Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-03-13
BERT LESLIE TRANSLATES HIMSELF
He Is at the Orpheum This Week
STRAIGHT

for the stage 1t was born in me,
= l dare say, but at any rate it was
not to be ignored nor stif1ed. About
sixteen years ago-it was in Chicago
4 went to work for Leonard, who
was Lillian Russell's father l used
to run one of his Gordon presses, and
was learning to be a printer. My
people got the job for me. They
thought l had an earning capacity.
Father was not wealthy. On the
contrary, he was poor; and every lit
tie bit helped in those days. l had
been given the regulation poor mans
boys education, but not as much OF
it as | could easily have used; still,
enough to help me over the morning
papers and the latest best seller"
With such an equipment of learn
ing l went to work for Leonard, but
soon had a chance to better myself.
l was offered a job at the printing
concern of John Morris company and
was put to work on a paper-ruling
machine.
was not complete success.
Sometimes l forgot the paper and
the little pens that were stripping 1t,
and the foreman observed that l was
more interested in working out new
steps in dancing or in whistling a
new tune than in attending to busi-
"A L
understand that there would be
reckoning day when the pay checks
were passed around, and there al
ways was. They used to charge me,
somewhat unfeelingly, l should say,
for the paper which l had inaceu-
rateiy ruled and which was ruined
by my inattention. Art and COM
merce used to mingle in my pay en-
velope. Art was represented by bills
for destroyed materials. and COM
merce in the small remainder that
was left me for my work.
The billboards announced to my
interested gaze the coming of the
Hyde speciality company. That was
something which, of course, / must
see. They opened at a matinee and
| the place was the Olympic theater.
/ didn't dare to tell the family of my
plans, but on the morning of the
eventful day / took my lunch as
usual in my little basket and started
ostensibly for the shop, but in reality
for the water front, where / idled
the forenoon away in anticipation
of the afternoon treat that was COM
ing. ! forgot to think about the job
and ate my sandwich at noon with
a peaceful and undisturbed con-
science. At / o'clock sharp l was at
the doors of the theater and waited
at the portals like a suppliant at
heavens gates. Everything comes to
an end, and so did my waiting. At
80 was high in the gallery and on
a level with my spirits.
The show was great and l enjoyed
1t hugely. Then / started home 1t
was a little after the usual hour
when I arrived at the family en-
trance. l rang my way in.
As soon as my mother saw me she
shrieked and threw herself into my
arms, crying and sobbing and calling
me my precious boyl" My brothers
crowded around and wrung my
hands and there was more emotion
exhibited over me than ever there
was before or will be again. l
couldn't understand 1t. Had they all
gone mad?
How did you get out?" my mother
sobbed.
"Get out of where?" I asked.
"Out of the shop, of course" said
she.
Then ] found out.
There had been an explosion at the
Morris company's establishment. A
boiler had not been able to contain
itself and had ripped open with fatal
results to many in the place and
serious results to all. My post of
duty was in the rear of the building.
Within a radius of fifty feet of
where / must have been standing,
had / been at work, no man or boy
escaped with his life.