Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-02-08

ton of scenic pieces, he sat in a rock
ing chair placed about midway of the
parquette. This rocker was removed
from that position when the theater
was re-modelled, and il afterwards
played an important part in the writ.
er's life.
SOME NOTABLE STARS.
Modjeska. Booth, the elder Sothern.
Langtry, Barrett, Katherine Rogers
but no, l will not write the well-known
lists. saw all the stage celebrities
of that day. From the paint gallery
one looked down, as IL We're, upon them,
And besides the actors and actresses
of fame, ] recall the silvery voice of
the Hon. Mrs, Yelverton; the younger
Charles Dickens, reading from the
works of the wonderful father; Oscar
Wilde, in his medieval suit. Petro-
leum V. Nasbey, Stephen Maissett'
woodruff of free love fame, and the
rich tenor tones of that marvellous de-
claimer, the unfortunate Walter Mont
gomery. But some of these arc almost
forgotten.
"Life's but walking shadow, poor
player
That struts and frets his hours upon
the stage.
And then is heard no more!"
There are strange echoes that llnger
amid he cid theater walls. The UNI
used paint gallery was very still
place deserted and shadowy. too,
when the writer sat there few days
ago The sun was low in the west.
One could well imagine that he saw
there. the indistinct forms of scene
painters that once We're. on that gall
lery worked theSclder Morris. Methua,
Tirrell. DE la Harpe, Kirkham, Tryon,
and others. 1t was easy too, leaning
over the gallery edge, TO imagine Il long
procession. The stage was dim, the
side wings dark with the coming night.
There seemed TO pass, from gloom to
gloom, a motley crowd. What shades
of genius! Macbeth as he strobe along,
mouthed out the words:
And all our yesterdays have lighted
fools
The road to dusty death"
Yes, but there also. We're the good;
there, also. were the gentle and the
brave.
THE HOME or GHOSTS.
Ghosts? Yes. there wero few
ghosts going around loose IN the early
days. A theater is as good as "A castle
for ghosts! Those back stairs, those
galleries-both above ana below the
stage--the green room, all those were
night-lf the poor scene-painter was
compelled to work, TO be ready for n
first presentation on the following
Monday. OF some scenic production
how still and gloomy was that hollow
buildingl What strange shadows We're
thrown by the suspended, coal-ol
lamps. NO street ears passed by In
those days, the theater was quite lone
ly. What strange noises were made by
the micel One could not think that the
little scamperlng feet would make
such echoes as they did The night
watchmen, who .irsi guarded the build
ing told me strange tales They had
heard ghostly players on the stage. the
moving of scenery. and the sounds of n
phantom prompter's whistle. Jokes,
say YOU? Very well. But l was young
ana the solitude made one half believe.
II was by that pillar there, In the CEN
ter OF the first balcony that an apart
ton was seen. The whiteheaded man
who told me about i'll have never
knewn him 10 tell me a lie. He was Tho
one who saw II and called out from tho
deserted stage, and saw II melt away.
Anyhow 1t was down those winding
stairs that old gentleman Prof. TUT
lidge. the music arlnnger and copyist,
fell headlong and was killed lie had
peculiar ways, had Prof. Tullidge, and
would have made capital ghost
With what measured steps no would
come up the gallery stairs. advance
slowly and offer the ne-nainter a
pinch OF snuif. If his shade, now
should como along and offer one again
a pinch from that quaint old box
what would one do? You see a young
man could be quite nervous, alone al
night In place like that.