The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-27

and not knowing that he was dealing
"a to put him into the pillion of chains.
Then she shoots him. There is much
! action and many loud cries in the play
let
Dear Old Den Thompson.
Not many of this generation can
drift back in memory to the time when
Denman Thompson made his debut in
TYron 8 circus, in New England, but
if there are any, it is possible that they
will carry vivid recollection of red
haired youngster who looked after the
props" and took part in the arena
as an acrobat. This red headed boy,
white of hair and stopping of shoul-
ders, is still IN the ring and ''making
good - in his original character, "Josh-
na Whitcomb, - the forernnner of The
Old Homestead Mr.. Thompson tells
of his varied experiences in a most
ingenious manner. "MY character of
Joshua Whitcomb, - said he, "was the
creature of unforeseen circumstances.
1t was 6rsu presented TO the public in
rs. I had been playing low comedy
roles and had acquired some skill as
dancer. IT was while / was in Pitts
burg playing the part Of a rolllcklng
Irisbman that ] was stricken with rheu-
matism / was forced TO give up work.
1t was clear to me that my dancing
could no longer be one of my assets,
so while lying on sick bed and suf-
fering intense pain, the inspiration
came to me that / could bring some
sketch that would please the lovers of
simple rural life. This was the idea
of Joshua Whitcomb,' which / built
up from two characters whom / had
known in early life-Captain Otis Whit
comb and Joshua Holbrook. both Of
them residents of my native town,
Swanzey. n. II. After several years
of success with this one-act sketch, at
the earnest solicitation Of friends,
worked it into a three-act play which
was plaved from coast to coast and
from the Great Lakes to the gulf with
great success.
"My carly struggles were very bit
ter, and often | was in deep distress
One Of my engagements was AT lhe
ROYAL Lyceum theater, Toronto. where
| spent a considerable period. l had
very hard luck at the time, but some
years later when the money, began to
run in through the popularity OF
Joshua Whitcomb,' and ] found my
self once more in Toronto, ] adver-
tised and called my old creditors 10
make n settlement in full l had no
record of the exact claims against me,
but it seemed rs if everyone In town
had a bill TO collect. ] paid out about
$1,000 causing good deal of comment
because most of the claims were out
Iawed and forgotten. 1.-The Old
| Homcsi ead' made fortune for Mr'
| Thompson.
Richard earle Likes Eggs.
Richard Carle. the comedian, might be
called the man who made ham ana eggs
| famous, 1t is said on good authority
that Mr.. Carle eats l440 plates OF nam
and eggs every year Every nlght al
| fer tho theater he eats two orders OF
| ham and eggs and sometimes calls for
more. ''I wish TO deny emphatlcaliy
| that NV plavinp in The Spring Chick"
en- has ANYTHING to do with my pen,
chant for the esculent dish of ham ana
eggs said Mr.. Carrie in speaking OF
his gastronomic predilection Tor the
dish. "I Just naturally, like ham ana
eggs and I think it is healthy. once
7 was PLAYING in Florida and ] was told
there were no ham nor eggs within
twenty miles of the town. / insisted
and the landlord of the hotel finally
brought in something that looked like
ham and eggs so I ate nine dishes OF
it. Later upon being asked for hight
he told me that the ham was alllg2tor
steak and the eggs were snake eggs
Why She Quit Opera.
Marie Tempest, who used to be such
| a OODOlar IlgnC opera SLdis odSo. .,
think it was the fear of failure and the
parallel wish to grow old gracefully
that made me decide to leave the oper-
attic stage for the dramatic--not but
what YOU can be an operate singer and
infuse little dramatic action into your
part, but I use the terms merely to dis
tinguish my present career from the
past. One day I stopped short. | had
made success, really a satisfying sue
cess in the operas / had attempted
'Mignon.' Martha and 'Manon,' and
the last light operas like 'The Fencing
Master / had appeared in in America
had been especially well liked. But the
strain-the fearful nervous. strain! l
don t believe there is anything quite so
bad in the world. In comedy You can
hop in on one leg if the other is broken,
and what IS the difference But In
opera, you must have voice-strange
and novel as the idea may sound-and
it's up to you, the opera singer, to con
vince the public not only that You have
il, but that You have it In good condi-
ton. And you stand in the wings and
you don Z know whether it is going to
ring true. whether it is husky or clear,
whether you are going to make good or
not. and the strain goes on night after
night and night after night. Sometimes