The San Francisco call., 1909-03-14

heayenward IN series OF jerks. For
few moments you gaze upon a second
curtain which depicts Columbus.
supported by a palm tree and sur
rounded by crowd OF ladies and gen
tlemen to whom he is reading some
thing Of a holy nature. A few pink
savages, creeping down through the
bushes behind, seem to have been sud
denly halted in their evil intentions,
and have stopped, in the very act of
springing to listen. Then the au-
dience begins to clap and stamp its feet
and the orchestra rushes in from the
street where 1T has been holding one
Of those interminable, and apparently
violent, Latin arguments with the box
office. If the orchestra doesn't appear
right away. the stage manager, scene
shifter, impersenator Of parts, the yer
liable deus eX machina of the show,
comes out and whistles for it. The
orchestra responds rapidly. settles it
self on the piano stool and begins to
play. Every one Shoes every one else
to silence; Columbus and party dis
appear above and to the strains of
the washington Post" or the High
School Cadets" very soft, the play be-
gins. Sometimes, on Sundays or hol-
idays, there are mandolins and guitars
too. But these are gratuitous, so they
play when they feel like it and come
and go as they will. Only the piano is
bound to remain.
Every day there is printed on a sheet
Of wrapping paper and pasted outside
an outline Of the play for the night. 1t
reads about like this:
"Tonight-Ruggiero having been
overcome by a terrible storm, is sepa-
rated from Claudiana. He is cast up
on the shores Of Sicily. where he wan
ders for three days without food, suf-
fering frightful torments" The wrap
ping paper getting scarce, the remain
der is in less detail. Attack by pi-
rates. Rescue of Claudiana. Meeting
with Rudolfo. etc"
With a rattle Of his great sword, all
his armor clanking wildly, valiant
little knight is jerked upon the stage.
Sometimes he comes flashing in in mid
air, but it isn't easy when you weigh
30 pounds and are managed entirely
from above by a man who stands on a
shelf and jerks you about by an iron
rod from the middle of your head and
cord from each arm. Ruggiero not only
walks but makes gestures while he
goes-beautiful, emotional Latin ges-
lures. He throws out his little jointed
arms, he beats his little tin breast, he
settles his helmet, he whips out his
sword and brandishes IL. 1t is no easy
lnlnS 10 De Sfdcelul ana emotional on
three strings, especially when all those
men leaning forward in their chairs,
silent, intent, know every word that
you should say, Just what you ought
to do. and when you make the slightest
mistake they hiss and call you names.
just as IL It were your fault and not
that of the man on the shelf So
sometimes. Ruggiero being dependent
on the powers above, doesn't make quite
such a graceful entrance as he might
and has to be sat down on the shores
of Sicily or Africa with a thud that
makes him rattle like case of loose
hardware. And sometimes when he
has killed a lot of wicked black
heather, and has become very much
excited and his valiant defense Of the
holy sepulcher has proved too much
for his anatomy, large, hairy hand
descends from above, shakes the small
fire eater, and removes him TO more
peaceful regions by the spike of his
helmet.
Uniess you know the stories # is