Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-17
OIdfish on Old Players.


"fumbling in the dusty archives, ! came
across small card containing 20 pic
lures, each but little more than half the
size of ones small finger nail. Small as
these portraits were, the lineaments of
each one could be distinctly traced At
the bottom of this card were the words:
Metropolitan theater, w. II. Riley, man
ager' Yes, this was the stock company
of the old Metropolitan 50 years ago, and
today 1t is not known that one of these
is yet alive.
Out. out, brief candle,
Lifes but walking shadow. a poor
That struts and frets his hour upon the
And then is heard no more.
MIR. Martin, now stage hand at Eng
lish.s theater was a boy at the Met half
a century ago When he saw this card
a host of old memories were stirred, and
as he readily recognized the faces he be-
gan to name each and every one of the
favorites of that ancient company, all
of whom lived in Indianapolis long
enough to be considered citizens. The
portrait of the manager, William II.
Riley. an excellent actor and in every
way a gentleman unfortunately is not
on the card.
"'Ah.' said Mr.. Martin, here are the
two Mayhem sisters, Katie and Annie.
They lived on the southeast side of the
Circle, between what is now the entrance
to Woods livery stable. and the Western
Union Telegraph building. Here are
Johnny Stoner and B. NJ. Bonl1am
These two got up the first baseball club
this city ever knew-not professional but
amateur Here are James Hodges and
his wife She was clever actress.
Here are Mrs. Riley, wife of the mama
ger; Emily Cushman, Dolly Blake, MIR.
and Mrs. DeGroot and Harry Rivers.
There's Fred Hight. / see him now
stumping over the stage, cane in hand,
the testy old uncle, declaring he will cut
off his nephew, damme, with a shilling.
Mr.. and Mrs. L. F. Rand are here,
as natural as life, and Louis Sharp, the
prompter, who always knew his part.
Here are John w. Hill and John Web
ster. Hill and Stouer were great fav-
orites here socially. Those two? One Is
Stewart and the other is Loucks, cap
tains of the supers. That one? That Is
Gideon B. Ryder He was rebel pris-
oner here in Camp Morton, and heavy
man was needed for particular part.
Ryder took the oath of allegiance ana
became a valued member of the COM
pany. He played Miles MeKenna with
Lawrence Barrett in ''Rosedale, or the
Rifle Ball." Yes that is F. G. White,
Old White, always Old White, the most
popular actor indianapolis ever knew
This was Mr.. Whites permanent
home for many years, and he died here
at an advanced age, after having out
lived nearly every member of that old
stock company Another member of the
old company was the late Miss Kate
Fletcher Mrs. Mat V. bingham. Her
last engagement was with James O'Neil,
in the Count of Monte Cristo.
But Old White is stronger in the men,
DRY of the playgoers of that early time
than any of his fellow aetors. AS low
comedian, his admirers declare he never
had an equal. He could set the house in
a roar were his part only dumb show
and without a spoken word. 1t was by
no means safe for the best star comedian
that might chance to come to the Metro
politan to permit Old White to remain
In the cast among his support-as this
local comedian was sure to carry off the
applause and laughter, leaving the star
poor indeed, and he could turn the most
narrowing tragedy into farce in the
twinkling of an eye. Something has been
said-the proverb is somewhat musty-
about the vapidness of the play of Ham
let with Hamlet left out. 1t is remem-
bered that on one occasion, when Old
or hn ArS
in Shakespeare's masterpiece, the star
could only feel that he was almost ell
bowed off the graveyard scene by the
extreme drollery of the local favorte,
which eclipsed with applause and laugh
ter Hamlets mournfui meditation.
"Mr. White on more than one occasion
toured this and neighboring states with
company chosen from the Indianapolis
stock One of the plays he presented to
admiring audiences was Rip Van Win
kle,' in which, of course, he took the title
role. 1t was quite different in action
from Mr. Joseph Jefferson's version, the
pathos being doused by Mr.. Whites in
comparable drollery, which, try as he
might, he could not suppress. One day
he was asked the secret of his power to
provoke laughter. 1T is not at all diff
cult, said Mr.. White, if gone about in
the right way. Our risibles are only skin
deep There is nothing more catching
than laughter. 1t is quite as easy to in
cite mirth and laughter as to provoke
yawning. When l was young out in the
eountry-you remember how early the
winter evenings began and how long
they were--the family would gather
round the great open fireplace. a semi
circle of shining faces, with the faith
full old dog near the chimney jamb. Con-
versation would become moribund and