New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-22
Little Playmate
Nouns Loss of
Dave Montgomery
Partner Daughter in Sorrow
Over Death Of Generous
Uncle" She Loved

A little girl out in Amityville. on
Long Island, who had lived for twelve
years almost without knowing what 1t
felt like to be unhappy, got some very
bad news yesterday. The French doll
she passed it on to, in quest OF the
sympathy which no grownup could ade-
quately give, listened wide-eyed but
dry-eyed. But so, they say, the women
of France have learned in these bitter
days to accept bad news. The Dutch
boy stood square in his wooden shoes
and kept on smling-a stolid optlmist
who couldn't or wouldn't believe that
anything could go wrong in so kind
world. Only the talking doll spoke
among them all, and her vocabulary
fell hopelessly short of meeting the
demands of the situation. o.,
But the pony out in his private stall
offered a less artificial comfort. His
ewes. to. seemed to cloud when the little
girl whispered: Chin Chin, he's
dead"
And Chin Chin. the pony, the one
living bond between Dorothy Stone and
the happy days, whinnied commiseratt-
ingly and caressed the little girls
cheek with his soft nose.
Called Comedian Uncle Craig
When the world lost Dave Montgom-
cry, the laugh maker, Dorothy Stone
daughter of Fred Stone, his partner on
and off stage, lost one OF the best
| friends that little girl ever had. she
had been taught from babyhood TO cail
I him "Uncle Craig" Craig was his mid
die name and the one he liked pest 70
/ hear from the lips of those he loved,
{ and If he had been a real uncle he
/ could have commanded no more OF ner
affection.
The Lambs and the Players knew
Dave Montgomery as jolly elderly
bachelor, whose purse strings were
never drawn; Dorothy knew in her
/ Trcle Craig one who was at once a
I second father and magnificent play
mate. who never came back from those
/ living summer trips TO Europe without
/ having conjured up some new miracle
of a TOW. IL wasn't over with him.
either, when he had made his funny
| little presentation speech. he bullt
/ games about he toys, as sNlful play
/ wright can be called upon to ouiid
NAV about n star; and in the games
/ there was always part for hlmselt.
/ He could be a better and more solemn
or doctor than the real one who came
when there were aching tummies IN
the house. a soldier, fireman, a
trained bear, clown, anything the
cast called for. And he was never the
/ first to tire Of the fun.
Chin Chin was one of his presents to
/ Dorothy. and there was one game IN
! which Chin Chin starred as one OF
those second sight people, going
/ straight into the pocket in which Uncle
( Craig had hidden the sugar loafs.
Learns OF Playmate's Death
Dorothy's sisters also were i'm
mensely fond of Uncle Craig and the
benefciaries many times over OF ms
( bounty. But Paula is only hye and
/ Carol only three. They hadn't known
, Uncle Craig long enough to know what
( his passing would mean. nor LIE long
/ enough to realize the tragedy OF death
! II wa sto Dorothy alone that Grandma
Stone broke the news, hesitatlngly, tell
/ ing her first that Uncle Craig was i'll
then drawing a picture OF such a
| heaven OF endless delight that even in
q
begrudge it's splendors to him who had
constructed such a heaven in life for
/ her.
And Dorothy, when she said her
prayers at night, did not forget the end
| ing which she had not neglected for
half dozen years:
"God, my silent prayer is for Uncle
/ Craig"
Dave Montgomery's body, accom-
panied by Fred Stone and Mrs. Stone
and Mr.. and Mrs. R. o. Lawhead,, OF
Chicago, "Uncle Craig's" brother-in,law
and sister, will arrive in New forS
about 6 o'clock this evening. Funeral
services will be held in Frank Camp,
bells chapel, at 1870 Broadway, at 2
o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Elsie
Janis and her mother and many other
stars and managers will be there, with
delegations from the Lambs, Friars
and Green Room clubs. Burial will be
at Woodlawn, where Dave Mont
gomery's body will rest between those
of his father and his actor brother
sgC