Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-17


heading of Falsely Accused by the carpenter
That is to say, it melodrama the most sensa-
honal character and its and incidents were put
the stage with lavish to detail and dis
regard of expense which had insured the pays instant
success in all the larger English towns
In one scene there real water, and real man
got thrown into it. and nightly hundreds ladies and
gentlemen in the gallery whose personal acquaintance
with water of the limited character shrieked
in ecstasy to the fluid in being upon the
stag There a real pack of hounds there were
three real racehorses, which, though they would now
have been hard put galop couple of rongs at any
decent speed yet looked splendid behind the footights
three real professional boxers for the great nterna
tonal Boxing Club scene travelled with the company,
and belabored each other nightly In word there was
not more up-to-date drama" the road than "A Life
of Sport
lighters the human artists of the company all tried
and known actors and provincial favortes.
Mr. Reginald Brendon, the leading gentleman, who
play-d Lord Ascot very great person indeed.
He did mix very much with the company except at
rehearsas and was generally staying expensive hotels
surrounded with the smart friends with whom he lived
his jolly, easy-going life.
To the company, Mr.. Brendon was awful and unap-
proachable. He carelessly goodnatured and gen
orally had word of greeting for everybody, especially
the ladies of the company. But let anything 60 wrong
and the urbane smiling gentleman became very differ
ent person indeed as the stage manager twice
had reason to know.
The leading lady, Miss Muriel Webb received four
pounds ten week for her services. The heavy man,
Mr. York HowardLancaster received the same princelv
The heavy lady, Miss Constance Beaufort Somer-
set dropped ten shings in the scale, her emolument
being just four pounds After that the salaries of the
large cast became anything between three pounds
ten and twenty-five shi1lings.
Mr. Reginald Brendon known to take thirty
pounds weekly regularly from the treasury then to
share the remaining profit with his mysterious PACKERS
in London.
There was only other person in the company who
really received anything like decent salary and that
was MIR. William Woopledorf, the principal comedian
He was wealthy in the ga Life of Sport" COM
pany with his ten pounds to draw every treasury.
One morning, about o'clock Mr. William Woople-
dorf left the in the theatrical quarter of Mid
chester where he staying and began walk slowly
toward the theatre, quarter of mile distant.
He turned down the shabby little by-street rejoicing
in the of Paradise place" and reached the
great main artery of Market street.
Everywhere the flaming posters of "a Life of Sport"
met his eye He the gallant Lord Ascot (fr Regi-
maid Brendon) showing the beautiful Miss de We're
Ffolliott miss Murel Webb the kennels at the
castle while he himself in the person of Simpson stood
by smiling dressed extraordinary combination Of
and valet, with flavor of the circus clown at
home.
Mr. Woopedorf glanced at of these pictures and
sighed heavily. He had himself Created the part of
Simpson, and knew it of his most successful
representations In almost every situation Lord Ascots
private attendant appeared in the guse of de-
ective, now of sporting of groom, trainer