davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1928-04-01
Stage Always Has Superstitions

The oldest records of tho actor reveal
fear that whistling III the dressing
room will Immediately bring down OH
ones head all sorts Of misfortune,
whereas genial sharing Of makeup
powder with ones fellow players will
bring good luck to one and all,
1t is Just as much bad luck 10 break
mirror In thcater as anywhere else,
and many actors have an antipathy for
croSs-eyed persons and claim that they
bring bad luck IN minor degree 10
anybody they view. This may seem to
be ridiculous. but Il is said often to
have been proved true,
An umbrella should never be opened
indoors. and shoes placed on a table
will surely attract the evil spirits.
Humpbacked folk should be avoided II
one would avoid disaster A pet dog
and they are many among the actors
must be- securely confined throughout
the duration of each performance, lest
u stray onto the stage and blight the
career OF It's master or mistress.
When a chair falls over rs an actor
arises from 1t there is mischief about.
and no real theSpian would dream of
using a broom or other cleaning article
on a dressing room floor Many a dress
ing room hasn't been brushed for years
and years.
Some say Ii brings bad luck TO look
through the peephole IN a curtain OF q
thcater from the left side OF the cur
tain when IL is down, and others say
the malevolenoe Is wrought by peeping
from the right side In order 70 avoid
both, peepholes are usually put exactly
IN the middle Of the curtain. and the
view is that of the center of the audi
torum IN front The present -day ten~
dency to use curtains of velvet or other
soft material instead OF canvas has
nearly brought about the extinction of
the ancient peephole In the curtain for
the actor
II is particularly unncky to toss hat
or coat ON the bed In your hotel room
Many tales are told OF the unwisdom of
such an act, Some actors read the
written copy Of their parts IN new plays
the last thing before retiring for the
night, and claim II brings good luck TO
put the copy under the pillow.
You must put your right leg In tights
before encasing the left leg II you would
he lucky The same rule holds good
for stockings and shoes Stepping on
the stage for your first scene In the
play should also he right foot first
pifticult aerobatie acts are seldom re-
Evening star., 1928-04-01

aviation. Berlin has probably the best
equipped, the most scientifically man
aged, and the most centrally located
airport in the world. Templehofcn
Field was formerly the Kaiser's parade
grounds II contains over 200 acres.
and its air traffic is such that 1t can
be used only by air-tranSport COM
panies. Aircraft manufacturers. flying
schools and private owners must use
suburban fields or go to other cities.
Passenger-carrying lines radiate from
Berlin to all parts Of the republic ana
adjoining countries Some Of the lines
nave night services. so that tourists may
board an airliner at midnight and wake
up in Poland or Sweden in the morning
Restaurants and other concessions are
leased. and admission Is charged 10 all
those who cannot show an air-trsns-
portation ticket. On clear SUNDAYS.
from 5000 to 1000 sightscers paid for
the privilege of watching the arrival
and departure Of the airplanes,
More than 900 cities and towns In
America have ailportS in various stages
of construction, most Of them in use,
although not fully completed.
There Is a surprisingly large number
of cities whose sirports arc wholly or
partly reclaimed land The Oakland,
Calf, airport. which will be one of the
Evening star., 1928-04-01

hcarsed upon the stage before the per-
formance, in the belief that to do SO
invites disaster, II is really amusing
to see some acrohats pantomime their
act at rehearsal In order to avoid the
ink,
Certain roles in famous plays have
come to be regarded rs dangerous or
unlucky through frequency of miShapS
attendant upon their assumption, and
there are familiar plays that have an
equally bad reputation Many fire has
occurred during performances of THE
Two orphans" and The Black Crook. r."
II is still customary at rehearSals of
new plays not to speak the tag or last
line Of play lest catastrophe result
An actor will rehearSe every line Of a
new play right up 20 the last speech
When he comes to the cue for 1t The
player to whom the tag falls will sud-
denly drop out Of character and mum
hle something or other not connected
Nith the play at all When the first
public performance OF the play is given
the line will be spoken in its proper
place, II by any chance the last line
Is spoken at rehearsal, the words of
the line are immediately changed
A smooth-running dress rehearsal Is
universally considered harbinger Of
evil for the production and an unSatiS-
factory dress rehearsal usually results
in good first performance.
Home. Sweet Home" should not be
played by an orchestra In a theater at
any time during the performance OF
play II must be held until the end II
the play is To be g Success
To have rainfall on the firSt hauling
OF the scenery and other effects of
production is considered lucky, and
placing the name George Spelvin"
ON program 10 indicate character In
the play has mystic power Mir Spell
vim never appears on the scene, Of
course.
As 10 the pet superstitions of indi-
vtduals IN the profession. there Is no
end Some al the greatest men and
women OF the stage have cherished an
assortment OF signs, auspices and por-
tents.
Sarah Befnhardt once manifested a
positive dread and horror on seeing a
PLAYER lr her company make an appear
ance fohed IN a costume OF solid yellow
Mime. BeEnharde had much company IN
Evening star., 1928-04-01

n 70 class of people In the world is
N more superstitiouS than the
VI theatrical profession Actors
4 treasure many weird beliefs
that cannot be traced TO q def
Mite origin, and are inclined to attribute
many natural occurrences 10 the un~
lucky day" or some other equally imagir
nary cause
The human mind has an appetite for
the marvellous that does not change
much from generation to generation,
and many of the present~day superSu-
ti0lfS of the stage have the dignity and
prestige of antiquity.
II YOU should be among the player
folk. Just watch for the outcropping Of
some of their queer notions. and you
will be surprised that persons Of such
comparatively superior intelligence
should persist in beliefs that can have
no support of scientific fact or theory.
H. h not strange that there should ~
great deal OF superstition among the
actors since there are none whose ac~
tivities have so many viciSSitudes that
seem without rational explanations as
The strollers' trade. one company Will
start out with a bad play and n poor
production and do very well, and an
other troupe with an excellent play and
able management VIII quickly come 10
grief
Superstitions OF the actors may be
divided into two kinds~-the general one.
known to many other classes OF people,
and the individual ones, peculiar to life
upon the stage
In addition 10 all the common super
stitiona obtaining among non~theatrlcal
folk such as the beliefs concerning
"l3.' the mystic powers OF the moon,
walking under ladder etc, actors
cherish an assortment OF beliefs inclined
easily To arouse within one unwarranted
fears OF the supernatural,
One conviction of the thespians con~
Germs cats. feline visitor that adopts
theater as home Of It's own accord Is
regarded as bringing the best Of luck,
particularly black cat, which Is petted
and made much Of behind the scenes.
II cat Is cruelty treated however,
legend says the iinX Will soon be abroad
10 avenge the animal, II is not we'll
for a troupe TO have cat cross the
front ot the stage during performance.
II Is said that many company has
come 10 grief soon after such an oecur'
renee,
Evening star., 1928-04-01

minded. Business men are using
their own airplanes and seaplanes for
both business and pleasure All of these
must have service facilities, in much the
same manner as pleasure boat owners
and steamboat operators demand an
chorage and docking facilities.
The growth Of aviation business in
this country, other than aerial trans
port, has been little short of amazing
and shows every indication Of Continu-
ing at its rapid pace. Commercial COM
panies engaging in business for aerial
sightseeing. flying schools, aerial pho
tography, pest determination and aerial
tours have had unusual success since
Lindbergh aroused the Nation to the
commercial possibilities of aviation.
The largest manufacturer of CONNER
cial airplanes is tripling his production
for 1923 and Is now four months be-
hind delivery The same is true of
other established airplane manufactur-
ers. Companies which made only mill
tary airplanes are entering the COM
nherCial field. The Department of Com
merce estimates the 1923 production of
both commercial airplanes and COM
mercial airplane motors will be three
times that of 1927.
The Pitcairn Aviation Co has been
awarded the air mail contract between
New York City and Atlanta. The Post
Office Department does not require stops
to be made where suitable fields or
proper equipment for handling mail
planes are not to be found. In an effort
10 have Washington on this important
Air route. the Commissioners of the Dis
frict of Columbia appealed to the War
Department for the use Of Boiling Field.
The War Department agreed to the tenn
Oorary use of Boiling Field by these
nail planes. with the understanding
hat the Commissioners would make an
immediate effort TO secure a permanent
municipal airport. The result was the
Endorsement, with minor changes, Of the
stalker airport bill.
A good example of the growth of air
commerce over a successful air route
IS shown by the records of the service
between Chicago and San Francisco
which received an early impetus through
the excellent 3irportS along the route
and the great distances over mountain
Gus country between the cities that
gave the airplaue a fve-to-one advan-
tage in time over the railroad.
=
WHEN the Post ONCE Department in
auguratcd this air route the mai
( planes were flown only during the day
( The following year the volume Of busi.
/ ness justified a night service over tbs
/ center section Of the air route. Thi.
cut eight hours more off the time be-
! tween the cities and further increased
/ the amount of mail.
/ Last Spring the Government va!
operating night and day over the entire
route when 1t turned the contract over
/ to a transport company. This com
pany Immediately built number ot
I special planes capable of carrying ovei
+ ] 900 pounds of mail and two passenger:
! and is now operating these planes on al
/ early morning and late afternoon Sche-
dule from each terminal city Feeder
! lines operate from Salt Lake City anc
Evening star., 1928-04-01

this mental attitude, The baletul eg-
feet Of a costume Of solid yellow o.
green is believed IN by great many ac-
tors of intelligence
The brilliant radiance Of the peacock
feather Is also regarded as most un-
lucky. stage beauties will adorp them
selves with the plumage Of every bird
other than the peacock II they abide by
the traditions Of the theater
The great rragedian Edwin Booth
had a complete belief in signs and
omens. which either elevated his spir-
its or cast them down. The late e. S
willard, remarkably fine actor wa
devoted 10 the wigs he had used IL
many successful parts.
Adelna Patti refused "a sing wheF
good luck" was wished her inst as Sh
was about to go on the stage 10 max
an operatic appearance.
Henry Irving always carried a luck
amulet. said once to have been 1h
property Of Napoleon In his earlv yeaT.
and Valentino also practiCed this SU
perStitiop,
Joseph jefferson wore the same COY
tune In Rip Van Wrinkle for man
years and felt very nervous abor
NliAnANiE u RAlCH u hcN8fNF 1sllncSSAp
for further use The delightful come
dienneS Of past geperaticn litt'
Lotta and Niaggie Mitchell, also he
lieved In the power for good " SON
Of their costumes in favorlte roles,
Mauds Adams is said TO have fc'
that the red beads she wore OF hs
firSt performance as Lady Bahbie +
The Little Minister" were lnhued Wit
happy characteristics
JaScha HeifetE the famous violiniSi
places great store ON the lucky quail
ties - his charm s.ag," Ceyil,.. .;s.S'
set in gold. IL Is said that Mr. Neifetl
wears this ring over his heart tied q
a string about his neck and must fee
It's influence te play successful concert
We might cite endless other eases q
pFemonition among the players. an
vet-~liSe the majority Of mankind
they are not willing 10 admit that the
are SuperStitiouS
Evening star., 1928-04-01

- URVIVORS Of the Americans who
composed the Lafayette Esca-
drille are working at the near
~ completion Of the great me-
mortal.
Lindbergh went to see it--for it con-
cerned him. The Escedrille men were
the first American flying volunteers TO
win the attention and immense respect
OF Europe before We came as a Nation
into the World War, Just as the flying
Lindbergh dropped down on Paris,
volunteer ambassador Of good will in
pezcel
It was Lindbergh himself who asked
TO make quiet pilgrimage 70 the me-
mortal. without q crowd So, Anbas-
sador Herrick took him TO IT, the last
cay before he sailed back TO America.
a few old Lafayette pilots were there
% meet him.
In January 1928, there we're l3s
members Of the Lafayette Escadrille
and Flying Corps still alive: and me-
mortal officials tell interesting items
about a. number Of them. Five others
cied since the war--67 in war
The l3e survivors are scattered
through q States. New York. its city
ss business center drawing from the
Others, has 35 Of them, the greatest
number California has II; Massa-
ohusetts and Illinois (Chicagol have
II each; Pennsylvania has TO- and 50
on down. Where they came from, be-
fore the var, would divide them more
evenly into States.
Washington, D c. has three surviv-
ing Escadrille men, Honolulu, the
Philippines and Cuba have one each
end two are IN Canada. There are ten
in Paris american colony. two in
Tahiti, writing South Sea stories, one
each In Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and
Denmark, and ore in Morocco, still
fighting IN the French Foreign Legion,
% which, in fact, the Lafayette ESca-
crille was attached.
Surviving Lafayette pilots In Wash
ington and vicinity are Herman Lin
coin Chatkon. Perryswlle. Nd Robert
GrinEhaw Eoff. ChristlanbuTg. Va and
Thomas n Hewitt ir Robert D.
Hoeber and Charles T. Malone Of
Washington.
II is edifying 70 note the present
activities ~ those whose personal mem
ton has drifted in since they finished
with the Great Adventure,
Three are IN The diplomatic service
Wainwright Abbott. who Wss In the
United States legation al Athens. Is
now secretary 81 Caracas, Venezuela
Pierre EoSa has oeen with the legation
IN Lima Peru And Alien r. Wins
low Is first secretary Of The American
embassy IN Mexico
James jules Bach. who was with
the American passport bureau, Paris,
is now distributor Of motor cars IN
Paris Clarence Merritt Glover is IN
the automobile accessories business
Paris And Frank w Wells is an ez-
port motor salesman Of Detroit, now
on s|ar's business trip through South
America.
In Paris again. Robert Boubirsn Is
~'ith sn American company after spell
of business at home Charles q Grey is
in the great Eanque De Paris Ct des
I'ays-Eas Leopold Huffer Is of the
American family oi bankers long ce-
tablished IN Paris.
Of those who cross and Tecf0As the
Atlantic Thomas Hitchcock. lr VI
Wegtbury. Long Island is q star mem
ber Of the American polo team which
recently defeated the British Fred
erick II Prince. jr. son 0f the Boston
banker. Is master Of hounds hunting
81 the Pyyenees his family being one
of the oldest among the Americans 81
Psu. Charles X, KerWood after tbs
Evening star., 1928-04-01

Washington possesses an airport where
shelters, supplies and all conveniences
for both travellers and their airplancs
may be found properly equipped air.
port will in q very short time mean as
much in a business sense to a city as
proper anchoring and docking facilities
mean TO a seaport The better the facii-
tiles offered 10 commercial aviation
companies operating air routes, the
more air traffic and business the city
will secure
The new generation is growing up
Evening star., 1928-04-01
Then He Cashed I'm.

Leo-po yeu like girls with brown
eyess
Milton No, I ike girls with green
backs.
Evening star., 1928-04-01

Expenditure F Years and Bring Washington Into
ofCommnc 1ExpnuonW Flom Dew
FuegnP PoaIMh
Evening star., 1928-04-01
BY JAMES &. McFADDEN.

n TO class of people In the world is
N more superstitious than the
VI theatrical profession. Actors
treasure many weird beliefs
cansnt tyarpA To "a s9nG
Evening star., 1928-04-01
Lafayette Flyers in Civil Affairs
By STERLING HEILIG.
Paris, March %.

Paris, March %,
- URVIVORS Of the Americans who
composed the Lafayette Esca-
drille are working at the near
~ completion Of the great me-
mortal.
New Britain herald., 1928-03-16
IN EARLY
 MORNING ACCIDENT
Two Freights and Baltimore
 Local in Crash
ENGINEER REPORTED DYING
Passenger Train Flows into Wreck age Of Two Fast Preference Ircights StreWD Across Four Track>-Many shaken Up.

Harrisburg Pa, March 16 tCP)- One man was injured probably fat ally at Marsh Run near here today when a Pennsylvania local passenger train plowcd into the wreckage Of two freight trains which had colid- ed.
 Another man was severely injured but probably will recover.
 Passengers on the Baltimore bound local were thrown from their seats but no one was injured.
 Theaccident occurred shortly be- fore S:30 q. m.
 Levi Simmers, A, of Wilmington, Del, freight engineer. was so badly scalded that he was expected to die He was brought to a hospital here
 Luther Williams. 23. of Whining ton. fireman Of Sinners train also was scaided.
 The two men were the fisf. 's ought to Harrisburg from scene oI the accident.
 Available details of the wreck in- dicat.d that fast preference freight coIlided with the rear of an- other preference freight at Marsh
 Continued on Page 27)
New Britain herald., 1928-03-16
BURIED TREASURE HUNT ON CONNECTICUT FARM
S400, 900 in Gold Is Believed by Some to Be Buried on Nil~onNille
 prDIsTty

Wooster. Mass, March I6 R--An old legend of buried treasure dating back 10 Revolutionary days. has aroused the interest of Paul Reich. of this city. who claims that q chest supposed 10 contain s400, ,000 in gold is buried on the farm of his brother Otto, in Wilsonville. Conn. just across tte Webster town line.
 He declares that historical re search covering q period of three years furnishes proof that the treas ure was buried by American officers during q skl,-rnish with British and Indians.
 So convinced IS MT Reich that the treasure chest is on his brothers farm that h. has advertised this week in q Worcester ncNspa Der for q treasure locator
 The farm Nher, the treasure is be li.yed 10 be is known as the Terry place, on the Indian trail near the Massachusetts Connecticut state line.
 MT. Reich has enlisted the aid oi the war and state departments, and claims he now has records that To- cate the treasure within small area.
New Britain herald., 1928-03-16

been usable in the repair Of other hlgh"ays, taken from South Main street, to fill in his property at South Main and South streets. The chair man also made admission that ce- liellt was purchased from the Citizens Coal Go. Of which Mayor Weld is president, without competj- tlVe tld, which. members Of the committee agreed, was in violation of the city charter
 Towers was q member Of the com mon council from 1918 to 1921. He was appointed chairman Of the board Of public worNs shortly after Mayor Weld took office and he suc- cseded Frank l.. Conlon who had served under the democratic admin istration preceding Weld's election. lie is son-in-law Of J. Willie Mills, whose truck, witnesses before the investigating committee testified. was kept at work for the board Of public works when it was not need cd and when a city-owned truck ,ould have done the work.
 Towers is the official who fired" holnas r. Kearney, superintendent of streets whose discharge was re- SponSlble in great measure for the investigation into the public works department.
 Sablotsky Raps Administration,
 informed of the mayors action in asking Towers to quit the board. councilman Sablotslly. chief inquisit-
 Continued on Page 13)
New Britain herald., 1928-03-16
WHITE IS ELECTED
 L.F. [. TREASURER
Board Votes IF Per Cent Dividend Payable
 Quarterly

Richard l.. White, for the past six
 months assistant treasurer of Ian ""rs' ffaiy X Clark, was elected , treasurer at the annual meeting of
 Inc board of directors today, Mir. White fills the vacancy caused by the resignation of Pardon C, Rjckey some time ago. Directors and off cers Of the company were re-elected
 The stockholders elected the fol- lowing board of directors, of which Charles r. Smith is chairman. Charles F. Smith. Francis R. Cooley Andrew J. Sloper, Frederick G. Platt | red"rlck A. Searle. Arthur G. Kim ball, Edward N. Stanley, Joseph F. Lamb. Charles T. Treadway, John F. Elton. Lucius E. Barbour. James L. Howard, Harris Whittemore, Jr. and Edward O. Goss.
 The following officers were elected hy the directors: President. Arthur G. kimball: vice presidents. Fred erlck A. Searle. Joseph F. Lamb William Ii. Rattenbury. Herbert R. Owen, Harold NJ. Parsons treasurer. Richard L. White; secretary. Henry T. Burr; assistant treasurers, Oliver \. Judd. Albert G. Anderson; assist ant secretaries, William E. Baker. Harry A. Travcr. D. Clark Smith. Paul Y. Giberson: house auditor, Henry T. Burr.
 The regular annual dividend of : Der cent was declared payahla per cent quarterly. Dividends will become payable on March 31, June 30, September 90 and December 3l. ! fls IS departure from the usual custom of declaring a 3 per cent dividend at quarterly meetings.
 Mir. White, the newly elected treas urer. Is q graduate of Harvard col l"g". class of 1920. After leaving college he was associated with tn" Western Electric Co, in Chicago and New York, and then entered the service Of the Stanley Insulating Co.,, of Great Burlington, Mass, d sub sidlary Of Landcrs, Frary X Clark. That was five years ago. He was ( sslstant treasurer Of the Great Bar rington concern, later becoming it's treasurer. Six months ago he came 10 New Britain as assistant treasur- .l of the local concern He resides in this city