Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-25
Hi j. AMI:S.

Il knew a miner once who had
sp"n; mos, OF. his life looking for
gold without finding Il; Then one
day he made a'Strikc. AID h. became
rich man lie had all The money
he wanted TO spend for anything,
hut there was only one thing he
wanted. All he wanted was straw :
berry Jam. lie couldn't spend all his
money on strawberry jam, but s;ill
All he wanted WAS S,rJ berry JAM
So said Frank i;acon. actor author
/ OF 'Jightnin'." one Of the greatest
successes in the history Of the Amer
lean stage, which hc has just made
into novel Brushing hack the
thick gray hair that Is inseparably
associated with both 'i.ightnin' and
with Frank Bncon.s ii" reflected u ,no-
mcnt ana continued: II don; Know
but what i'm like that mine. Xii
my life hay" been dreaming OF some
day getting on Broadway and making
II strike. ! have mad" my strike-and
now ali want 10 Il" is go right ON
playing liEntnin'.' There In some.
thing in TIA" soul % AN actor that
makes him crave III" sight of "a fun
less IL he N" applause al that audi
ence. No. don't think It's. true
that ] am LiEh;nin'. But kind Of
enjoy lo"ing Lightnin' tor Il while
on the stage. And now they've mad"
me pn, him Ia u novel. and they tell
me mat I'm AN author.
'lLghtnin'. conceived 10y Mr.. Ra-
con. ini"rurrtcI 10y him on the stage
tai" Of "lightnin" i!ili Jones. go
called because he WAS ss Slow as
lightnine is fast, Of his hotel mostly
for Divorces ON the border between
California and Nevada. and ar how
clever Fastener almost. but not
quite. succeeded In swindlns the
hotel from BiiI Jones family. In the
book. published by tho Hampers. Mr..
Bacon develop. the romance Of l'ill
Jones daughter ana oc hts young
pal. Jim Marvin
SIN "Rnkc" In sun lose.
u Frank Bacon docs not taxi too
seriously this business %! being
author. now that "I.Ightnin' has
been published as II novel. perhaps
II is because he has not taken any
thing too seriously In his picturesque
career. The Frank Bacon OF tod -.
playwright, aud novelist. is pui.c tho
same whimsical hugish, fuu-ioving
Bake" iha, III" folks hack in Cali
furnia used 20 know True. the folks
ar" "A BIT surprised by IN" develop.
mctts Of the last two years. When
! nrst went away rom home 10 Ect
Into ;h" wicked play-ic,ine game.
h" recalled smiling. my father was
convinced that ! had iisgrac"d tn"
Who'll" family. Frank he wrote TO
me-. tho whole town is talking about
you" san Jose wasn't such big
town, but a scandal could get about
there fast. 49,. Ny sister from back
home came TO Sew rorl; TO 80. the
play few weeks ago. Frank, sh"
said. II father were alive today,
know what he would b" saying. u
would be--'thc whole town ~ talk
ing about you"
Just when the scandalous Idea OF
going on tn" stage hrst occurred TO
him. Nj Bacon does not know. H..
has = srenking suspicion thAt IL S.-s
born with him. y; any rat", /. vas
promptly suppressed whenever II was
mtIii"n,t e, HON. IN tn" rar.y t0ys.
and young Bacon became attached TO
tho stan % II local wspap"r. with "a
rowing assignment at picking mp 'lo-
Gals" advertisements and town gos-
sip In General. lie kep' NJ this work
We'll Into his twentics. having u
pleasant time OF i; and being JUST
plain Bake" to tho whole town Oh"
sill! is). Then one day word went
out that Il brand show. bigger
than anything that had ever come
san Jose way, was scheduled to hit
town. When he saw the poster
com" along with brighi-hucd lItho-
graphs Of ;hc SHOW. young Bacon