The San Francisco call., 1908-04-26

tain pen A very cultured lady
from Boston told me. First you
u grip the pen carefully but very
firmly between the forehnger
and thumb Of your right hand. Be sure
you have it securely. Then Jump in g
tub Of ink"
The entrance of Francis Wilson could
not have been arranged better if it had
been q comic opera and he, as of yore,
the real low down comedian, for he
was bathed in ink from a pesky pen
which had leaked he told me, in a most
cowardIy, runaway fashion, when he
wasn't looking, and the only man in
the Fairmont lobby who would relieve
the comedian of the daubed up barrel
was the negro porter 10 whose COM
plexion q little more or less OF black
would make no particular difference
The greeting was so cordial, and the
personality OF the veteran laugh
builder so delightful that I regretted
I had brought a subject which was
bursting for explanation about Wilson
and domestic scandal Wilson ratified
on. so delightfully."- about everything in
the world but the topic of my story
that lost heart and saved IT up for an
exit. What was the use, / thought,
Of Injecting scandal and domestic trib-
uiations into so friendly a meeting: so
while he ruefully wiped his inky hands
on q third pocket handkerchief. I put
the Principal Subject away for the
hnish
What do you want me to talk
sbouty' he inquired genially. dis
sembled and said: Let's make it Err
minie.'"
oh. -Erminier Well when every
body thought the piece was worn out
and 1T for the shelves OF oblivion. I
bought the American rights to it for
$4,000 aud I still hold them. Whenever
'Erminie' is played 1 get 5000 a week
il 1 find it out You viii be shocked
I know, but accept my word for it that
there are dishonest men. and many
Of them, IN the theatrical business who
do not hesitate to play at being grown
Up pirates. They never seem TO have
grown out Of their boyhood days when
playing pirates was thrilling game
with a finish on mothers knee
But you want to know about the
old. old players of that Erminie' crowd?
III tell you. and brag little into the
bargain. for I remember the date Of
the initial American performance. It
IS one OF the few dates besides the
fourth Of July and Christmas which I
DO recall
The place was the Casino, New York.
and the time May 90, 1856. The man
azer was Rudolph Aaronson, who loved
dearly to vex ,his soul and everybody
else's. too. If there were two ways to
do a thing-one easy and right, the
other dihacult and wrong-ne would
worry his system and choose the hard
way. He would take it because it was
slippery and then he'd get mad when
he encountered the inevitable splinters.
So he worked himself out of the Casino
and is now writing for money and oc-
casionaIly getting hddlers from abroad
TO come over and play for US.
TRAINED FOR CAREER
Il was trained for dramatic ca
reer." Wilson went on without dream
ing Of the real nature of my scandal
disclosing errand- ''oh, but you want
me TO finish about 'Erminie.'
The original Ravennes was william
Dabon. He was. am afraid. triie de-
mented, but he was q gentleman all the
same and the best Ravennes that ever
was. He was a college graduate, re-
fined but masculine. and delightful
companion until his malady made him
otherwise and he left the company. He
was q nervous wreck, but oddly enough
he was the victim Of the inventive OBJ
session. and more oddly STILL he in
vented switch for railway tracks
which I was told was a remarkable de-
vice. On the stage. however, his hand
some person. pleasing personality and
delightful voice won the honors of the
production easily and left me with the
also rams 7 do not suppose 1 need 10
tell you that 1 was cadeaux. or Caddy,'
as the part was oftener called. al
ways loved the role. It has been a
favorite with plays~rights ever since
David and Jonathan was story. Only
tn the ibretto which Edward Paulton
gave to Jaeobowski to be made into
,Ernlinie. the characters OF Ravennes
and cadeaux are the limit of contrast
between the refined. polished and edu-
GATED gentleman and the rough, un-
south and ignorant follower who loves
Rswennes for the possession of those
uraces to which his nature is q
stranger. They are no Damon and Pyth-
las comrades and companions 'caddy'
is just a poor. ignorant boor. devoted
soul and body TO the interests of Ra-