Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-03-07
BARD DIDN'T MAKE GOOD.
Manager Gave Shakespeare Every
Chance, But He Fell Down Hard.

The st. Louis Kansas City-Rurling-
ton train was laid out at Cameron
Junction the other night, while the
wreckin2 crew wrestled with an insur-
gent box ear that had jumped the
track up east a ways. Some of the
passengers got out of the coaches ana
walked up and down the platform to
Kill time. standing near the stove in
tie eating house WAS a rather tail, i'm
posing gentleman, with long, grayish
hair. His face was a bit peaked, but
his large. dark eyes beamed with ami
nation and intelligence. He was an
| Initiating a sandwich, solemnly aloof
from the other Hayfarers, when he
was approached by a short, stout gen.
tleman. who abruptly inquired:
"B'long tc that SHOVE"
Il 10. I'm the leading man.
Il thought So said the short man
| adniringly. Il knew the minute laid
eyes on YOU that you were ar actor.
| like shows myself"
The drama goes hand in hand with
the college and the seminary in the
great work Of education. said the
Snowman.
To be sure That's what I've al
drama, do. Did you ever play Ham
let?'" 5.+
Il have" rravely.
Great character, that"
That's according to the viewpoint"
returned the actor as he finished his
sandwich and rolled n cigarette. Are
you an admirer Of Shakespeare
"Why-er-don't everybody lik.
Shakespeare o.
NO"
The short man stared.
''Oh, come now." he said: you know
better than that. Why, Shakespeare
the greatest playwright that ever
lived"
You got that out of some book"
said the tall man as he walked over to
4 bench and sat dcwn, the small man
following proudly. You say it be-
cause it's the fashion--stamps one as
a man OF culture ana all that. The
real truth is Shakespeare bores ?9'
p.rsons ont of a thousand, and the
thousandth man is queer near the roof
or he'd be bored, too. Why do | say
this? Because ! know il to be g. fact.
Listen Fifteen years age, when WAS
Young and full OF the joy OF lie, L
wealthy uncle died. leaving me sle.ooo.
7 didn't blow it in rioteus living. EE-
cry Ccnt was invested in 4 show or
eanized for the purpose of giving Mt.
Shakespeare a chance. / studied 80 |
could play Hamlet, Richard Ill, Mac
hetn. Othe llo--all the leading charac-
ters-with skill. We had beautitul pa
ner rrinted. There was as fine a .ot oil
gentlemen and ladies OF the stage en-
rolled as YOU ever saw. We carried n
carload ri tin helmets. battle-aNes ana
crosshows. | invented a mechanical
device for producing witches and
,,bosts by pressing a button in the ny.
Between acts We had negro ''oe
dance and crackerJack Duichihai
with n monolague. We'd hire the ioc.ii
brass band at every town ana q oher
., deliver lectures IN Shakespeare IN
,ho town hall before the show. l oio
,n,ro free advertising for the Bard OF
,vnn than any man in this country
! o,.er did before--gave him every possi
| h,e rhanee-but he didn't make eooo'
The show went broke.
| That's too bad remarked the shoft
man sympatheticaily. onre piasi.s ..s
! eomething now that takes better WIN
| the people o-oyde,i
.yes. we're playing to cro"ueu
| housas We are producing piece
49, ,,,oe,s the unqualified approNai Oh
| discriminating pubiie. ,, Ee,'
goes regardless of the weather. %.
! .Soyne sixteenth century rase1i -;
| "Ec. twentieth. It's HaPPH ii'''
! gan New York Telegraph