Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-05-15
IN RETROSPECT
Price Weber Journeys
with Rotarians
Veteran Actor with 20 Years Elk.
perienee BEHIND FootIights. Spins
Interesting TaIe-Rotary Business
IS Followed by Rotary Fun Fully
Up to the High Standard Set

The greetings that actors receive
in the towns where they are appear
ing are sometimes cordial, and some
times otherwise. But in Il small town
whether theatrical company is met
AT the hotel by the manager with
hearty handshake, or whether the
company comes to the hotel without
greeting or welcome and is lift to
shift for itself, usually makes no diff
ference: the members OF the the
atrical troupe usually have no choice
Of hotels in such cases and they just
have 10 make the most of it. Some
of My Experiences" might well have
been the title of the talk given 20 the
Augusta Rotarians at their meeting
Friday evening al the Augusta House
by that veteran actor who is favor
tie with all of his audiences, H. Price
Weber. 1T was most interesting and
entertaining from beginning TO end
and was told by Mr.. Weber in his
inimieable manner.
Mr.. Weber was introduced TO the
Rotarians by President Blaine :.
. Files OF the club as an actor who had
been in the business for 43 years and
. has played before the King of Eng
! land, Princess Louise and other not
ables. Mr.. Weber was given a ris-
ing ovation by Augusta Rotarians.
In opening his talk. Mr.. Weber
stated that that sort of A reception
was somewhat different from that he
and his company had once received
on coming 10 the only hotel in a
small New England town. Mr. Web
Der had been told that the hotel man
ager was an eccentric character. and
on coming into the hotel the veteran
actor said TO him How 30 YOU do"
TO Mr.. Webber's surprise, the hotel
manager said What do yoa care how
! am: you wouldn't care if | was
dead Mr.. Weber explained TO him
! that that was customary way to
greet hotel managers, but that did
( not satisfy that particular landlord
; The hotel manager was asked il
he had received tie letter and if he
had the rooms for the company. and
upon the reply that he had, Mr..
Price asked him if he would show
the members of the company to their
rooms. Here the members Of the
theatrical company got another sur
| prise. The landlord said he would
not show them to their rooms, but
/ ne handed Mr.. Weber a piece Of
paper and said You can read, can't
you? Well. here are the numbers
Of Their ooms assigned to your COM
pany; YOU can find them"
! Upon being asked regarding the
mail coming into the town and the
| trains, this genial hotel man said he
was Tot running the trains or the
postoffices. and directed Mr.. Weber
/ to go 10 the depot and the postoffice
| TO get this information. Mr.. Web
| Der had later informed the landlord
/ that there were no pitchers Of water
I in the hotel rooms: and the hotel
| man had replied with an oath, NO
and there won't be. either" And
the members of the company were
Informed TO wash up at the sink.
! The fact that there were no chairs
at the dining table was pointed out
| to the landlord. by Mr.. Weber, and
! the reply was in effect that there was
only one set of chairs in the hotel.
that when the guests we're in the
| dining room they would not need the
chairs in Ahe Office, and that it was
up to the members to take the chairs
from the Office to the dining room at
mealtime, and return them TO the
office after meals.
The next morning the hotel man.
ager had in his way apologized to
Mr.. Weber for any unnecessary
harshness. but Mr.. Weber had said
he had not noticed it at all.
Business Transacted at Session
Secretary Ivan Lang reported to
the meeting that he had received a
| check from the Worcester, Mass.
Rotary club for sels.si. the proceeds
of the Worcester-Augusta Rotary
! baseball game played in this city at
the New England Rotary Nsonclaye
last fall. together with the sum the
Worcester club had raised. The mat
ter TO disposing Of this sum was then
discussed, and upon motion of Har-
old A. Allan 1t was voted that the
| club raise such sum together with