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-03-04


prosperity sack, and a Nickelodeon
Syndicate came along and bought out
the lease underneath his contract
and put him and his splendid troupe
on the streets. He had played night.
ly through stress and storm OF the
panic and met all bills, bill posters
Included, for six weeks. and was sail
ing into glorious calm and peace
ful sea OF theatrical success. where
he could see himself ranking up With
the Frohmans and Belascos. when In
an evil moment he chartered the
Grand opera house for a week. The
first two nights "Pinafore" was pu1
on with home talent. and his houses
looked like the widely separated
twinkting stars on a moonlit night
chair occupied mainly with comps.
Next night he gracefully gave way
TO Tom Richardson and Prof Hawley
and cheerfully paid his artists, Thurs
Iday the Elks who were his particular
long suit, as he is one OF them, all
packed up and went to Portland with
their wives or without them. and all
poor Harry Van had left was Friday
and Saturday nights, with a big dis
oontented pay roll. BY this time he
had hit the bottom OF his bank ac-
count, and II Col. olmsted and Frank
ralkington had not bought tickets
by the hundred untll they were black
In the face, and gave them 10 their
hired hands and friends and thus
filled the house when the weather
was bad and the financial skies were
hlled with mud and II rained dead
dogs and stacks OF black cats on the
head OF poor old Harry.
So Harry got out OF town with his
rebelllous troupe OF performers.
whom he had only been able 20 holl
together with lariats and by keeping
their baggage checks tightly locked
In his grip. But he paid every bill
in the Capital City. and when he
landed In independence for a one
night stand he ran slap-bang into a
convention OF the Knights OF Pythias,
and Manager Moore opened his heart
and gave the key OF his safe 10
Harry and told him TO help himself,
and II didn't take very much to
shove his company along TO Dallas,
and there he struck n double dose
OF Rebekahs and a skating rink COM
bination. with free moving picture
show thrown in and Il was all up
with Harry. He threw up his hands.
He could abdloate for booster
meeting. He could get out OF tho
way for "Plnafore." but when Il came
TO bucklng the Rebekahs and the
skating rink and the Passion Play all
at once. he made up his mind that
his theatrical career was ended and
took 90 the deep blue woods. He
said. call me peek-a-boo Van, whistle
10 me as you would 10 your pet
collie and I'll come with my tail be-
tween my legs. but don't call me tho
Frohman OF the Willamette valley
circuit, Dick Madison and the Dallas
hotel people gave him the freedom
Of the city. saw that all the BILLS
were squared, and the Harry Van
Stock company disbanded.
Harry disbanded himself, rubbed
the charcoal. paint and face grease
on his noble countenance and again
appears In the form OF neatly
dressed knight OF the grip. travel
ling for a Portland mineral water
house in the dry counties OF the
sate. His leading lady. an actress
of unusual merit and who captured
the hearts OF hundreds OF Salem peo-
pile and any number OF men were
ready TO follow her out OF town but
for the fact that her husband Il a
stalwart orchestra director at Port
land--wlll TO get our breath before
this sentence Is too long. she has
dofed her wig OF yellow eurls. and
gone onto the Lyric stage at Port
land. His leading man Mortimer has
had all kinds OF positions offered I
him. and on top OF IL all Harry has !,
squared Il all with hls wife ana /
promised never 10 do II again. II
his friends will forgive him he says
he will try 10 lead sober and vftu-