The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-14
Travellers Tales

Years ago" said the aged traveller
as he leaned over the hotel counter in
the main office and placed his name on
the register II used to know Ray Beale.
He wasn't a hotel clerk then, he was
theatrical man, but he was no actor.
| He was in advance of James owen
O'Connor, the alleged actor who used
to play or play at Shakespearian roles.
Ray was with the show a part of the
time, for 1t played from one to three
night stands. Whenever the company
appeared in town for three nights in
succession Ray was called in to take
tickets and act as advertising man.
O'ConnOr used to carry a wire netting
that he strung from the proscenium
down to the floor Of the stage. This
was to save himself and company from
vegetables, eggs that were over ripe,
etc, and even with this the actor sell
dom escaped. There was more fun
than tragedy in the tragedies that he
played but even at that he made some
money. Mr.. Beale was exceedingly in
terested in his star He had faith in
him, and he imagined that O'Connor
was the greatest living tragedian in
the whole world. He was so impressed
with the ability of James owens work
that he could not keep from talking
about him. when he was back with
the show" said the traveller, lit was
part Of Rays duties to call on the
newspap ers in an endeavor to secure
a good write up of the performance of
the night before, and he met me at the
hotel one morning and asked me to go
with him to the newspaper offices. l
went. Ray approached the city editor,
shook hands in a friendly manner and
here is about the conversation heard
Mr.. Beal-'Did you hear Mr.. O'Con-
nor in Hamlet last night, Mr.. City Ed
itor?'
No, was too busy
| al am sorry, for they do say that
| Mr.. O'Connor plays the part of the
crazy Dane even better than the au-
thor himself did" And to this day Ray
wonders why the newspaper man
chuckled.
Alex Curry, banker, mill-owner and
| land owner Of the town of Sharon, was
| in the city for several days last week
visiting his friends, attending the Ma
sonic and Elks meetings and looking
after business. The boys about town
call him the Rose of Sharon" for he
thinks that Sharon is the greatest town
on the map of North Dakota. He is a
Scotchman, but has lived in North Da-
kota so long that he looks just like the
rest of the natives. He is an old bach
elor, for the little god of love has never
even managed to give him so much as
a jab. He is the youngest man for his
age in the state and is proud of it. In
speaking Of his home town he says
Sharon is the flower of the valley,
| the bright gem of the whole of North
Dakota. We are doing we'll up our way.
There are lots of buildings going up all
over the little town and we are improv-
ing the place every day. Sharon isn't
the biggest town in the state, but we
have enterprise, are willing to spend
| our money to see the town and coun-
| try about US prosper and you can take
1t from me that she's growing There
| is every indication that we will have a
good crop this fall for the wheat al
ready looks good, and this kind of good
warm weather is just the thing that is
needed now. Yes, we could use some
more rain but it isn't needed very
| much. Have travelled a good deal over
| the state In the past few weeks and ]
find good reports from everywhere"
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