The Washington herald., 1913-10-12
OLD TIME PLAYER FOLKS
by HENRY A. JOHNSTON.

OF the immortal Dickens throngs of de-
voted friends continually visit and deck
his last resting place with floral trib-
utes. The flowers on his grave are al
ways fresh and green, and a gentle
breeze fans the fragrant blossoms. Many
of them are waited upon the adjoining
tomb. that Of David Garrick. Thus in
death as in life Dickens pays his trib-
ute to the actor"
Bret Harte and Mark Twain gave tha
stage 'Ah Sin,'' with that almond-eyed
Charles T. Parsole as the Laundry
man, philosopher and conveyor," which
never succeeded. somehow. 1 was pres
ent and wrote a special review OF its
initial performance, May Z. 1871, at the
National Theater, Washington. d. C.
There was a large and enthusiastic au-
dience present. everyone being pleased
with the performance. OF course there
were first nights crudities which Parsole
told me would be revised when he and
Mark Twain had their week at 1t with
their pruning knives. "Ah Sin." after a
short life, was withdrawn. Edwin Var
rey, sterling actor at that time, ap-
peared on the stage with ParsoIe and
put it to a vote to the audience, which
with a loud Aye declared "Ah Sin
a success. Calls were made for both
authors. Harte was present, but too
bashful to appear. Twain sent a charac-
teristic telegram which was read as fol-
lows: Have been laid up several days,
and am still on sick list / had two
speeches cut and dried in case was at
opening. one to bewan a failure, the
other to glorify a success. Let me know
tomorrow which one 1 would have had
to use. Better put it to a vote from
the stage S. L. Clemens" Parsole-
after the performance, dispatched the
following to Clemens: Telegram read
from stage at close Of performance. Thet
audience unanimously pronounced in fa-s
vor of glorifying speech. Charles T
Parsole." AT the close of the play Harte
sent the following note TO John T Ford
who was manager, which was the only
Indication that he was in the audience
and had witnessed the play: My Dear
Mr.. FOrd-Won't you do for me what
l hope some day to do personally.
namely: Thank your people for their
honest endeavors and clever interpreta-
tions OF the varied characters in 'Ah
Sin So much Of the author is usually
left to the actor to deliver to the public
that I was most agreeabIy surprised 10
find that the best of my collaberateurs
and myself so honestly and fairly repre-
sented. and our failures are cleverly
concealed. Bret Harte.' Katie May
hey. the little star. that twinkled in the
dramatic armament also toured in Bret
Harte's ''Mliss," which. like the others.
was withdrawn. the play in some places
was slow and crude while the scenic ef-
fects were generally good Katie's i'm
personation was not a great creation
although she made the impetuous. way
ward, tender, and withal womanly child
of the mining town among the NOUN
tains all that Harte tried to describe
While holding down one night stands
in Pennsylvania. in one Of the small
burghs, the local manager was an old
friend OF Robson's- They were right
glad to see each other. renewing the
friendship OF long standing. They re-
called scenes, incidents and jokes one
had played on the other. During the
first act Robson noticed his manaEeriaI
friend circulating among the audience.
Curtain, and not a hand or rippIe Of
laughter. Ditto act II. More ditto act
III, and final curtain to a silence as still
as the grave Robson wondered and
wondered more as he wended his way 10
the depot Meeting his m. T. as he
was about to take the train, Robson
! spoke to him as to the why and where
fore Of the evenings show, especially the
lack OF enthusiasm or laughter Rob-
sons feet few from unde- him he
gasped. and tried to articuIate when he
heard his m I. say why, Stuart, I
was nearly bursting with laughter all
the time I had hard time in keeping
the audience from laughing out loud for
fear they would disturb you" Can YOU
imagine what Robson did say when he
found his speech?
(Au rrhts -rza-rs5N